I'm having trouble with a custom motherboard and power supply, but I need help getting the GTX 1060 to work.
I'm having trouble with a custom motherboard and power supply, but I need help getting the GTX 1060 to work.
I meant to connect the six-pin plug, as that power supply is actually of good quality and comes with a 6-pin connector. As I mentioned before, if I were you, I’d purchase a new power supply (the one I suggested is a solid choice for its value) and try to fit as many components from that new unit onto the motherboard. You might encounter some proprietary items that can’t be powered by anything other than the included supply, in which case you could only use the old supply for those parts.
You’re facing a tough situation right now. It seems like you’re someone who hasn’t much opportunity to earn money or buy new components. We’ve all been there before and I relate to the challenge. At this moment it might be wiser to work with what you have and ask your parents for help in finding a job so you can assemble a decent PC. You’d be amazed at how capable you can build a good system for $150 to $200.
Hi
Thanks for the advice, now I’m in a better position since I saved some money.
I bought a Coolermaster MWE V2 450w -230V PSU and it’s working perfectly, even testing my GPU which is also fine.
The main issue now is figuring out how to connect this PSU with my Dell Vostro 3471 PC.
My thought is to purchase an Add2PSU board and use the Coolermaster PSU as a secondary power source for the GPU only.
However, I’ve read some articles mentioning multi-rail configurations and resistance concerns.
I’m worried because both my Dell PSU and the Coolermaster PSU have different rail types—my PSU is multi-rail while the Coolermaster is single rail.
I want to make sure this setup won’t cause damage to my system.
Also, my Dell PSU only has a single SATA power cable, so I plan to use a SATA power splitter and connect one of its outputs into the Add2PSU board.
The "Add2PSU board" and the "SATA power splitter" you're considering are both irrelevant.
I don’t understand how to use these unusual power splitting cables and adapters. I know people who worked in mining who used similar equipment.
In theory it could work, but the specifics are important. The idea of a multirail system is somewhat similar to combining two power supplies inside one unit. For instance, a dual-rail power supply can have two 12-volt circuits each capable of delivering 100 watts. If there are four cables coming out of the supply—two connected to each rail—then to get 200 watts you’d need to connect from each rail and route it to your device. However, if you connect both cables to the same rail, the total power you can draw is only 100 watts.
These complicated connections about which cable goes to which rail are why most power supplies use a single rail, keeping things simple for users. With a dual-rail setup, you’d have to determine which cables belong to which rail.
It seems you’re trying to manage this yourself, which I think is understandable given your past experiences. Generally, if you attempt to draw too much power from a supply, it will shut down. Good power supplies include overcurrent protection similar to a circuit breaker in your home. If you exceed the limit, it will trip and cut off power.
In rare cases, watching videos from gamers nexus showed how high-end power supplies could produce smoke when tested on overcurrent circuits.
Be very cautious—overcurrent protection is meant to safeguard the supply, but it shouldn’t be your sole reliance. Avoid damaging components like your motherboard or video card by making mistakes such as connecting incorrect voltages or grounds. It’s far more likely you’ll make an error when handling your own cables. Creating a short circuit can easily harm the board or other devices before the protection kicks in.
Actually, the Dell PSU only provides two wires. One connects to the 4-pin CPU power connector, and the other is a 6-pin motherboard power connector. The SATA power is delivered via a mini 6-pin cable with a single SATA port on the motherboard. I plan to use a SATA splitter there. Even though Dell offers multi-rail PSUs, I’ll still connect directly to another PSU. Here’s my approach:
1. Install the GPU onto the motherboard.
2. Use the SATA splitter on the single available SATA port (which is actually from the motherboard, not the PSU).
3. Connect one SATA cable into the Add2PSU board.
4. Attach a 24-pin connector from my other PSU to the Add2PSU board.
5. Finally, plug in the 6-pin PCIe connector for the GPU from my other PSU.
I’m hoping that once I power on the Dell tower, the other PSU will also activate and provide power to my GPU. If you’d like, I can send images showing the setup (like the SATA cable coming from the motherboard).
I have more background details that could assist you with your setup.
I purchased a Coolermaster MWE V2 450w -230V PSU, and it is functioning properly.
The main issue now is figuring out how to connect this PSU to my Dell Vostro 3471 tower.
One idea I have is to acquire an Add2PSU board and then use the Coolermaster PSU as a secondary power source specifically for the GPU (GTX 1060).
However, I’m concerned about some information I read online regarding multi-rail configurations, resistance values, etc.
I compared both the Dell proprietary PSU and the Coolermaster model, and I noticed that the Dell PSU supports multiple rails while the Coolermaster only has a single rail. This makes me worry whether using this combination could harm my entire system.
Additionally, the Dell PSU only provides two wires: one for the CPU power connector (4 pins) and another for the motherboard power connector (6 pins). The SATA power is connected via a mini 6-pin cable with a single SATA port on the motherboard. I plan to use a SATA splitter there.
I assume even though the Dell PSU is multi-rail, I won’t be connecting any additional wires directly to the other PSU.
My planned steps are:
1. Mount the GPU onto the motherboard.
2. Use a SATA splitter on the single available SATA port (not from the PSU).
3. Connect the 24-pin power from my other PSU to the Add2PSU board.
4. Attach the 6-pin PCIe connector from my other PSU to the GPU.
I’m trying to visualize this process and hope it works smoothly.
If you have any questions, feel free to share images so I can see how the cables are arranged (especially the SATA connection).
Thank you, and please let me know if this approach is safe and correct, even though the simplest option would be to buy a newer motherboard with a single Coolermaster PSU.