Two defective power supplies mean higher chances of issues.
Two defective power supplies mean higher chances of issues.
I'm clearly stuck. I visited the micro center today to replace power supplies for two of my systems. The first is an ASUS Thor 1000w Platinum II, and the second is an EVGA Supernova 850GM. I brought them home and tried connecting everything, but the PCIe and CPU cables didn't fit properly. I ended up using the ones that came with the devices, but it wouldn't power on at all. I changed the 24-pin connector and it just clicks on and off immediately. The EVGA side had a fuse popped under the PCIe slot, which made sense since fuses can sometimes be tricky. I thought I'd try again, but when I turned it on the fans started and the power button didn't respond. Also, the existing PCIe connectors didn't match the PSU's requirements. For the ASUS, I don't see any indication it's ATX 3.0, though it mentions a separate 12V connector. The EVGA model is definitely still using the standard 5-rail design.
You made a huge mistake. The PSUs aren’t broken, it’s your brain. Always avoid using cables without a PSU. You probably damaged both PSUs and maybe the whole system. Also, what happened was likely not a fuse but a capacitor.
It's clear, but similar to how cable modems function, these setups work just as well. None of these are my initial projects. I haven't used cables before either. On my primary rig the wires were white to maintain consistency, and in another I double-checked they're identical except for the PCIe connector in the PSU, but all wires end up at the same points. How can a different cable cause a short even though power goes to the same pins? I might replace the motherboard, but my ASUS rig still works fine and I haven't noticed any shorts. The RGB stays active, but the PSU powers on then cuts off when I press power. I'm not disputing this, just trying to grasp how a perfectly matched cable can still lead to a short. In my SFF build the only cables I haven't changed were the 24pin (actually a 17+10 to 24pin) and a SATA power cable for my HDD. My 2080ti seems affected too, as I saw a noticeable spark. Overall, my main rig is still operational and I'm not seeing any signs of damage.
If they were full system replacement cables, it would depend on the specific PSU and its pin configuration. For extensions, compatibility is usually fine. Most PSUs don’t share identical pinouts. CableMod offers a useful compatibility chart to help determine if cables work together. EDIT: An article from Gamers Nexus clarifies this well: https://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/2702-...dont-do-it Video
Because businesses aim to stand out, they can't just rely on the usual. My two computers are faulty because I didn’t know this. It’s frustrating. Why do they design their connectors differently from other power supplies? It seems like they’re trying to force people to damage their gear.
Sure, that sounds a bit confusing but at least it makes sense. I’d really like to keep my main system running. Maybe I just need to swap out the power supply. If that doesn’t work, I’m hoping my 3090 stays intact—it’s the only part I can’t afford to replace.
It mentions this in the PSU guide... The EVGA reference is on page 2, and the Asus one is on page 6.
My main rig seems secure, the PSU safeguards prevented any harm. The SFF LAN setup looks like it's likely finished, especially once I install a new motherboard.