The 12V-2x6 Connectors Appear to Handle Full Load While Partially Inserted

TheLostSwede · Sep 25, 2023

Hardware Busters put the new 12V-2x6 connector—which is part of the ATX v3.1 standard—to the test to see how it compares to the 12VHPWR connector and the results are very encouraging. Not only does the 12V-2x6 cables appear to run at much cooler temperature, even at a 55 Ampere load, although the setup that was tested had only been running at this load for around 30 minutes. Even so, the cable and connector was only reading a surface temperature of around 46 degrees, which is well within specs.

However, to show that the new connector wouldn't suffer the catastrophic failure that some 12VHPWR connectors have suffered due to not having been mated properly with the connector on the graphics card, the same test was also performed with the connector partially inserted. Based on the test equipment shown in the video, there was no variation in Voltage, Amps or temperature. The specific cable was produced by a company in China called Linewell that apparently makes the PSU cables for ASUS among others. The secret behind the improved connector is a combination of new pins inside the connector and the shorter auxiliary pins which means that a poorly inserted connector won't allow the GPU to request higher power levels from the PSU. The new pins inside of the connectors appear to be solving the thermal issues as well, so hopefully we won't be reading about any more melted connectors in the future. See the video after the break for more details.

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i486 · Sep 25, 2023

Is this the connector revision found on newer 4090s?

STSMiner · Sep 25, 2023

Maybe they need to follow the new specs for the connectors (male / female) as per the ATX 3.1 (PCIe 5.1) that recently got released.

https://cdrdv2-public.intel.com/336521/336521_Rev2p1.pdf

And it seems they changed the specs again with reference to the female pins, the 3 dimple design can be used.

TheLostSwede · Sep 25, 2023

i486 said:
Is this the connector revision found on newer 4090s?

Should be, yes.

STSMiner said:
Maybe they need to follow the new specs for the connectors (male / female) as per the ATX 3.1 (PCIe 5.1) that recently got released.

https://cdrdv2-public.intel.com/336521/336521_Rev2p1.pdf

And it seems they changed the specs again with reference to the female pins, the 3 dimple design can be used.

That's what this video is about. Edited the news post to make it more clear.

STSMiner · Sep 25, 2023

But are they using the new connectors (the black male connector on their test board and female connector for the cables) here ?

The PSU and the GPU should be using the new male connectors.

TheLostSwede · Sep 25, 2023

STSMiner said:
But are they using the new connectors (the black male connector on their test board and female connector for the cables) here ?

The PSU and the GPU should be using the new male connectors.

I would presume so, but I honestly don't know and he doesn't appear to say.

HairyLobsters · Sep 25, 2023

"Handle full load with partial insertion"

STSMiner · Sep 25, 2023

Yeah, and that should not be happening based on the new specs.

A Computer Guy · Sep 25, 2023

HairyLobsters said:
"Handle full load with partial insertion"

TheLostSwede · Sep 25, 2023

STSMiner said:
Yeah, and that should not be happening based on the new specs.

Sure, be clearly did it on purpose to see what would happen.

STSMiner · Sep 25, 2023

The socket for the PSU and the GPU should be using the new design, the connector on the cables should also be using the new design.

He's demonstrated that there is still a problem and it's not fully backwards compatible.

If they are using the new connector (the black one on that test board) then it's evident that there are still problems with the 12V-2x6 spec if they are able to pull full power with a partial inserted connector.

The PSU they are using there (on the left in the video), is it ATX 3.1, if not, that could be the issue as well.

R-T-B · Sep 25, 2023

STSMiner said:
The socket for the PSU and the GPU should be using the new design, the connector on the cables should also be using the new design.

He's demonstrated that there is still a problem and it's not fully backwards compatible.

If they are using the new connector (the black one on that test board) then it's evident that there are still problems with the 12V-2x6 spec if they are able to pull full power with a partial inserted connector.

lolwut. No, not if it's able to pull AND deliver the power safely.

STSMiner · Sep 25, 2023

R-T-B said:
lolwut. No, not if it's able to pull AND deliver the power safely.

Until it's not.

TheLostSwede · Sep 25, 2023

STSMiner said:
The socket for the PSU and the GPU should be using the new design, the connector on the cables should also be using the new design.

He's demonstrated that there is still a problem and it's not fully backwards compatible.

If they are using the new connector (the black one on that test board) then it's evident that there are still problems with the 12V-2x6 spec if they are able to pull full power with a partial inserted connector.

The PSU they are using there (on the left in the video), is it ATX 3.1, if not, that could be the issue as well.

It's a test rig set up in that way, as this is a cable manufacturer, not a PSU manufacturer.

Also more details here.

ATX v3.1 & PCIe CEM 5.1 are official! - Hardware Busters

Hardware Busters - ATX v3.1 & PCIe CEM 5.1 are official! - PSUs

hwbusters.com

Dave65 · Sep 25, 2023

The 12V-2x6 Connectors Appear to Handle Full Load While Partially Inserted

Just before it burst into flames and burns your house down.

TheoneandonlyMrK · Sep 25, 2023

R-T-B said:
lolwut. No, not if it's able to pull AND deliver the power safely.

I think you're missing the bit where they say you can't even get full power on partial insertion due to design changes so the sense pins only make on full insertion.

STSMiner · Sep 25, 2023

TheLostSwede said:
It's a test rig set up in that way, as this is a cable manufacturer, not a PSU manufacturer.

Also more details here.

ATX v3.1 & PCIe CEM 5.1 are official! - Hardware Busters

Hardware Busters - ATX v3.1 & PCIe CEM 5.1 are official! - PSUs

hwbusters.com

Yes, and that test showed that the PSU was still pushing max power with a partial connection of the connectors, that should not happen, the sense pins PSU side are grounded allowing full power based on that test that was carried out.

KLMR · Sep 25, 2023

So you make a revision to a standard to allow something pulling +600W to work when partially inserted?
Shouldn't the revision avoid partiall insertion in the first place?

Bato Loco · Sep 25, 2023

and is this necessary?? because they always said that the burned cards were due to user error...

bonehead123 · Sep 25, 2023

KLMR said:
Shouldn't the revision avoid partiall insertion in the first place?

Apparently you can't just fix stupid, regardless of how many so-called revisions you make

Wirko · Sep 25, 2023

The connector may be good but the name is really unfortunate... Was the original version not 2x6?

STSMiner · Sep 25, 2023

Wirko said:
The connector may be good but the name is really unfortunate... Was the original version not 2x6?

With ref to the connectors, yes.

2 rows of 6 pins as per the RTX 30x0 FE cards (12VHPWR first gen connector), all that was missing was the sense pins, also, the pins used in those connectors (the patch cable that came with the RTX 3080 FE/ 90 FE) used the NTK female pins in the 12VHPWR connector, the same with the RTX 3090 Ti I have here, the connector on the patch cable has NTK female pins in it.

crmaris · Sep 25, 2023

STSMiner said:
Yeah, and that should not be happening based on the new specs.

only IF a GPU was connected on the other side. The load tester doesn't care for the sense pins.

STSMiner · Sep 25, 2023

crmaris said:
only IF a GPU was connected on the other side. The load tester doesn't care for the sense pins.

The PSU should not be allowing max power, the sense pins are to tell the PSU to limit it's output or allow max output based on those sense pins from the device that's connected to the other end of the cable, the GPU in this case.

Partially connected connector should tell the PSU (ATX 3.1 specs) not to supply power - sense pins (0+1) open = 0 watts, or in the case of ATX 3.0 specs, limit the power to the lowest state of 150 watts.

TheLostSwede · Sep 25, 2023

STSMiner said:
Yes, and that test showed that the PSU was still pushing max power with a partial connection of the connectors, that should not happen, the sense pins PSU side are grounded allowing full power based on that test that was carried out.

It's a TEST. How hard is that to understand? They've clearly set things up to test the cables and connectors, since that's what the company manufactures.
This is NOT a real world behaviour.
You've clearly never been involved in making anything if you don't understand this.

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The 12V-2x6 Connectors Appear to Handle Full Load While Partially Inserted

TheLostSwede

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i486

STSMiner

TheLostSwede

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STSMiner

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TheLostSwede

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HairyLobsters

STSMiner

A Computer Guy

TheLostSwede

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STSMiner

R-T-B

STSMiner

TheLostSwede

News Editor

ATX v3.1 & PCIe CEM 5.1 are official! - Hardware Busters

Dave65

The 12V-2x6 Connectors Appear to Handle Full Load While Partially Inserted

TheoneandonlyMrK

STSMiner

ATX v3.1 & PCIe CEM 5.1 are official! - Hardware Busters

KLMR

Bato Loco

bonehead123

Wirko

STSMiner

crmaris

STSMiner

TheLostSwede

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The 12V-2x6 Connectors Appear to Handle Full Load While Partially Inserted

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The 12V-2x6 Connectors Appear to Handle Full Load While Partially Inserted​

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The 12V-2x6 Connectors Appear to Handle Full Load While Partially Inserted