New mobo - new PSU but conns different!

[Gordon Stephens]

I have recentltly purchased an Asrock AM2NF3-VSTA mobo with a 20 pin power
socket and a separate 4 pin socket. I also recently purchased a COLORSit
60950 power supply with a 24 pin connector and a separate 6 pin conn. The 24
pin conn splits into a 20 pin and a 4 pin, but the pin configuration does
not match the 4 pin socket on the mobo. Have I got something wrong? which
piece of H/W is old or incompatible. I can provide pics etc - just totally
confused. The 6 pin conn will fit into the 4 pin socket with 2 pins
overlapping one side or the other, but I can't believe this is right!
TIA.
Gordon

 

[Bob Knowlden]

The 4 pin block that splits off the 20+4 ATX connector is NOT the one needed
for the 4 pin 12V CPU power connector. It is provided for compatibility with
mainboards that want a 24 pin ATX power connector.

Some newer power supplies have an 8 pin 12V connector that can be split into
two 4 pin ones. Others have both the 8 pin and the 4 pin connectors. I
wasn't able to find any information online on a "60950". Are you sure that's
the model number?

As your PSU has a 20+4 connector, I assume that it's new enough to also have
the 4 pin +12V connector. All of the supplies on a web page that I found:

http://www.colors-it.com.cn/03_products/pccase.asp?max_id_search=5

are claimed to be ATX 12V version 1.3 compliant, which means that they
include the 4 pin +12V connector.

HTH.

Address scrambled. Replace nkbob with bobkn.

 

[Paul]

I have recentltly purchased an Asrock AM2NF3-VSTA mobo with a 20 pin power
socket and a separate 4 pin socket. I also recently purchased a COLORSit
60950 power supply with a 24 pin connector and a separate 6 pin conn. The 24
pin conn splits into a 20 pin and a 4 pin, but the pin configuration does
not match the 4 pin socket on the mobo. Have I got something wrong? which
piece of H/W is old or incompatible. I can provide pics etc - just totally
confused. The 6 pin conn will fit into the 4 pin socket with 2 pins
overlapping one side or the other, but I can't believe this is right!
TIA.
Gordon

The ATX12V 2x2 connector, should have two yellow wires (12V) and two
black wires (GND).

The 24 pin connector comes apart in two pieces, for the purpose of
supporting older 20 pin motherboards, or newer 24 pin motherboards.
The "left-over" 4 pin section, is not to be used! It has no purpose
when slid off the main connector.

A six pin connector could be for PCI Express video cards.

Also, the 60950 number you reference, is an engineering spec
number and not the model number of the PSU. If you have a
web link to where you purchased the COLORSit supply, maybe
we can figure out the connectors better, by looking for a
closeup picture of it.

Tread carefully,
Paul

 

[Gordon Stephens]

Thanks for response - the number was actually preceded by EN so it was
EN60950, but there is no obvious model number on the box - that was on a
label on the side of the casing. The box lists it as COLORSit silent
technology 550WATT
The 'Features' list on the side of the box says :-
.. New Version 1.3/Ver.2.03
.. Silent and better ventilation
.. ATX 12V compliant for all kind(sic) of CPU and Mainboard
.. Input Voltage:115VAC or 230VAC or 115VAC/230VAC
.. MTBF 50,000 Hours @ 25C

Most of that is irrelevant, and it is definitely called up as 230V on the
rear of the casing (I am UK based so that is right).

Any ideas on that?
Thanks,
Gordon.

 

[Gordon Stephens]

Thanks for reply Paul,
The six pin conn. has 3 yellow and 3 black in line with the black on the
'clip' side. The mobo pinout seems to be saying the 2 'clip' side pins are
+12V and the two opposite are com (presumably common) and this seems the
opposite of what the 6pin conn is indicating!

The separate 4pin socket on the mobo is supposed to be for "ATX 12V Power
Connector (ATX12V1)" and in the Quick Installation Guide manual, it says
'Please note that it is necessary to connect a power supply with ATX 12V
plug to this connector. Failing to do so will cause power up failure.'

Seems clear, but what I don't understand is why a brand new COLORSit 550W
power supply does not fit?

Thanks,Gordon.

 

[Paul]

Thanks for response - the number was actually preceded by EN so it was
EN60950, but there is no obvious model number on the box - that was on a
label on the side of the casing. The box lists it as COLORSit silent
technology 550WATT
The 'Features' list on the side of the box says :-
. New Version 1.3/Ver.2.03
. Silent and better ventilation
. ATX 12V compliant for all kind(sic) of CPU and Mainboard
. Input Voltage:115VAC or 230VAC or 115VAC/230VAC
. MTBF 50,000 Hours @ 25C

Most of that is irrelevant, and it is definitely called up as 230V on the
rear of the casing (I am UK based so that is right).

Any ideas on that?
Thanks,
Gordon.

Maybe it has an EPS 2x4 connector for 12V (used on servers or dual socket
boards). Some of those 2x4 connectors slide apart into two pieces, giving
the necessary 2x2 ATX12V connector for a desktop board.

I cannot find a detailed picture of the power supply. It appears to be
a European product offering, as near as I can tell. There is a
http://www.colors-it.com.cn web site, but I cannot see anything that
matches there.

The practice of the 24 pin sliding apart into 20 + 4 sections, the
splitting of a 2x4 into two 2x2 connectors, is not defined in the
standards. These non-standard options lead to problems for users
who are not aware of the pitfalls that arise from them.

Make sure that whatever you use for the 2x2 processor power socket,
that it has the two yellow wires and the two black wires, implying
the ability to deliver 12V to the Vcore regulator. Your motherboard
manual may identify which pins are 12V pins and which ones are
ground, so you can compare the color scheme to the identity as
defined in the manual. The unique shape of the nylon connector
shell, is supposed to prevent at least a percentage of possible
mis-connection combinations.

Paul

 

[Gordon Stephens]

Right, I'll try to indicate here the shapes of the pins on the 2x2 pin conn
and the 3x2 conn (looking at the pins)

Orange Yellow
___ __
| | / \
|___| |___|
__ ___ Whereas the 2x2 SOCKET is the opposite
version of the PIN arrangement
/ \ | |
|___| |___|
Blk Red



The 3x2 connector is as below:
Yell Yell Yell
__ __ ___
/ \ / \ | |
|___| |___| |___|
___ __ __
| | / \ / \
|___| |___| |___|
Blk Blk Blk

Hope this displays properly - I have tried to show the angled tops to some
of the pins that locate them precisely.

 

[Bob Knowlden]

Is this the PSU?

http://www.microdirect.co.uk/(15480)ColorsIT-550W-Gold-Silent-PSU-12cm-fan-SATA.aspx

It is stated to have a 4 pin ATX 12V connector (2 yellow, 2 black), which is
what you need. The 6 Pin PCIE connector (3 yellow 3 black), for high powered
PCI Express graphics cards (like an 8800GTS), is only useful for that
purpose. The detached 4 pin section of the 20+4 pin ATX connector is of no
use to you.

At the risk of giving insult, have you checked every connector off the
supply? Colors-It looks like a low-cost manufacturer (£25 or less for a 550W
PSU is cheap, perhaps too cheap). but I expect that their quality control
would be better than having the ATX 12V connector outright missing.

 

[Gordon Stephens]

Yes, that is the one, and I accept what you say about it being cheap for a
550W PSU - budget constraints etc, usual stuff.
Thank you very much for following up on this, I am now better informed - you
are also quite right to make the comment you did, there *was* another cable
which had somehow got hidden under the HD/CD power connectors and cables
right up in the top corner of the case behind metal plates etc (beyond the
CD housings), as the case was lying down on its side for construction
purposes. Sorry to have been an idiot and a pain - thanks again.
Gordon.

 

[spodosaurus]

Yes, that is the one, and I accept what you say about it being cheap for a
550W PSU - budget constraints etc, usual stuff.
Thank you very much for following up on this, I am now better informed - you
are also quite right to make the comment you did, there *was* another cable
which had somehow got hidden under the HD/CD power connectors and cables
right up in the top corner of the case behind metal plates etc (beyond the
CD housings), as the case was lying down on its side for construction
purposes. Sorry to have been an idiot and a pain - thanks again.
Gordon.

You've neither been an idiot nor a pain. This thread is now archived by
google, and the answers about the different types of connectors on
modern PSUs are now available for others to learn from in the future.

Ari


--
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply
Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow transplant. Please
volunteer to be a marrow donor and literally save someone's life:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/

 

[Gordon Stephens]

Thanks, I appreciate that.

Gordon.

You've neither been an idiot nor a pain. This thread is now archived by
google, and the answers about the different types of connectors on modern
PSUs are now available for others to learn from in the future.

Ari