PSU Help! Are there different types of 24-pin PSUs that are not compatible with ATX mobos?

[John Naylor]

1. Dell has historically notorious for pulling this proprietary crap in their server and business lines; the reason is the part they buy OEM for $40, they can sell to you for $180. HP does the same for NICs, HDs and memory on the plotters where the cable connections are no standard. In later years, with consumers being used to this, they dropped the proprietary but sold the rebranded 3Comm NIC card for $220 when I was able to buy 3 of them for $15. A friend ran into this on a Dell HD. I built him a cable, so he could use normal HDs from then on w/o being raped.

2. The ATX standard doesn't actually cover pinouts at the PSU end, just the MoBo end. Overclock.net has an extensive library of PSU pinout diagrams to support the sleeving community there. If you look at custom cable sets from Lutr0, Cable Mod, Corsair, etc, they are brand and model specific.

3. In short, it's really not a big deal to create custom cable sets for any PSU. I created my own buying the components at frozencpu.com (copy / paste follows)

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...rimp_Connector_-_Black_-_90_M-SCA-16F-BK.html http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...rimp_Connector_-_Black_-_90_M-SCA-16F-BK.html http://www.frozencpu.com/products/2...wer_Connector_-_Corsair_Seasonic_-_Black.html
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/9...-Plated_Connector_Pins_-_Female_-_4_Pack.html http://www.frozencpu.com/products/8..._Power_Connector_-_Black.html?tl=g51c383s1008
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...male_PCI-Express_Power_Connector_-_Black.html http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...wer_Connector_-_Corsair_Seasonic_-_Black.html
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/6...ector_-_Black_ACR-CB0618.html?tl=g51c383s1009
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1..._Power_Connector_-_Black.html?tl=g51c379s1012 http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...Corsair_Seasonic_-_Black.html?tl=g51c621s1964
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...Corsair_Seasonic_-_Black.html?tl=g51c621s1962
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1..._Power_Connector_-_Black.html?tl=g51c387s1015

Check over at overclock.net and look up the sleeving threads ... as it's an enthusiast site, I doubt you'll find the pinout diagram for the Dell, but you should find someone to walk you thru it.

Another option, have these guys make it for you ... tho the cost of the cables will likely exceed the cost of a replacement PSU. A Seasonic S12 520 watter usually costs me $35

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/fZyFf7/seasonic-power-supply-s12ii520bronze

 

[Bill_Bright]

2. The ATX standard doesn't actually cover pinouts at the PSU end, just the MoBo end.

Actually, it does. As seen on page 31 here or page 29 here.

But regardless, it would not matter. If the standard dictates how the motherboard pinouts are, and the standard dictates the PSU must be compatible, then PSU end must match the motherboard.

 

[MrGenius]

Actually, it does. As seen on page 31 here or page 29 here.

But regardless, it would not matter. If the standard dictates how the motherboard pinouts are, and the standard dictates the PSU must be compatible, then PSU end must match the motherboard.

You misunderstood the statement. What he's saying applies to modular PSU cables. The pinouts where the cables plug into the PSU are not standardized. Which means you can't always use modular cables from a different manufacturer, or even from a different model from the same manufacturer. They aren't always wired the same.

 

[nomdeplume]

Okay, perhaps I should have said "additional" training instead of specialized but I am pretty sure you knew what I meant.

Specialized does not mean advanced training that takes a PhD to understand. But if something is proprietary, and does not comply with industry standards (which is what is taught in tech schools), then techs at HP, Dell, Apple, etc. will require "additional" training to learn how to identify the differences, and then how to troubleshoot and repair them.

Beyond that, I stand by what I said. There is nothing to suggest proprietary means "evolved" in to something better or easier than the industry standards - especially when it comes to moving a couple wires around on a PSU and motherboard power connector and in particular, proprietary does not mean something better or easier for us consumers.

The OP's Z230 is not a consumer good, so to speak. It is a low level workstation designed and sold for business/industrial use with a fully supported life span of 3 years. Evolved was the word I chose to describe how the design and materials combine to produce a low failure rate system. Unless you can prove the pinout does not add to the overall system architecture in the original capacity. I have little to disprove. It is built to a level, as is other industrial computer equipment that must use higher tolerances and pass more stringent controls, higher than regulations and standards consumer retail goods must attain. Which is to say it is built upon them and improved for the specific purpose where required.

Say I was building a house. A situation fraught with codes to regulate the lowest level of materials which can be used and safe construction practices. These codes are largely out of date and easily surpassed. So much so the inspector enforcing them tries to fail large sections of the home as being out of code. So out come the plans and over goes junior members of the architect firm and lead contractor to disabuse him of his notions. Chances are the outside set of eyes bring to light corners were cut and sub-par materials were substituted, intelligently where they added nothing. That much like the slower moving code these plans and fitments did not account for the next owner or change from a home into an insurance agency. Start knocking down walls and you run the risk of complications. This is even more true the more evolved the design was for the initial purpose.

 

[Bill_Bright]

You misunderstood the statement. What he's saying applies to modular PSU cables. The pinouts where the cables plug into the PSU are not standardized

Ah! Yes, That is, sadly very true. Modular cables are not interchangeable for that reason. Which is too bad. For the record, we have even seen different modular supplies from the same brand use different cables - I assume because the OEMs are different.

Yeah, the industry need to settle on a standard for those too.

As far as the OPs computer being a workstation, as long as it is not described anywhere as being ATX compliant, then okay. But do note workstation does NOT imply any higher standards in terms of quality or evolution. It normally meant it was intended for higher order work - like scientific number crunching. Originally, it just meant it was tied to a mainframe - as in workstation "terminal".

 

[Caring1]

So now we have to close every thread because you all cant keep yourselves from arguing?

Yes.
Or at least when specific members are involved.