Are Molex to SATA adapters Safe?
Molex to SATA adapter cables are a very simple and cost-effective alternative to buying a new power supply. However, they can be a dangerous alternative to getting a quality power supply, potentially damaging your SSD, internal components, and may also pose a fire risk in your home.
What is Molex to SATA?
The Cable Matters 4-Pin Molex to SATA Power Cable Adapter is a handy addition to your toolbox when building, upgrading or repairing computers. It connects newer SATA internal hard drives, optical drives, and motherboards to a power supply with legacy LP4, 4-pin Molex connectors.
What does a Molex do?
Molex is the name of the company who develops computer and other related connectors and products. Also known as a Molex power connector (pictured), it connects your computer power supply to drives and devices inside the computer.
What are Molex connectors made of?
nylon shell
The pins and sockets are held in a rectangular matrix in a nylon shell. The connector typically has 2 to 24 contacts and is polarized or keyed to ensure correct orientation.
Which is better Molex or SATA?
Technically Molex can carry much more power than the SATA power connector. Molex has 2 power pins (one 5V and on 12V pin), each can deliver 11Amps for a total of 22Amps. The other 2 pins are ground wires… SATA power connectors has a total of 15 pins of which 9 are power pins (3 x 3.3V, 3 x 5V, 3 x 12V).
How much power can a Molex carry?
54 watts
The ATX standard for SATA or Molex connections is rated for 54 watts. Each SATA/Molex connector provides three 12v pins at 1.5 amps each, for a total of 4.5 amps. 12 volts, times 4.5 amps, equals 54 watts able to be provided by a SATA/Molex connector.
What is the difference between SATA and Molex?
The big difference between the SATA power cables and the Molex adapted SATA power is that the Molex connectors only supply 12V and 5V, while the SATA power cables supply 12V, 5V, 3.3V (orange).
Where does Molex plug into motherboard?
The 4 pin molex power connector on motherboards is found near the PCIe 16X slot is used for additional power for the video card in that slot. The manual explains it is there for modern, high power consuming cards, which do not have their own power connector on the card.