Frequently Asked Questions About 4-pin 12V Computer Power Connectors
Power connectors and other cords in your computer keep the various components powered and connected so that you can make use of your system. Power connectors like the 4-pin variety are used to provide power by connecting it directly to the power supply unit or by connecting to the motherboard. Here are some questions that may come up when selecting 4-pin 12V computer power connectors.
What types of 4-pin power connectors are available?When making a 4-pin PSU selection, make sure your connectors are the right fit for your socket
- Power supply adapter: This type of 4-pin connector is used for powering external hard drive enclosures. One provides 12 volts (12V), two are grounding pins, and the fourth pin provides 5Vs. These power supply adapters can be used on SATA and IDE enclosures.
- PCI-E power cable: This type of connector is used in computers that contain more than one graphics card installed in the PCI express slots. On one end there is a 4-pin molex, and on the other end there are 6-pin and 8-pin connectors that hook up to the graphics card.
- ATX power supply: This type of 12V 4-pin connector takes power from the power supply unit and connects it to the motherboard. This allows your CPU to get power for operation. This type has two grounding slots colored in black and two 12V slots colored in yellow.
- 4-pin fan connector: This type of connector allows you to power case fans and CPU fans by connecting them to 3-pin and 4-pin slots on the motherboard. One slot is the ground and one is the 12V power. There is also a tach and PWM. The tach slot tells the computer the current speed of the fan. The PWM allows the computer to control the speed of the fans, depending on the workload needed.
- 4 pin molex: This type of 12V pin can be used to power floppy drives and some older model hard disk drives as well. This type can add an adapter that allows it to be converted to a 6-slot PCIe connector.
- Review computer information: You will want to review your motherboard and power supply unit to see what types of connections are available.
- Select a length: You can measure the distance between the two connecting points to select a cable with a length between 1-14 feet.
- Select a brand: You can select from a variety of branded and unbranded cable options that are compatible with your computer.
- Choose a connector: One end has your 4-slot 12V connector and the other end can be the type of your choice. Make sure your choice fits into your plug.
A splitter is designed to take a single connector and convert it to handle one or more new connectors. Some splitters are designed to convert a particular slot option to another type. This is used when you have ports on a power supply or motherboard that are unused or when you need more of a particular type.