One PS cable for six devices??

I’m building a new system using a Corsair CX750M power supply. For the sake of simplifying the cabling inside my small mid-tower case, I’d like to power all the HDD and optical drives, a USB 3.0 card and USB 2.0 front-panel hub off of one SATA modular cable.

 

I’m not sure if the single modular cable can handle all the load of two SATA HDD’s, two SATA Optical Drives, one powered USB3 PCI-e card and one powered USB2 front-panel hub. Of course, I’d have to use a couple of short adapter cables. The cabling, starting from the SATA power connector at the end and furthest from the power supply, would be:

 

First SATA Connector - (1) SATA Optical drive - 5v @ 1.5A & 12v @ 1.5A & (1) SATA

Optical drive – 5v @ 1.7A & 12v @ 1.9A both on a SATA male x (2) SATA female adapter.

 

Second SATA Connector - (1) USB 2.0 front panel hub – assume 5v @ 500mA each port x 4 ports = 5v @ 2000mA (2.0A) maximum & (1) PCI-e x1 USB 3.0 card – 5v @ 900mAh each port x 4 ports = 5v @ 3600mAh (3.6A) maximum both on a SATA male x Molex and FDP female adapter

 

Third SATA Connector - (1) SATA HDD – 5v @ 0.75A & 12v @ 0.75A

 

Fourth SATA Connector - (1) SATA HDD – 5v @ 0.75A & 12v @ 0.75A

 

Eliminating just one power cable from the power supply would make a big difference in this case. The only other cables from the PS would be the typical ATX motherboard power connectors and one PCI-e video card 6-pin power connector. Am I overloading this one power cable or maybe one side of the PSU?

for the peace of mind,I think Id use 2 cables even tho its doubtful youll be working all these devices simultaneously

The power loads I stated for the USB2 front-panel hub and the USB3 PCI-e card would be with all ports at max power draw. Your comment about “even tho its doubtful youll be working all these devices simultaneously” is true. In fact most, if not all, the USB devices I’d be plugging into those ports require little or no power. Devices like USB flash drives, Nook or Kindle e-reader (they have their own power), etc. About the only thing I can think of that would draw any extra power off those particular USB ports might be a 2.5” external USB HDD, but that would be a rare occurrence. Any external USB HDD’s or ODD’s I have are permanently connected to the motherboard’s rear USB, e-SATA or FireWire ports.

 

I’m thinking I can basically ignore the USB2 front-panel hub and the USB3 PCI-e card power loads. And since the cable is obviously built to handle any combination of four HDD’s/ODD’s, I should be OK.

 

I’m open for arguments to the contrary, though. :biggrin: