• ×
    Information
    Windows update impacting certain printer icons and names. Microsoft is working on a solution.
    Click here to learn more
    Information
    Need Windows 11 help?
    Check documents on compatibility, FAQs, upgrade information and available fixes.
    Windows 11 Support Center.
  • post a message
  • ×
    Information
    Windows update impacting certain printer icons and names. Microsoft is working on a solution.
    Click here to learn more
    Information
    Need Windows 11 help?
    Check documents on compatibility, FAQs, upgrade information and available fixes.
    Windows 11 Support Center.
  • post a message
Guidelines
Any failures related to Hotkey UWP service? Click here for tips.
HP Recommended
Z230

Is it possible to install an HP z420 600w power supply to an HP z230 ?
They have the same physical 18 pin connector for the motherboard, i only found the z420 pinout i dont know the z230 one,
And the z420 has an 8 pin CPU power connector that i think should be fine in the 4 pin CPU power connector of the z230 if i plug only half of it ?
Thanx in advance

15 REPLIES 15
HP Recommended

i'm going to say yes you can based on the fact that the retail ATX to HP 18 pin adapters which cover the HP z420, z620, z230 systems use the same ATX adapter,  which implys that the motherboard pinouts are the same

 

https://www.amazon.com/11-inch-24-Pin-18-Pin-Adapter-Workstation/dp/B071NL4VK2

HP Recommended

Hello,

 

I managed to get an HP z420 600W power supply and i can confirm that it works normally on an hp Z230. You will need an 8pin CPU(EPS) cable extension because the 8pin CPU cable of the PSU is too short.
The only problem that i have at the moment is the PSU fan. It spins at full speed. I have found the pinout of the 18pin header of HP z420 on HP forums but i cannot find the Z230 pinout to compare and to find what cable is responsible for the fan control of the PSU.

 

Any help and suggestions are welcome !
Thanx

HP Recommended

the ambient temp thermal sensor for the case fan is embedded in the main cable itself, near the power button

(it's a small T0-82 black plastic transistor)

 

open up the black covering by the pwr button end, locate the transistor, note the color wires (should be grey/brown) and which pins they connect to......  this transistor (2n2222A) can fail causing full speed and 0 degrees temp when checking the bios for the temp

 

note you can not swap the pins, the wires/pin header/transistor leads must match or the sensor will not work

HP Recommended

Thanx for the reply

I think that the sensor is not the problem because:

-all the other fans are working ok

-when i swap the original PSU in place the fan of the original PSU works ok

-the fan of the new PSU works ok because i tested it in a z420 workstation

So the problem must be elsewhere

As far as i know :

The PSU fan is controlled by the motherboard. When i opened the psu there is a cable labeled Fan cmd that goes from the psu to the motherboard.

There is a difference between the 18 pin connector of the z230 and the z420. The Z230 has 2 cables missing. The z420 has all of them. I will try later to add some photos to explain it more correctly

HP Recommended

Update !

I managed to solve the Fan problem. I had te remove on of the cables in the 18 pin motherboard connector. It does not spin at 100% anymore. It works really quiet.
However i am going to update this again as soon as i test it under load. At the moment i am waiting for an 8pin EPS cable extender because the PSU has a really short cable and i can't mount the PSU properly.
As of now i have tested that the PSU works normally.
I only have to test it under load to see if the PSU fan reacts to the temperature like the original one or not

HP Recommended

Was wondering if you have had a chance to test the Z420 PSU under stress in your Z230? Also, which pin did you disconnect to stop the fan from running at full speed?

I have installed the Z420 PSU in my Z230 CMT and everything works except the CPU fan is running full out.

Thanks!!

HP Recommended

as i recall the newer z 230's that use a 6 pin power header (instead of  a 18 pin one) have to remove the "TAC" wire from the header if using a z420 power supply and either insulate the wire end (or possibly connect to fancmd wire? not sure on this) 

 

a safer fix is to simply use a voltage dropping resistor on the header to drop the 12v down to 7.2 volts you can buy these 3/4 pin fan speed reducers on ebat/Amazon

 

Yellow is Mainboard 12V
Brown is CPU 12V
Blue is -12V
Purple is +12V Standby
Black is GND

Now that little white header there that is called "P2":

Black = GND
Green = PowerON (ATX standard color - when did we start doing that?)
Grey = PowerGood (again, standard color)
White = something labeled TAC - which I assume is tachometer and goes straight into the fan.
White&Red = FANCMD

HP Recommended

Thanks for your quick reply. Mine has the 18 pin connector on the motherboard. Unfortunately, all wires from the power supply are black. Did you remove the 2 pins from the Z420 18 pin plug that are missing on the Z230?

 

HP Recommended

for the older 18 pin pwr headers use a fan speed reducer or just tap in a 57 ohm (or less) 5 watt resistor on the fan's +12v line

† The opinions expressed above are the personal opinions of the authors, not of HP. By using this site, you accept the <a href="https://www8.hp.com/us/en/terms-of-use.html" class="udrlinesmall">Terms of Use</a> and <a href="/t5/custom/page/page-id/hp.rulespage" class="udrlinesmall"> Rules of Participation</a>.