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HP Recommended

Hello,

 

I got, as a gift, an HP Z600 Workstation, without any graphic card.

I bought an ASUS 660 Ti, and when I wanted to install it, I've surprised one 6 pins PCI-Express power connector is " missing ".

One PCI Express power connector comes out from the PSU, and I need 2x molex to use an adapter, but there is only one molex.

I've started reading some forums, documentation, manuals, spare parts documentation but I still don't really know which solution is the best regarding to my problem.

I did check and the PSU is good enough for that graphic card but ... I can't install it.

 

If you have any ideas, or if you have already met this problem, thanks a lot.

 

Nask »

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
HP Recommended

Skylarking, thanks a lot for this so much detailed answer.

I entirely agree with what you said, and that's why I've asked here, to the community, what they could think about that. Because it's a workstation, and it's not dedicated to use that kind of graphic card. But this workstation is a very great computer. Everything I need are fulfilled by this workstation, but the last missing part is the graphic card.

This workstation was delivered with an Quadro FX 1800, unfortunately, I didn't have any graphic card, even though this graphic card wouldn't enough for what I do.

I checked on some reviews, unless if you're doing some long and high benchmarks the graphic card shouldn't consume more than 143W (tested 10 minutes, bitmining, mainly GPGPU).

Regarding to information I have now, I might will sell this workstation and build a regular desktop computer.
But I won't find any good as good as this HP Z600.

View solution in original post

12 REPLIES 12
HP Recommended
I don't have a Z600 in front of me, so apologize if this response is completely off-base... but you say there's only 1 free molex and you need 2...

Is there a free SATA power connector? If so, you could adapt a SATA power connection using an adapter such as Startech.com part # LP4SATAFM6IN

Just a thought.
HP Recommended

No, your solution isn't a bad solution, I've already found that solution but I wonder if it's the best and if it could work, I mean, it would depend how the PSU has been built, and if it's possible to have an important load through an SATA connector cable, through a MOLEX, and then to the PCI-Express.

I feel a bit unlucky and it seems I'm not the first with that kind of problems and it's not a problem anymore on Z620.

 

At least, thank you for have replied me, I will keep looking for solutions while, I hope, some people will share their opininons, experience or even solutions.

HP Recommended
650W should be more than powerful enough, and HP uses highly power efficient PSUs.

I wouldn't worry about the connector types so much as the individual rails. If the molex and SATA connector you're using are on the same rail, you may have issue, but as long as they're on separate rails, you should be fine.

Like I said though, I don't have one in front of me, so I'm just throwing out some general common sense hoping it's relevant. 🙂
HP Recommended

Sure, I've already checked some details about this HP PSU, 80PLUS Bronze, but there were no detailed information about rails.

 

What do you think about that, as I agree with you, as long as I split the load on different rails it would work :

- 2x SATA (same rail) -> PCI Express.

- 1x PCI Express (direct from PSU)

- Molex (another rail) -> SATA (for optic drive, or hard drive)

 

Edit: It won't work as 2x SATA and the MOLEX are on the same rail... 

 

Sure, a PSU is a PSU and as long as you don't have an important load on one single rail, it's pure common sense.

HP Recommended

Nask, the "HP Z600 Workstation Maintenance and Service Guide" states that a maximum of 150W can allocated to a one graphics card or all graphics cards. This means if you want to install one card, 75W is provided from the PCIe slot itself while the 2x3 auxiliary connector supplies the remaining 75W of the 150W total power and heat budget allowed. HP also recommend that the adjacent slot should be left empty for cooling reasons.

 

This is because HP has tested a number of conditions including power supply, chassis cooling and expected hardware components that can be installed in the system. They do this testing to certify the hardware they sell will work as intended. It's also worth noting that these workstations use Nvidia Quadro or AMD FirePro cards which HP has certified for use in this chassis. Such workstation cards do not consume as much power and produce as much heat as high end game cards so the 150W budget is sufficient for the workstations intended use and this is why you only have 1x 6pin auxiliary graphics power connector.

 

Now you are wanting to use a 225W game card which is OK, if that is what you want, but HP has not certified that this card will work without issue in the Z600 chassis. As such, you need to certify the system yourself by ensuring that power and cooling issues are not going to cause you reliability problems. From HP's current design, you need to find an extra 75W from somewhere, which means you will not be able to fully configure the system. You also need to ensure you can effectively remove the extra heat from within the chassis. As long as you do the above, all should be OK.

 

This web page will give you some information about the power capabilities from the various power connectors within computer chassis. Note that a four pin peripheral (HDD) power connector can provide about 60W while a SATA power connector can provide about 54W. Since you need to find an extra 75W for your 660Ti, you will be stressing the HDD connector (by 15W) and the SATA connector (by 21W). How much headroom these connectors have before they start to overheat and the pins/plastic connector degrade/melt/catch fire is anyone's guess.

 

Oh, how the HP PSU is designed is unknown but HP has certified it will work in the configurations they have provided within the Z600. And what power each PSU rail can supply and what connectors are on each rail, if indeed the PSU is split into rails, is also unknown. Best to consider it a black box that works, others have stated it is well engineered.

 

Now some systems (like Z210) bundle all SATA power connectors off the same wires, much like a chain. The wire can obviously handle more power than the connector. If the Z600 uses a similar method, then you can make a "2xSATA connector -> 6pin auxiliary graphics connector adapter" and it will easily cope with 75W (though you loose 2x SATA connectors in the process but don't have to worry about rails, etc as teh SATA connectors are taken from the same wires). An alternative, if you never stress the graphics card to more than 90%, is to use "1xSATA connector -> 6pin connector adapter" as the card will never consume the full 225W. This assumes the graphics card has a linear power consumption vrs load and YOU DON"T STRESS THE GRAPHICS CARD >90%. Really it all comes down to what parameters you want to constrain, in the above examples, its HDD expandability vrs graphics card capability.

 

So as you are going outside HP specs, it's for you to satisfy yourself that all power and heat conditions have been taken care off and the your happy with the compromises you must place on the system as a whole to get what you want..

 

Cheers..

HP Recommended

Skylarking, thanks a lot for this so much detailed answer.

I entirely agree with what you said, and that's why I've asked here, to the community, what they could think about that. Because it's a workstation, and it's not dedicated to use that kind of graphic card. But this workstation is a very great computer. Everything I need are fulfilled by this workstation, but the last missing part is the graphic card.

This workstation was delivered with an Quadro FX 1800, unfortunately, I didn't have any graphic card, even though this graphic card wouldn't enough for what I do.

I checked on some reviews, unless if you're doing some long and high benchmarks the graphic card shouldn't consume more than 143W (tested 10 minutes, bitmining, mainly GPGPU).

Regarding to information I have now, I might will sell this workstation and build a regular desktop computer.
But I won't find any good as good as this HP Z600.

HP Recommended

Hi, I know this is an old post but its the first one that comes up on google and i thought i would give you all a definitive answer.

 

I have been running a GTX 980 for more than two years using a 2x Sata to 6pin connector and had absolulty no issues or problems. By spreading the load accross two sata connectors you are more than covering the 75W range a 6pin connector is rated for.

 

I recently upgraded to a GTX 1080 using a 2x 6pin to 8pin connector and everything is working great. If you make sure to spread the load across the correct connectors you should have absolulty no issue powering these types of graphics cards due to the relativley large PSU this computer has.

 

The only other reccomednation that i would make is to purchase a Blower-Style GPU as this will exhasut the extra heat out the back of the case. 

 

Hope this helps.

HP Recommended

Hi exilegrant!

 

I am trying to do exactly this with my HP Z600 - but I can't figure out where you take the power from? 

 

I only have the 2 harddisk bays (occupied now) and 1 molex and 1 sata power on the same rail/cable internally. 

How do you connect the GPU?

 

(I have the ASUS Strix version of the Nvidia 1080, so it has two power connectors (8-pin and 6-pin) that must be connected in order for it to work - not sure if this is what you have?)

 

Any help would be much appreciated! 

 

Thanks!

HP Recommended
Here's what i have:
Internally there should be 2x hot swap HDD bays at the top right and 2x cd/hdd/card reader bays bellow for adding additional​ storage options.

Next to the cd/card reader should be a power cable with 2x sata, 1x molex and 1x FDD connector.

Take the 2x sata to 6-pin adapter and connect it to the 2x sata found near the cd/media bays.

This should give you the 2x 6-pin you need, one from adapting the sata cables and one found attached directly to the PSU. Just stick a 2x 6-pin to 8-pin adapter on.

If you need the additional sata power for a cd/hdd/card reader, get a molex to 2x sata. This should be plenty for a cd/hdd/card reader drive.

I suspect the card you are trying to use will not fit as it has an additional 6pin power connector. Also worth noting, that card blows it's hot air around the case instead of ejecting it out the back, this could result in overheating. If i was you i would sell/return that card and buy something like this: https://www.scan.co.uk/products/evga-geforce-gtx-1080-sc-gaming-8gb-gddr5x-vr-ready-graphics-card-25...
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