Multiple Power Supplies for one PC

[fitch.j]

I'm goign to need more power to feed the graphics card i've just moved from one PC to another.

It Needs an 8Pin PCI-E as well as a 6Pin PCI-E.....i dont have this amount of plugs on my 850w supply.

I do however have a spare power supply. I was looking around how to use both to do what i need and found this:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5054443_use-power-supplies-one-computer.html

I've always been wary of ehow and unsure of how accurate the information is, can anyone verify that it is in fact as simple as this ??

[rallynavvie]

It is pretty much that simple, however the warnings they give aren't as inclusive as they should be. Jumping the PSU like that means it will always be on unless you shut it off using the hard switch on the PSU or pulling the plug, it doesn't use the power switch on the PC. In fact you need to be absolutely sure that you power this auxiliary PSU on before you power on your PC and power it off after you power off your PC. If you don't then you could damage your system by powering on/off devices that aren't meant to be hot-swappable on the board.

[victoriabears]

Dear Lord, what the dickens (Notice English reference) are you running on your PC to need that much power !

http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

Do remember he is using 240 volts folks !

[greymalkin]

yeah..have you really used up 850W or do you just need an extra plug? If you just need an extra plug then you should be able to just get a Y adapter for your existing power supply.

[poisondeathray]

I agree with greymalkin, you can get an adapter to get an extra PCI-e 8 pin plug or use a molex=>PCIe 6-pin adapter

But if you are exceeding the capacity and require 2 PSU's (and don't feel like making your own connector) , you can buy pre-built ones e.g.
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=34_186&p...ducts_id=21193

[fitch.j]

I'm getting very close to power and its not just running out of plugs, although that is also a factor. The graphics card itself uses 289W of power alone!!! As i have the second PSU already then it seems like a good solution at no cost. (The card is the GTX 295 hence the heavy power drain)

That cable you linked to Poison looks good as it would link to the main power button as well. I may consider that, at the moment i've managed a pretty good link and it seems to work fine and the voltages look right so going to install it in a bit.

Cheers for the warnings Rallynavvie, i figured that'd be the case anyway with keeping its power on at the right times etc.

[fitch.j]

Dear Lord, what the dickens (Notice English reference) are you running on your PC to need that much power !

http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

Do remember he is using 240 volts folks !

Using that i came up with this based on my system with new card :





Minimum PSU Wattage:805 W Recommended
PSU Wattage: *