Power Supply Question...

[Autolite]

I recently had to replace a blown power supply on an old desk top computer.  The failed unit was 400W with a 24 pin (P1) plug that fit the 24 pin socket on the mobo.  I had spare power supplies, but they were all the older style with the 20 pin P1 plugs.  Looking inside another desktop, I found that the older style 20 pin power supplies can be used with the newer style 24 pin motherboards.

So what I did was replace the later style 24 pin failed power supply with an older style 500W 20 pin power supply and the computer works great. What is the purpose of the mobo having a 24 pin socket when everything works fine with a 20 pin powers supply connected to it?  What are the extra 4 pins on the mobo power socket suppose to be for???

[vorlon13]

NSA doesn't want you inquiring about this, so it's best to just let the matter drop.

[Autolite]

NSA doesn't want you inquiring about this, so it's best to just let the matter drop.

Well, if nothing else I guess that might explain those black helicopters that went over the house this morning...

[vorlon13]

now you've done it

[Angrboda]

http://superuser.com/questions/471003/at...or-24-pins

[Autolite]

now you've done it

Yeah sure!  What do you think they're going to do? Suddenly bust into my house and drag me away in handcu

[brewer]

I blame new math. Fucking engineers.

[Autolite]

http://superuser.com/questions/471003/at...or-24-pins

Thanks for that!  I was assuming the extra pins were for load sharing of some sort but I wasn't sure for what.  The gist seems to be that that the 20 pin power supply will work well enough as long as I don't go over board with a big graphics card.  That's good to know...

[Doubting Thomas]

It's because engineers don't want things to remain universal. That's why cell phones have so damn many different types of charging plugs. If they were all the same then everyone might get along better. I think it's because they're all still pissed because that one cheerleader in high school laughed in their face when they asked her out on a date.

[Autolite]

It's because engineers don't want things to remain universal.  

Ninety-nine times out of a hundred you'd be right.  But check out the link Jörmungandr gave us in post #5.  It turns out that 24 pin and 20 pin power supplies are interchangeable with 24 pin and 20 pin mobos.  It just depends on the power requirement of your graphics card.  That was an interesting and useful piece of info.  Definitely not what one would expect...