Questions about brickless build S4 Mini

[AdventSign]

I've used a 160W with the DC ATX nano that plugs into the motherboard. Apparently it can't power a Ryzen 2400g and Ive killed a few motherboards because of it. Would the new 400w work alone or would I need more power?

What else would I need as far as power supplies go?

 

[AdventSign]

Anybody know?

 

[Kmpkt]

400W would be more than enough.

 

[AdventSign]

So I don't need a 330 Brick from Dell outside of it as well? I could just attach the new 400W power supply onto the inside of the S4 Mini and use a C8 cord and it won't fry the motherboard?

 

[Kmpkt]

Should be totally fine without an additional brick.

 

[AdventSign]

Thanks. I bought the 160W hdplex and I didn't realize that it wasn't enough for my 2400g Ryzen build and was frying my Motherboard because of it. Didn't know if using a C8 cord was also an issue since it's un-grounded, but I'm glad to see it's not.
Any ETA about the 400W? Will it be available within the month?

 

[Josh | NFC]

Thanks. I bought the 160W hdplex and I didn't realize that it wasn't enough for my 2400g Ryzen build and was frying my Motherboard because of it. Didn't know if using a C8 cord was also an issue since it's un-grounded, but I'm glad to see it's not.
Any ETA about the 400W? Will it be available within the month?

Dear AdventSign,

I'm very sorry you have had so much bad luck trying to get a system together! I do have several thoughts that may or may not help you or help others reading this.

• I have never seen a motherboard or any PC component damaged by under-powering it. I think I would have come across this if I did seeing how this is my hobby! I undervolt or underpower all the things!
• My PERSONAL MINI right now is a Ryzen 2400g + ASUS X470i powered by the HDPLEX 160 AC and HDPLEX 160 DC. It powers it with room to spare. Even with a mild overclock it does not pull more than 120w from the wall.
• If you have fried your motherboard several times...either your PSU is BAD or you have wired something up incorrectly.
• A C8 cord, properly wired, could not cause your issue. You can't, obviously, wire the C8 to the 160 DC, or you will fry everything. I'm just clarifying this.

I think you should post pictures of your fried setup and how it was hooked up, so we can offer advice. I am wondering if you plugged the PCIE power connector into the motherboard's CPU 4+4. You can physically do this, but it will wreck your day if safety measures don't kick in.

Peace

 

[AdventSign]

I don't have it on me right now. I took it into a computer place to avoid killing other parts in it and am just collecting the parts for it and was waiting for the 400w since the guys there told me that it's a bit close as far as pushing the battery for running the system.

I have the hdplex 160 AC DC battery screwed into the interior of the mini and the hdplex 160 DC ATX plugged into the spot near the bottom of the mother board (it was the same number of holes, so I'm assuming this is where it goes).
The AC DC is plugged into the DC ATX which is plugged into the motherboard.

I'm pretty sure that's the correct wiring. I've watched a few videos on YouTube about it and have been just waiting for the 400w hdplex to come out so it doesn't kill my motherboard again.

 

[AdventSign]

Oh. I assumed that plugging the C8 cord into the AC DC battery was what you were supposed to do. I don't know how else it would receive power.

I attached the c8 connector I bought onto the 160w AC DC and screwed that into the back of the Mini. Is that not what it was meant for?

 

[Choidebu]

First of all mate - it's not a battery. It's an converter of ac to dc.

Second of all, please do try to understand what you're trying to do instead just plugging things where you think it belongs. THAT's what fried your motherboard(s?).

See, wall power (ac) ---c8 connector--> hdplex 160 ac dc ---> hdplex 160 dc atx

160 dc atx plugs directly to motherboard's 24 pin. Now from 160 dcatx can also comes out 3 cables : 4 pin to 4+4 pin (eps), 4 pin to 6+2 (pcie), and sata power cables.

Now do read the labels and double check the instructions, and plug the eps end (4+4) to the socket near the cpu.

With 2400g I don't suppose you got a gpu so don't mind the pcie power cables.

 

[Choidebu]

Then for christ sake, put your system together outside the case first. Get a cardboard and lay everything in front of you, figure out what goes where, and turn it on. Make sure it works.

Everyone here already said, you can't fry your motherboard by underpowering it - at best it'll just not start. Yes you can power 2400g with 160 watt, unless you stuck another gpu in there as well.

 

[AdventSign]

I'm only repeating things that were told to me when I took my parts in since I had no idea what I was missing. They told me it was insufficient power and it needs a more powerful battery and that it could damage or fry the motherboard and all the parts in it.

I've plugged it in like so: C8 Cord ---> hdplex 160 ac dc ----> 4pin connector ---> hdplex 160 dc atx. I assumed that the 4 pin connector would go between the two since they wouldn't connect by themselves and there wasn't any other power source to power the hdplex DC Atx. Seems to be a reasonable assumption, since there's nothing else to power it and nobody said there was anything wrong with it at the computer place I took it into.

Especially since in most videos, the wires are hard to see/skip that step since they focus more on how everything else joins together, rather than the wiring of the system.

Nobody else has told me how to do it or what to do. Ive just looked up videos and written instructions online. Also, if somebody is confident in themselves and feels they *know* how to do it, then why would they ask questions?

I don't have the Mini with be because I was doing *something* wrong and took it into people that have built multiple computers before. I'm listening to them since I didn't really get too much of a response on here, and I don't like asking because of running the risk of frustrating others (since I've asked a lot already).

I don't need the sata connectors to my understanding either since I'm not using a sata SSD or a HDD and am using and m.2 SSD directly on the motherboard instead to reduce wire usage.

I'll get my build back and try and figure out where else the 4 pin connectors would go, since that seems to be the issue. I'm sure if I look at a diagram again, I'll find out where it goes. Thanks is for the help and hopefully you'll understand why I've been having more difficulty than others.

 

[Choidebu]

Pictures goes a long way buddy. Honestly we can't tell much what's your problem is. Take a picture before powering your system if you're unsure and post it here, and maybe we could've avoided frying your motherboards.

Sometimes it's how you phrase the question too - honestly this one sounded a bit ignorant, like you're just cobbling things up together.

But yeah, pics. Speaks a thousand words.


Btw I do notice you said you didn't have the system with you so you can't post pics. I'm just talking for future references. Take pics while you build, might need it in the future.

I do hope you don't feel discouraged going sff - but you sure pick a tough spot to start on!

 

[AdventSign]

It wasn't my intention to be ignorant. I'm completely clueless regarding the power supply and the converter and apparently others are too. I'm pretty sure I'm ok with everything else thanks to this community. I've been able to build something I doubt I would have been able to otherwise.

I picked up my case. Is this power setup correct?


I can be kinda blunt at times and have been trying to get this to work for months, so I'm a bit annoyed. Please don't take it to heart. Just hit problem after problem and it's kind of like every time I'm about to thank someone, something else goes wrong. Usually requiring ordering more parts or sending away parts to be fixed.


That's pretty much my build. Never wanted it to be powerful. Just want it to work so I can play games with my girlfriend. Thanks to all that's helped out so far. I wouldn't have been able to work with the converter otherwise or make the switch from the Intel build to the Ryzen build.

 

[Josh | NFC]

It wasn't my intention to be ignorant. I'm completely clueless regarding the power supply and the converter and apparently others are too. I'm pretty sure I'm ok with everything else thanks to this community. I've been able to build something I doubt I would have been able to otherwise.

I picked up my case. Is this power setup correct?


I can be kinda blunt at times and have been trying to get this to work for months, so I'm a bit annoyed. Please don't take it to heart. Just hit problem after problem and it's kind of like every time I'm about to thank someone, something else goes wrong. Usually requiring ordering more parts or sending away parts to be fixed.

I promise you we care very much and want to get you up and running as fast as possible. We totally understand too if you don't get the terminology and language. I really do appreciate you trying to do all the research yourself and watching the videos--but please feel free to ask questions or send me emails. I am always happy to help, and if I am not being clear in the videos I need to know that.

I think we were just confused by the language your computer builder friends were relaying back to you (it was not correct terminology and of course it made us wonder if things were being done correctly.)

So--to get you on your feet. Yes, everything is plugged in correctly. HOWEVER I understood you to be doing this part correctly before, even if the language was incorrect. What I think you did wrong (possibly) is plug the PCIE 16x cable into the wrong place cause -12 and +12 to flip. That is the only thing I can think of that would fry your board, unless your PSU is bad.

If you did plug that in correctly, then I would high recommend not doing this a third time. I haven't seen a HDPLEX unit kill a motherboard yet, but there is a first time for everything.

If you want to pay shipping, I volunteer in to assemble your PC to a working state for free so you can install your OS. I just can't bear the thought of you going through so many motherboards...

Also in case you didn't know (or someone else reading this who is interested), I offer full soup to nuts ordering, testing, assembly, custom wiring, tuning+OS, and burn-in. Prices are on my BOM sheets page:

http://nfc-systems.com/boms

MUCH LOVE and peace!!!

 

[Choidebu]

All looks good so far, you're only missing 4+4 eps pin to cpu. Please take a pic, make sure it's not 6+2 pin, and make sure on the 160 dcatx side it is plugged in the 4 pin that is labelled cpu (or it might be eps, just NOT pcie).

 

[AdventSign]

I promise you we care very much and want to get you up and running as fast as possible. We totally understand too if you don't get the terminology and language. I really do appreciate you trying to do all the research yourself and watching the videos--but please feel free to ask questions or send me emails. I am always happy to help, and if I am not being clear in the videos I need to know that.

I think we were just confused by the language your computer builder friends were relaying back to you (it was not correct terminology and of course it made us wonder if things were being done correctly.)

So--to get you on your feet. Yes, everything is plugged in correctly. HOWEVER I understood you to be doing this part correctly before, even if the language was incorrect. What I think you did wrong (possibly) is plug the PCIE 16x cable into the wrong place cause -12 and +12 to flip. That is the only thing I can think of that would fry your board, unless your PSU is bad.

If you did plug that in correctly, then I would high recommend not doing this a third time. I haven't seen a HDPLEX unit kill a motherboard yet, but there is a first time for everything.

If you want to pay shipping, I volunteer in to assemble your PC to a working state for free so you can install your OS. I just can't bear the thought of you going through so many motherboards...

Also in case you didn't know (or someone else reading this who is interested), I offer full soup to nuts ordering, testing, assembly, custom wiring, tuning+OS, and burn-in. Prices are on my BOM sheets page:

http://nfc-systems.com/boms

MUCH LOVE and peace!!!

I've actually been wondering for a while whether or not I actually "fried" it and just had it hooked up incorrectly so the CPU wasn't getting any power. I'm a bit worried that the parts will get wrecked if I send them from the Canada to the USA (I'm a bit paranoid about that) and I'm stubborn and want to do it myself so I could do it in the future for my girlfriend or kids if they ever want one. If this one last thing doesn't work, then I'll give up and try to send it to you. My luck hasn't been good with Canada Post though. It means a lot that you're both willing to help me out. Thank you.

All looks good so far, you're only missing 4+4 eps pin to cpu. Please take a pic, make sure it's not 6+2 pin, and make sure on the 160 dcatx side it is plugged in the 4 pin that is labelled cpu (or it might be eps, just NOT pcie).

I think I might have tossed the 4+4 pin cord after looking up what it looks like. Just for clarification, would this work?

 

[Choidebu]

I've actually been wondering for a while whether or not I actually "fried" it and just had it hooked up incorrectly so the CPU wasn't getting any power.

Yeah see that's what stopping me from replying to your thread the first time I saw it. "Frying" "few motherboards" but not an ounce of more detailed info hahaha.

I think I might have tossed the 4+4 pin cord after looking up what it looks like. Just for clarification, would this work?

By tossed you mean... threw it away? *gasp*
for the pic, take one that shows both ends of the cable.

 

[Choidebu]

Found this on hdplex website.
You're looking for the rightmost cable there.

 

[AdventSign]

Thanks guys. I was finally able to get it up and running
I'm REALLY happy you guys were willing to help out. All I needed was to use the 4+4 pin cord.
Guess I didn't kill the motherboards after all. I just wasn't supplying any power to the CPU (from my understanding).
Thanks again!