Nvidia RTX 4090 power connectors melting?

This is embarrassing for all venders involved, how hard is it to look up wire gauge and use proper size for load and voltage, this is basic electrical theory here. This is no diff than having a a non licensed person wire a house with the wrong gauge resulting in a fire.
I had a relative do this and insurance claim was denied.

These engineers should be fired or sent back to school. How can you have any confidence in buying a 4 or future 5 series NV card with this fire hazard looming.

The PSU/GPU cable is idiot proof for installation it latches into place and is keyed for fit so I do not entirely blame it on the consumer.
 
drutman said:
This is embarrassing for all venders involved, how hard is it to look up wire gauge and use proper size for load and voltage, this is basic electrical theory here. This is no diff than having a a non licensed person wire a house with the wrong gauge resulting in a fire.
I had a relative do this and insurance claim was denied.

These engineers should be fired or sent back to school. How can you have any confidence in buying a 4 or future 5 series NV card with this fire hazard looming.

The PSU/GPU cable is idiot proof for installation it latches into place and is keyed for fit so I do not entirely blame it on the consumer.
Click to expand...

It's not the gauge that is the problem. It is the poorly designed connector that results in a high risk of insecure connections, and thus inadequate connection surface area between the pins in the plug and the socket. Those then get hot and melt things.

There is a reason every time this happens, it happens at the connector, not elsewhere on the length of wire.
 
drutman said:
This is embarrassing for all venders involved, how hard is it to look up wire gauge and use proper size for load and voltage, this is basic electrical theory here. This is no diff than having a a non licensed person wire a house with the wrong gauge resulting in a fire.
I had a relative do this and insurance claim was denied.

These engineers should be fired or sent back to school. How can you have any confidence in buying a 4 or future 5 series NV card with this fire hazard looming.

The PSU/GPU cable is idiot proof for installation it latches into place and is keyed for fit so I do not entirely blame it on the consumer.
Click to expand...
Wire gauge is fine. The only thing the engineers didn't acount for is just how moronic end users can actually be.

The fact that no one could get the fucking connector to fail intentionally until someone figured out the dumbasses complaining didn't seat the fucker all the way should tell you everything you need to know.
 
CableMod is recalling their angled adapters.

https://www.reddit.com/r/cablemod/comments/18o7bnv/planned_voluntary_safety_recall_of_cablemod/

Dear Hardware Community:

It has come to our attention that certain CableMod 12VHPWR Angled Adapter V1.1s may be defective. We have since decided to discontinue sales of our angled adapters. We will be conducting a voluntary safety recall for all CableMod 12VHPWR 90 ̊ and 180 ̊Angled Adapters V1.0 and all CableMod 12VHPWR 90 ̊ and 180 ̊ Angled Adapters V1.1 because of the potential risk that the male connector could become loose, overheat, and melt into the GPU.

This recall will apply only to our angled adapters and will not affect our angled cables.

We will be sending out an official notice of, and full details for, our voluntary safety recall in the upcoming days. In the meantime, owners of the CableMod 12VHPWR V1.0 and V1.1 Angled Adapters should STOP USING THEM IMMEDIATELY. Please do not touch the adapters while your system is running. Power down your system and wait until the adapter has had adequate time to cool down before handling.

Please reach out to our customer service if your GPU has been affected by a failed V1.0 or V1.1 angled adapter and we’ll help you out. https://cablemod.com/support/

We apologize for inconveniencing our loyal customers. We hope that you will let us make it up to you in the future.

Your friends at CableMod

https://cablemod.com/adapterrecall/
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I can seat the connecters fine, but if you put too much strain on them they just start to pop out. Why would people but strain on them? Cuz the cards are way out of spec physically and then the dumb ass connecters stick straight out even further. Its just one connector it could be pointing in so many other directions and be workable. Instead people with quite generous overclocker cases have clearance issues where actually closing the case puts too much strain on the connectors. 4 of the old connecters on the card would have been better in terms of clearances.
 
Yep it’s a shit implementation. Users can mess it up too easily and not that I’m in the market for a GPU but I’m not buying any card that has this connector. Especially since I tend to buy used and who knows what the plug went through beforehand. Maybe it will get a revision in the 5000 series.
 
TheHig said:
Yep it’s a shit implementation. Users can mess it up too easily and not that I’m in the market for a GPU but I’m not buying any card that has this connector. Especially since I tend to buy used and who knows what the plug went through beforehand. Maybe it will get a revision in the 5000 series.
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Fortunately, the connection has already been V2'd so 12VHPWR is dead and gone, the new connector type is 12V2x6.
It's still compatible with the old 12VHPWR, but a pin re-design, and some tightening up on wire gauge requirements make it more robust and harder to misuse.
 
TaintedSquirrel said:
CableMod is recalling their angled adapters.

https://www.reddit.com/r/cablemod/comments/18o7bnv/planned_voluntary_safety_recall_of_cablemod/
Click to expand...
When I purchased my first 4090 I ordered a custom 12VHPWR cable from Cable Mod. What they sent seemed poorly made but I still decided to use it. I immediately started experiencing black screen issues until I removed the custom cable. I reported the problem to Cable Mod and they sent me a replacement about 3 weeks later. The new cable looked worst than the first so I just tossed it in a bin and purchased a new ATX 3.0 power supply. No issues after that. While this was my only experience with this company it did leave me with a bad impression.
 
StryderxX said:
When I purchased my first 4090 I ordered a custom 12VHPWR cable from Cable Mod. What they sent seemed poorly made but I still decided to use it. I immediately started experiencing black screen issues until I removed the custom cable. I reported the problem to Cable Mod and they sent me a replacement about 3 weeks later. The new cable looked worst than the first so I just tossed it in a bin and purchased a new ATX 3.0 power supply. No issues after that. While this was my only experience with this company it did leave me with a bad impression.
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I don't really follow CableMod that close but I have seen like a dozen reports of black screen issues with their 12vhpwr cables.
 
StryderxX said:
When I purchased my first 4090 I ordered a custom 12VHPWR cable from Cable Mod. What they sent seemed poorly made but I still decided to use it. I immediately started experiencing black screen issues until I removed the custom cable. I reported the problem to Cable Mod and they sent me a replacement about 3 weeks later. The new cable looked worst than the first so I just tossed it in a bin and purchased a new ATX 3.0 power supply. No issues after that. While this was my only experience with this company it did leave me with a bad impression.
Click to expand...
Their quality does seem to be lacking as of late. I got one of their original 90 degree adapters for my 4090 at the time and it was terrible. I have recently got one of their cable kits with the included original 12VHPWR cables and it has been working fine, but now I'm tempted to just go back to my original Corsair PSU included cable. I can't understand why they can't just get it right. I was in quality control for over twenty years so something like this just screams poor quality/craftsmanship.
 
TheHig said:
Yep it’s a shit implementation. Users can mess it up too easily and not that I’m in the market for a GPU but I’m not buying any card that has this connector. Especially since I tend to buy used and who knows what the plug went through beforehand. Maybe it will get a revision in the 5000 series.
Click to expand...
I've been using my 4090 with the original connector and 4xPCI-E to 1x12VHPWR for nearly a year without any issue.
 
I'll never really know if my 4090 + Corsair 12V add-on cable had issues or if my PSU did, but the damn thing started smelling like burning rubber and the cable fused with my PSU. The PSU was the part that was melting either way - not the card.
I RMA'd it and got their ATX 3 Shift model as a replacement. The cable that came with it is way different (less rigid) and it fits in my case much better, too. With the older cable, I considered one of those angled adapters. With the new one, I don't even need it.
 
Well, it's been almost a year of rather heavy use of my 4090, and thus far no problems.

I bought the official Seasonic branded modular cable for my my 1200W Prime Platinum PSU, made absolutely sure it was clicked all the way into the connector and not loose, and treated it like a delicate flower, to avoid any sharp bends near the top of the GPU.

I made a little loop with a zip tie to ensure the cable went straight up out of the connector, then did a 360 a couple of inches from the top of the card, and wen straight back down again. That cable is coming 100% straight out of the top of the connector. No tight bends there.

So far so good. 🤞

This wouldn't be the first time Nvidia just holds out when they have a known issue, and just hopes for the warranty to expire so the product dies before the warranty expires and sticks it to their customers.

Anyone remember solder issues when Nvidia used the wrong solder on their solder bumps from ~2005 - 2009? (7000 series to 9000 series?) A lot of people got screwed over by that one, both board partners and end users, yet still board partners still did business with them , and end users kept buying...
 
I just bought a replacement cable for my SFX 750 Corsair and haven’t had any issue.

I REALLY need a 90 angle adapter because the NR200 is without a side panel (in a cabinet so no big deal) but I was always worried about this issue and never went with it.

It’s in my media cabinet and I’d never know until it just stopped working.

I love the idea of having the connector on top facing towards the motherboard though. I’ve seen a few that does that.
 
Armenius said:
I've been using my 4090 with the original connector and 4xPCI-E to 1x12VHPWR for nearly a year without any issue.
Click to expand...
Yea same here. What I did was connect the adapter and the PCI-E cables before even putting the GPU in the case (since we all have modular PSUs these days). This way I could easily check by eye and fingers that the connection was perfect. I never bothered doing that in the past but after all the drama I've read I had to make sure :)

The connection to the PSU itself is impossible to fail, at least on any modular PSU I've seen.
 
Wat said:
Should have added some heatpipes and less to the connector.

"My power connector only gets to 40c under heavy load"
Click to expand...

Nah, if your wiring/connectors create measurable heat during load, something is wrong.

Either poor connection in the connector leading to resistive heating or arcing, or wiring is too small, resulting in resistive heating.

Cooling wires/connectors that are under dimensioned and generating heat is not a solution.
 
This psu guide by Seasonic for 40 series cards is...interesting and quite amusing. Break out your hair dryers folks.

https://knowledge.seasonic.com/article/72-psu-recommendations-for-nvidia-rtx-4000-cards

We do understand that there may be a need to bend the cables in order to fit them into the case. If this necessity arises then this must be done following below recommendations:

  1. Disconnect the 12VHPWR / 12V-2x6 cable from the power supply and the GPU card.
  2. Carefully use a gentle heat source (such as a hair dryer) to carefully heat the area of the cable where you wish to make the bend.
  3. Carefully insert the connectors into the power supply and the GPU.
  4. Make sure the connectors are properly seated and the latch on the connectors is engaged and locked into place with a click.
  5. It is very important that after the connectors are properly in place, not to bend the cables or exert any unnecessary force on the connectors anymore, either at the power supply or at the GPU end.
Click to expand...
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
Nah, if your wiring/connectors create measurable heat during load, something is wrong.

Either poor connection in the connector leading to resistive heating or arcing, or wiring is too small, resulting in resistive heating.

Cooling wires/connectors that are under dimensioned and generating heat is not a solution.
Click to expand...
Buy, dude, if you can get a super kewl connectr that will lower Temps without making noise, why not? It's just like any other PC component. The more you rub on it, the more it shines
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
Nah, if your wiring/connectors create measurable heat during load, something is wrong.

Either poor connection in the connector leading to resistive heating or arcing, or wiring is too small, resulting in resistive heating.

Cooling wires/connectors that are under dimensioned and generating heat is not a solution.
Click to expand...
Im sure there are people out there putting fans in front of the connector to 'prevent it from melting'.
 
StryderxX said:
When I purchased my first 4090 I ordered a custom 12VHPWR cable from Cable Mod. What they sent seemed poorly made but I still decided to use it. I immediately started experiencing black screen issues until I removed the custom cable. I reported the problem to Cable Mod and they sent me a replacement about 3 weeks later. The new cable looked worst than the first so I just tossed it in a bin and purchased a new ATX 3.0 power supply. No issues after that. While this was my only experience with this company it did leave me with a bad impression.
Click to expand...
It's not unheard of that Cablemod extension cables also melt. I recall various posts/threads on forums going back a decade about this.

So I don't know why anyone trusted them to properly make a 12VHPWR cable/adapter. Their products have always seemed sketchy (or "sketch" as the kids say these days) to me.
 
I just recently dusted out my case and inspected things, and everything looked okay. The power adapter that came with Gaming Trio is rather precarious looking though. It doesn't inspire confidence.

I hope future gen cards have a more fail-safe, higher quality power connection.
 
t1k said:
I just recently dusted out my case and inspected things, and everything looked okay. The power adapter that came with Gaming Trio is rather precarious looking though. It doesn't inspire confidence.

I hope future gen cards have a more fail-safe, higher quality power connection.
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Yeah, I am using a native to PSU 12VHPWR cable for my 3080 Ti FE and been inspecting it regularly. So far so good. I really didn't have any problem securing it and I think Nvidia had it right in the 30-series where they stood the connector up and angled it.

Edit: And yes the 12VHPWR cable is compatible with the Nvidia 12-pin from the 30-series.
 

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Brahmzy said:
https://www.gigabyte.com/Graphics-Card/GV-N4090WF3V2-24GD#kf

That card ^^ + my Seasonic 1600W ATX 3.0 PSU have been great. I like what Gigabyte did with the cable design / location. No fitment or bending issues.
Click to expand...
Also of note for those with Seasonic supplies that aren't ATX 3.0, they sell cables for their older PSUs in both regular and 90 degree variants. No adapter, goes straight from your PSU to the card, well built, and only needs 2 ports since the ports are rated to 300w each.
 
I can't believe we are having such an issue with a flagship product. So what are you supposed to do to avoid the problem if you are planning to buy a 4090? This connector comes only for the 4090? The cable with its connector comes with the PSU or the 4090? I guess it comes with the card since it an 4090 issue. Other companies may make high quality cables with good connectors?
 
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sram said:
I can't believe we are having such an issue with a flagship product. So what are you supposed to do to avoid the problem if you are planning to buy a 4090? This connector comes only for the 4090? The cable with its connector comes with the PSU or the 4090? I guess it comes with the card since it an 4090 issue. Other companies may make high quality cables with good connectors?
Click to expand...
Just push the cable all the way into the video card. That is literally it. The plug should be flush and the latch fully down over the notch when it's fully seated. My connector made an audible click when that happened, but I understand that some don't do that. Regardless, a quick visual inspection is all you need to do.
 
placing the the connector right in the middle of the GPU, is stupid and introduces additional issues for fitment and cable management. I understand the PCB's are tiny. So.....extend the connector to the end of the heatsink.

Additionally, the cables, whether native or an 8 pin adapter; require way too much width to accommodate. A lot of cases cannot shut their side panel, without pushing on the connector. Especially on cards where the PCB is extra wide, placing the connectors out even further. Its to a point where many of us have to add an additonal $30 - $60 cost, to get an aftermarket soluton which affords better use of space. That eats up any deal you may have gotten. And/or also puts the cost even higher Vs. a competing AMD product. I shouldn't have to have a giant case, simply to accommodate a power connector.

AMD has made public statements that they purposefully held off from adopting the cable standard, as there are still too many issues with it. They were originally thinking to ship the 7800 XT and 7700 XT with the new connectors. But, they opted to stick with 8 pin.
 
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