A technician is installing an enterprise capture card that draws 225\text{ W} of auxiliary… — CompTIA A+ (Core 1 & Core 2)

A technician is installing an enterprise capture card that draws $225\text{ W}$ of auxiliary power in addition to the $75\text{ W}$ supplied by the PCIe x16 motherboard slot. The modular power supply unit (PSU) has available PCIe 6-pin and 8-pin (6+2 pin) outputs. To ensure the card receives sufficient auxiliary power safely without exceeding individual cable safety ratings, which of the following cabling configurations should the technician install?

Connect one 8-pin (6+2 pin) PCIe power cable (150 W capacity) and one 6-pin PCIe power cable (75 W capacity) from separate PSU power ports.Answer
B
Connect a single 8-pin EPS12V cable from the auxiliary motherboard power output of the modular power supply.
C
Connect a single 6-pin PCIe power cable using a dual 8-pin Y-splitter adapter to supply both auxiliary power ports on the card.
D
Connect two SATA-to-8-pin PCIe power adapters attached to a single SATA daisy-chain cable.

Answer

Connect one 8-pin (6+2 pin) PCIe power cable (150 W capacity) and one 6-pin PCIe power cable (75 W capacity) from separate PSU power ports.

Under PCI-SIG standards, a standard PCIe x16 slot delivers up to

75\text{ W}

. When an expansion card demands auxiliary power, a 6-pin PCIe power cable supplies up to

75\text{ W}

and an 8-pin (6+2 pin) PCIe power cable supplies up to

150\text{ W}

. Combining one 8-pin cable (

150\text{ W}

) and one 6-pin cable (

75\text{ W}

) directly from the modular PSU provides exactly the required

225\text{ W}

of auxiliary power within safe operating specs.

Step-by-Step Solution

Determine the auxiliary power requirements of the expansion card.

The card requires

225\text{ W}

of auxiliary power directly from the power supply unit.

The PCIe x16 slot provides up to

75\text{ W}

, leaving

225\text{ W}

to be supplied via auxiliary power connectors.

Evaluate standard PCIe power cable wattage capacities.

A 6-pin PCIe cable supplies up to

75\text{ W}

, while an 8-pin (6+2 pin) PCIe cable supplies up to

150\text{ W}

Cable ratings are standardized by PCI-SIG to prevent overheating and voltage drop.

Calculate the combination of PCIe power cables needed to reach

225\text{ W}

150\text{ W} (8\text{-pin}) + 75\text{ W} (6\text{-pin}) = 225\text{ W}

Connecting one 8-pin cable and one 6-pin cable on separate PSU ports fulfills the auxiliary power requirement safely.

Key Concept

PCIe Auxiliary Power Cable Wattage Capacities and Cable Safety Ratings

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