Breakout Board for Server PSU

[Odetas]

I picked up a few boards for the HP server PSUs.  I have two different versions, a Rev1 and a Rev2.  The Rev2 only has 9 x 6 pci-e and a 4 pin.  I put a voltmeter on the 4-pin and there's no voltage output, I'm sure it is mostly for sync'ng up PSUs at large mining operations.  Does anyone know how to work that 4-pin or point me to a tutorial somewhere?

https://i.imgur.com/h150mvN.jpg

[Elphamyto]

Who made them? Did you check the maker's documentation?

[Odetas]

They were picked up online, there isn't much documentation at all.  I'm testing them myself and they are working well.

[Elphamyto]

My first guess would be that the 4-pin pci connector could be used to link other PSU's and activate all of them by turning on one. You could test this by checking for continuity between those 4 pci pins and the HP's contacts. If they connect to contacts 33 and 36 (and probably a ground pad) then that's likely what it's for.
These are pads 33 and 36 highlighted:

[toptek]

http://www.parallelminer.com/product/x8-breakout-board-adapter-compatible-with-hp-750w-1200w1500watt-hp-power-supply-copy/


i can give you all kinds of links for breakout boards that work on those PSU .. and not just from there ....That work Great . any links i would link the boards to me are awesome and i have an use . I haven't bought this one yet but do have a few of the Rev # of the same board.

[Odetas]

My first guess would be that the 4-pin pci connector could be used to link other PSU's and activate all of them by turning on one. You could test this by checking for continuity between those 4 pci pins and the HP's contacts. If they connect to contacts 33 and 36 (and probably a ground pad) then that's likely what it's for.

There's no continuity between the 4-pins and any of the pads or 12v or ground of the PSU.  The power switch is a 3 position switch too.  Off-nothing-power.  I've pinned them with all 3 switch positions as well. They only have continuity to each other within the 4-pin connector.  I guess, I'll just have to experiment, or find documentation somewhere.  Unfortunately I don't have any 4-pin PCI connectors laying around.  It would be nice to know, for example, if the slave units get put on the middle position and get powered up as the others get powered up.

[Odetas]

So a 6-pin plugs into the 4-pin just fine, but when I loop that into a PC PSU to see if that can slave, it just shuts the PC PSU since the 4-pin is a closed circuit and you're basically grounding out the 12v of the PC PSU.  I think that you can only connect one breakout board to another to sync up powering them on and off.

[hoangcao243]

Hey guys,
I'm interested in the same board, I actually have a server that has 10 pcies and I want to use a (or multiple) outside psu to power them. The breakout board would be great however How can I take care of on/off signal for the outside psu? SO that for some reason if my server turn off the outside psu would turn off as well.
My server has hotswap psu so i cannot use add2psu board or 24pin or clip trick stuff like that.

any advice will be greatly appreciated.
thanks guys.

[NotFuzzyWarm]

Or for the HP 1200W CS supplies at least, as I used to do,



I terminated the uber flexible 10ga automotive red/black wire pairs with 4 PCIe connectors each.
For turning it on and off with the PC or RasPi PSU, see the thin brown and black twisted pair? That switches the DC on and off and in my case are wired to a small remote switch. Can also be fed to a small relay or op-isolator powered by your PSU. PSU on = relay on (closed) = server PSU on and vis versa.

[sidehack]

I make a breakout board for that PSU with an external turnon signal, active high.

If you wire that external on to your computer's PSU (any rail 3.3V to 12V), when the computer goes live it'll turn on the server PSU and when the computer's PSU powers down it'll turn off the server PSU. All my breakout boards have always had this feature, with in mind to allow what it sounds like you want to do.