Whoops?: Cablemod 12VHPWR cable also melts

by Hilbert Hagedoorn on: 01/20/2023 10:30 AM | source: videocardz | 53 comment(s)

It seems the issue of melting RTX 4090 cables is back in the spotlight. This time, the problem is affecting a custom cable designed and manufactured by CableMod.

The company wasted no time in announcing the completion of its proprietary 12VHPWR cables, which were meant to be direct replacements for the stock NVIDIA connectors. However, it appears that similar melting issues with the original NVIDIA cables are also present with the replacement cables. The problem of melting cables is related to users that incorrectly plug the cable. The new 16-pin cables are harder to plug all the way down, so many users were not plugging them correctly. Since NVIDIA made this statement, the number of reported cases has dropped significantly, which suggests that this might have been the cause of the problem all along.

“Very sorry about that – please reach out to our support and we will make it right with you! Our products come with service and we help every customer out.”

“The card is not damaged (we spoke to him) but in case our cables would damage a card, then we would replace the GPU – we have done that in the past in very rare cases where our cables damaged something.”

— CableMod

However, a Redditor who purchased a custom cable from CableMod claims to have plugged the cable all the way into the card, to the point where a click sound was heard. Yet, the cable was still melted. Luckily for him, the graphics card was not impacted. CableMod has already responded to the thread and appears to be taking the issue very seriously. The company is suggesting that if the cable is at fault and the GPU is no longer working, they may cover the cost of replacement. However, it should be noted that this is the first reported case of such cable melting, and it looks like even weeks after the issue was officially resolved, such instances are still being reported. Whether the user inserted the cable correctly or not is something that CableMod service will have to determine.

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vestibule
Senior Member

Posts: 1162
Joined: 2014-04-21

#6094962 Posted on: 01/20/2023 10:58 AM

Crazy.
The trouble with plastic is once you start to hit 100c and its on its way. @120c in most cases its liquid.

Astyanax
Senior Member

Posts: 14950
Joined: 2018-03-21

#6094967 Posted on: 01/20/2023 11:11 AM

The trouble with plastic is once you start to hit 100c and its on its way. @120c in most cases its liquid.

These are nylon connectors and the melting point is well above 150c, usually its 180 and above with people designing to spec not allowing melting points below 200.

This user had it plugged in fully? i have an image to respond to that.

vestibule
Senior Member

Posts: 1162
Joined: 2014-04-21

#6094980 Posted on: 01/20/2023 12:02 PM

There are so many plastics that could be used, but yeah nylon makes a lot of sense. No so much for heat but its plug ability. But obvs heat in this case is also a critical component
Maybe they could have used one on the more denser plastics. Some thing like a anti static ABS but then that would be potentially brittle.
Sure is a conundrum and I'm very glad its not my problem. :confused:

H83
Senior Member

Posts: 4478
Joined: 2009-09-08

#6094982 Posted on: 01/20/2023 12:11 PM

For me, the question remains about the "real" need of this new power connector...

kakiharaFRS
Senior Member

Posts: 948
Joined: 2015-11-21

#6094983 Posted on: 01/20/2023 12:13 PM

tried this CP-8920331 Premium Individually Sleeved 12+4pin PCIe Gen 5 12VHPWR 600W cable, Type 4, BLACK
https://www.corsair.com/uk/en/Categories/Products/Accessories-|-Parts/PC-Components/Power-Supplies/Premium-Individually-Sleeved-Type-4-12VHPWR-Cable/p/CP-8920331
as an electronician I was already wary of the dubious decrease in wires but since they all went through that absurdely tiny connector anyway (smaller than a single pcie8 for those who never saw one and think it's larger, it's not it's slightly wider but less high and both the wires and connecting pins are smaller) here's my full experience :

- the 1st thing I noticed when I bundled the wires toghether with ties was the warmth of the cables near the gpu connector, not burning hot but like 60°C "oh....."
- "oh that's what the comb was for...to spread the wires and help cool them (at least for a portion of their length)
- moved the comb around so has to spread them and allow airflow (from the only pc case design that should exist singe corsair crystal 680x and lianli 011 dynamic exist, a separate psu compartment and bottom fans airflow) and it worked the wires were noticeably cooler
- "ok fine then it looks pretty ugly to be honest and you need to have a large wide spread of cables running through your case but okay...
- no benefit in visual but neither in ease of install as you still need a good 30-35mm gap and you absolutely cannot bend them sideways that's a pretty big bummer
"but wait there's more...."

- benchmarked a while, open side panel so I can touch the cable fo warmth and check the connection plug was perfect and then...
- then came the smell, anyone who already burned a gpu knows it the smell of power stages burning... EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN !!!
- aftermath I expected the smell coming from the wires or corsair connectors but nope it was coming from the gpu power stage area where the infamous coils are
- instant regret of trying this cable, put back the official nvidia 3-1 I got with the 450w 5090 and....everything was fine again and has been for 40hrs+ of gaming

I only hope I didn't damage much my card but it was that's a certainty...I don't care to know why or how this happened I already have a work and Corsair and nvidia aren't paying me
all I can say is don't even try or blame only yourself, you have been warned

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