In accordance with a report by Igor Wallossek from Igor’s Lab, (opens in new tab) the included quad 8-pin-to-16-pin adapter with the GeForce RTX 4090 is hackable to permit 600W of energy consumption from simply three 8-pin PCIe energy connectors. That is simply an experiment for science. For apparent causes, we don’t suggest you do this in your adapter, but it surely’s value understanding if somebody reverse-engineers this hack right into a sellable product on-line. Should you see considered one of these
Nvidia’s energy adapter is rather more than only a power-splitting machine. It is also an clever adapter that detects which of the 4 8-pin energy plugs are lively. It permits the top consumer to run simply three supplementary energy connections to the adapter to make the cardboard work – however at a decrease 450W TDP. With all 4 plugs related, the GPU can entry 600W if the facility supply system permits it.
Nvidia’s energy adapter does this by relaying which energy plugs are getting used, on to the graphics card by way of 4 tiny wires that include the 12VHPWR energy connector. Two of the 4 wires are lively, and inform the GPU whether or not or not it is secure as well up the graphics card – relying on what number of 8-pin energy plugs are related.
However, apparently, Wallossek found out that connecting simply the secondary two-pin plug on a 6+2-pin PCIe energy connector can trick the adapter into pondering the plug is lively. It should trick the adapter into pondering all 4 plugs are lively and activate the complete 600W energy finances. To analyze additional, Wallossek seemed on the particular person wires and located that you are able to do the identical factor by shorting the 2 sensory wires that inform the GPU which energy plugs are lively.
It’s hazardous, can result in full-blown system failures, and pose a hearth hazard from the facility adapter as a result of wires overheating the plastic plugs. So be sure to use all 4 8-pin PCIe plugs. As for the sensory wire hack, that is much more necessary to notice, since this hack can create a triple 8-pin energy adapter for the GeForce RTX 4090 as a substitute of a quadruple 8-pin adapter – however with the complete 600W energy restrict lively. Should you ever see a tool like this available on the market, keep away from it in any respect prices.