VX450W - cutting leads ok?

[heruka23]

Hi,
I want to install my Corsair VX450W psu from my old m/c in my new Dell XPS 810 as I need more SATA power connections than available with the 8100's current psu but I am concerned that the large volume of thick cabling will inhibit airflow in the smallish 8100's case.

Would it be possible (safe) to cut off any cabling that I'm not using and insulate the cut ends without damaging the functioning of the psu? Any thoughts, ideas, etc are most welcome!

Many thanks,

Heruka

[Yellowbeard]

Obviously it will void the warranty. I personally think some creative zip tie work and cable routing would be the best option. As a rep, I can't really tell you how to go about safely cutting things off the unit.

[heruka23]

Yellowbeard, many thanks for your ultra-speedy response.
I do understand that you can't sanction any cutting and that anything I do along these lines would be at my own responsibility - voiding the warranty included. I will try zip-tying as you suggest but in the event that I'm not happy with airflow, cutting seems the only other alternative.
Not being an electronics/computer chap I wanted to know whether there might be a technical reason against cutting off the excess cables. Would the psu cease working, or perhaps function erratically, etc?

Regards,
Heruka

[Blaineoliver]

PSU's can hold charge inside them for a good while, cutting the cables could result in a nasty shock.

[razer121]

PSU's can hold charge inside them for a good while, cutting the cables could result in a nasty shock.

Agreed but if he leaves the psu switched of without the powerline connected then he should be fine, otherwise POOF BANG SMOKE ....ouch lol

[peterb]

PSU's can hold charge inside them for a good while, cutting the cables could result in a nasty shock.

Well he won't get a shock as the output voltage is only 12 volts max, but there might be a bit of a spark if the positive and negative leads are shorted in the cutting. Obviously disconnect the PSU from the mains supply and ideally leave it for 24 hours (to allow any capacitors to discharge)

As Yellowbeard says (and he is the Corsair rep) you will void the warranty. But if that really IS the only way, then cutting the wires one at a time, and then insulating the PSU ends with tape (or neater, heat-shrink) will be fine. Leave a reasonable stub at the PSU end though (say 3 inches) so if you want to reconnect them later (soldering them) you could do so.

It should go without saying (but I will anyway) that you should NOT open the PSU case under any circumstances unless you have the detailed knowledge and expertise in dealing with high energy circuits.

[Saracen]

As a representative of HEXUS, my advice would be that if you go cutting things off of electrical devices, you are risking damaging both the device and, in some cases, yourself, so don't do it. There are too many variables and too many issues with clearly explaining things to be able to advise anything else. So, for the record, the official HEXUS advice is ..... do not do it. If you ignore that, you do so at your own risk.

On a personal level and not as a HEXUS representative, I would be prepared to do what you appear to be proposing if I were in that situation PROVIDED :-

- you don't open the unit, and
- you are cutting individual low-voltage lines one at a time, not cutting "thick" cables (i.e. bundled ones).

Providing you don't open the unit, you only have access to the low voltage side and any physical dangers relate to high voltage capacitors on the filter circuits. These can be safely and easily discharged if you know what you're doing, but if you have to ask the questions, the only advice I would give is to not open the case.

So operating solely on the low-voltage side and the outside of the case, which seems to be what you're suggesting, I can't see how you should damage anything providing you cut one line at a time, insulate it properly and don't short it on anything (and I suggest heatshrink tube for insulation and, of course, as long as the unit is disconnected from the mains before you start.

But I say again, as a forum, the only advice we can give is not to mess with electrical things if you aren't sure of what you're doing. I would do it personally, but having built power supplies (not for PCs) in the past, I am sure of what I'm doing. An old adage applies here .... If in doubt, don't. Maybe a better bet would be to buy a modular PSU and just not install leads you don't need.

[heruka23]

Many thanks to all for the invaluable info and suggestions. Unfortunately (for me and the great experiment) the fickle finger of Fate has struck. I managed to slip the Samsung HDD out of my old Dell 9150 with ease but fitting it into my new Dell 8100 the slot was very tight and I had to push with a 'little' pressure and broke off the top of a small component (black cylinder with '100' on top) which was marginally sticking above the level of the HDD case - end of a decent 500GB HDD! So, no need now to switch PSUs and cut off any cables.

A right pain, as I'd left a lot of my stuff from the old comp on the HDD thinking it would be a simple way to transfer it to my new comp. Fortunately I did burn it all onto DVDs in case there was no way to fit the HDD to the new m/c. Time to mangle up the HDD plates before dropping it off at the local recycling centre.

Again, many thanks to all for your kind help,

Heruka