Bitcoin mining with 2 graphics cards & a Corsair 400CX?
Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 1:55 am
About 2 yrs ago I arranged for my new PC to be supplied with a Corsair 400CX PSU (http://www.silentpcreview.com/Corsair_CX400W) thanks to the reviews available here (which was by far the best resource on PSU's I could find).
I've happened to get into the fad(?) of bitcoin mining, which involves running ATI graphics cards at near 100% of their capability constantly. Currently, I have an ATI 5770 graphics card. The graphics card and the CPU running at 100% draw around 95 watts of power according the power meter I have, but around 71 watts most of the time while the CPU isn't too busy.
I'm considering purchasing an additional ATI 5850 graphics card, and running both cards in the same box. (Side note: I only have one PCIe x16 slot, but will use a PCIe x4 to x16 extender cable for the 5770 card). The 5850 card apparently requires two 6pin PCIe power cables apparently, as it can draw maybe up to 160W. Currently, the only 6 pin PCIe cable is in use by the 5770 card. 4-pin molex cables can be paired into a single 6 pin PCIe cable, but it's recommended to use separate molex cables to reduce the load through each cable. That would mean I need 4 separate molex cables, but I only have 3 - is it going to matter if the 5770 draws it's power through a single molex? (Fire risk? Risk of hardware failure?)
Secondly, system requirements from the retailer I use state "500 Watt Power Supply is required" for the Sapphire ATI 5850, though the benchmark tests appear to show a max draw (through a power meter) of an additional 160W. As the PSU I have can actually meet it's rated wattage, a total power draw of between 230 and 255 watts shouldn't push it too hard, should it?
Thanks!
I've happened to get into the fad(?) of bitcoin mining, which involves running ATI graphics cards at near 100% of their capability constantly. Currently, I have an ATI 5770 graphics card. The graphics card and the CPU running at 100% draw around 95 watts of power according the power meter I have, but around 71 watts most of the time while the CPU isn't too busy.
I'm considering purchasing an additional ATI 5850 graphics card, and running both cards in the same box. (Side note: I only have one PCIe x16 slot, but will use a PCIe x4 to x16 extender cable for the 5770 card). The 5850 card apparently requires two 6pin PCIe power cables apparently, as it can draw maybe up to 160W. Currently, the only 6 pin PCIe cable is in use by the 5770 card. 4-pin molex cables can be paired into a single 6 pin PCIe cable, but it's recommended to use separate molex cables to reduce the load through each cable. That would mean I need 4 separate molex cables, but I only have 3 - is it going to matter if the 5770 draws it's power through a single molex? (Fire risk? Risk of hardware failure?)
Secondly, system requirements from the retailer I use state "500 Watt Power Supply is required" for the Sapphire ATI 5850, though the benchmark tests appear to show a max draw (through a power meter) of an additional 160W. As the PSU I have can actually meet it's rated wattage, a total power draw of between 230 and 255 watts shouldn't push it too hard, should it?
Thanks!