PCI-SIG issues warning: 12VHPWR interface is at risk of heat and fire

The Peripheral Component Interconnect Special Interest Group (PCI-SIG) is the standards body that writes specifications for major system interconnects, including PCIe. Last year, the agency ratified a new standard designed to predict the future power consumption of high-performance GPUs: the 12VHPWR interface for PCIe 5.0 devices. On the latest computer power supplies, 12VHPWR has begun to replace some kind of 8-pin Molex connector. It can deliver 600W through 12 rails, four times the power of an 8-pin connector. It's the same size as the 8-pin that boots. PCI-SIG is happy with the 12VHPWR standard - that's not the problem. The problem is the cheap 8-pin to 12VHPWR adapters that vendors start to bundle with some power supplies. Foreign technology media Wccftech reported that the group sent the following information to its members last week. Note that the PCI-SIG has become aware that some implementations of 12VHPWR connectors and assemblies have exhibited thermal changes that may cause safety issues under certain conditions. While the PCI-SIG specifications provide the necessary information for interoperability, they do not attempt to cover all aspects of proper design, but instead rely on many of the industry's best-known methodologies and standard design practices. As the PCI-SIG working group includes many knowledgeable experts in the field of connector and system design, they will review available information on issues in the industry and assist with any issues to the appropriate extent. Further updates may be provided by the PCI-SIG as more details emerge. At the same time, we recommend that members work closely with their connector suppliers and exercise due diligence when using high-power connections, especially if there may be safety concerns. The group has said covertly that some components could melt or catch fire in the most extreme cases if they could fail in harsh environments, such as high-temperature enclosures. Wccftech speculates that the problem stems from the variability of the 8-pin connector. Many current-generation GPUs require multiple 8-pin ports, and even then they often exceed the rated limits of these connectors. Sometimes the GPU draws most of its power from one plug, unnecessarily burdening it. In a quick test, Wccftech used an adapter to connect two 8-pins to a 12VHPWR connector and put them under a 600W load. The power supplies easily deliver 600W by delivering just over 300W per 8 pins, even though they are only rated for 150W.