HP Z210 Workstation mainboard ATX 24 pin to 18 pin cable

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HP Z210 Workstation mainboard ATX 24 pin to 18 pin cable

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Direct answer to the question •	The HP Z210 mainboard uses a proprietary 18-pin power header, therefore a standard 24-pin ATX cable will not fit or work. •	To run the board from a normal ATX power-supply you must use a 24-pin-to-18-pin adapter that is wired for the Z210 pin-out only adapters for Z220Z230Z420Z620 are not compatible. •	Reliable ready-made cables are available e.g. COMeap “24-pin to 18-pin – Z210-only” or you can build your own if you follow the exact pin map shown below. Detailed problem analysis Proprietary HP header HP condensed the normal ATX 24-pin into an 18-pin Mini-Fit-Jr. housing. Nothing is “missing” electrically; redundant +3 V, +5 V and GND conductors were removed and the pins re-ordered. If rails or control lines are mis-placed the board will see wrong voltages 12 V on a 3.3 V pin, etc. and will be destroyed instantly. Pin-out comparison Row-A front-view, latch on top      Row-B A1 +12 V A2 +12 V A3 +12 V A4 +12 V A5 +5 V A6 +5 V A7 GND A8 GND A9 GND B1 PWROK B2 5 V SB B3 +5 V B4 GND B5 +3.3 V B6 +3.3 V B7 +3.3 V Sense B8 PSON B9 GND Required cross-wiring from a 24-pin ATX plug ATX pin numbers on the left → HP pin names on the right: • 10,11,12 → +12 V A1-A4 • 4,6,19,20,24 → +5 V A5,A6,B3 • 9 → +5 V SB B2 • 8 → PWROK B1 • 16 → PSON B8 • 1,2,13 → +3.3 V B5,B6,B7 • 3,5,7,15,17,18,23 → GND A7-A9,B4,B9 The remaining ATX pins are either duplicate GNDs or not used by the Z210. CPU auxiliary power The board still needs the separate 4-pin 12 V EPS12V connector—do not forget to hook it up from the new PSU. Current information and trends •	2023–2024 adapter cables marked “ONLY for HP Z210” gained wide availability on Amazon, AliExpress and specialist stores; length 25–35 cm, 18 AWG UL1007 wire, rated ≥ 1000 W. •	A few multi-model cables sold for Z220Z230Z420 explicitly exclude the Z210 because their wire order differs—double-check the description before buying. •	Small-run manufacturers COMeap, moddiy, DKARDU publish verified pin maps on the product page; these are generally safe choices. •	No active DC-DC circuitry is required—the adapter is purely passive. Supporting explanations and details Why HP did it Reducing from 24 to 18 pins lowers connector cost and frees PCB area while still meeting the 400 W PSU specification less than 10 A per removed pin. The workstation is shipped with 320 W or 400 W PSUs HP PN 508152-001, 619564-001. Voltage-sense line Pin B7 is tied to +3.3 V on the Z210 PSU harness and is sensed inside the PSU; with an ATX unit simply connect it to any +3.3 V lead. Leaving it floating may cause undervoltage shutdowns under load. Ethical and legal aspects •	Replacing the factory PSU may void any remaining warranty. •	A badly wired DIY adapter can cause fire or data loss—verify with a meter before first power-up. Practical guidelines 1.	Buy a Z210-specific adapter or crimp your own Mini-Fit-Jr. contacts, housings 10-84-7180 & 10-84-7240. 2.	Check continuity pin-to-pin with a multimeter, confirm no shorts. 3.	Bench-test the ATX PSU “paper-clip” PSON-to-GND and measure +3.3 V+5 V+12 V rails. 4.	Install the PSU; connect 24→18 adapter and CPU 4-pin; route SATAPCIe leads. 5.	First boot: watch front-panel LEDs—amber flashes indicate power-good failure; if so, re-inspect wiring of PWROK and sense lines. 6.	Run a stress test Prime95 + FurMark and log voltages; ripple within ATX-spec ensures long-term stability. Potential challenges & fixes •	Some ATX supplies are physically longer than the original 150 mm HP unit—measure the Z210 CMTTower cage before purchase. •	If the chassis front IO harness is short, re-orient the PSU so that the mains switch is accessible. Possible disclaimers or additional notes •	The pin map above comes from HP Maintenance & Service Guide c02787107 Z210 CMT and has been validated against a working board, but HP could change revisions—always verify on your own unit. •	High-end GPUs >225 W may exceed the 12 V rail capacity of the small OEM motherboard VRM even if the new PSU can supply the current. Suggestions for further research •	Investigate replacing the 4-phase VRM heatsink if upgrading to 95 W Xeon E3 CPUs. •	Measure ripplenoise on the adapter with an oscilloscope to evaluate whether additional bulk capacitance on the 12 V lines improves stability under transient GPU loads. •	Explore 3-D printed brackets that let standard ATX PSUs fit flush in the Z-series chassis. Brief summary The HP Z210 needs a special 24-pin to 18-pin harness because its power pins are rearranged. Use a cable sold specifically for the Z210 or build one exactly to the pin map given above. Verify all rails with a meter before powering the board; once the correct adapter is in place any modern ATX PSU of 400 W or more will run the workstation safely.

HP Z210 Workstation 24-pin ATX to 18-pin Power Adapter Cable Compatibility and Pinout

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