A SATA power supply riddle

[clivem]

Recently got a new - new to me - computer. I wanted to add another hard drive. So I purchase a Lian Li hot swap tray. Now here is the problem.
I connected the sata data cables to the motherboard. I connected the power cable from the tray to a sata power cable - the other end of the power cable plugged to the power pack.
This cable worked fine on my old machine, but here nothing
So I swapped the plug into another power socket still nothing. (The other HDDs work fine)
Took another cable from the old machine same result notthing works.
I plugged the new disc power cable temporarily into a spare on the power cable going to the existing HDD and everyting works. WHY?
Went back to the other cables but again nothing
It defies logic. What is going wrong?

 

[decto]

Some enterprise or shucked drives use the 3.3v to keep the drive powered down. Could be your old PC had this voltage missing.

I cut the 3.3V lines on my server HDD power cables as the easiest fix. You can use a bit of tape to cover the pin if that's the issue.

Google 3.3V HDD power fix and see if that helps.

 

[leezer3]

Dodgy tray connection?

If it's the same cable between the two machines, you should also remember that cables between different modular PSUs (even sometimes the same brand) may look identical, but be differently wired.
*Never* mix cables between PSUs.

 

[clivem]

Dodgy tray connection?

If it's the same cable between the two machines, you should also remember that cables between different modular PSUs (even sometimes the same brand) may look identical, but be differently wired.
*Never* mix cables between PSUs.

Yes I see now the cables are wired differently.
Can simply cut the 3.3v cable?

 

[decto]

Yes I see now the cables are wired differently.
Can simply cut the 3.3v cable?

I'd check if that is the issue first. A tiny bit of tape on the HDD power will prove it out, or do you have a molex to Sata power you could use to test. They only have 5V and 12V

 

[leezer3]

Pictures please?

I wouldn't start cutting anything until you're certain of exactly what's happening, and your post is nowhere near clear enough.
Looking at the Lian-Li hotswap trays, I don't think they've got cables attached at all. If so, it's far more sensible to use the correct cables for the PSU. (or get a molex to SATA cable and plug into a spare molex)

 

[clivem]

Pictures

Yes I see now the cables are wired differently.
Can simply cut the 3.3v cable?

the old PSU is a Corsair, the new one is Leadex. Yes the wiring is different

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

You can't mix and match modular psu cables
Unless you're 100% positive
That the pin out is exactly the same
Even if the new psu was also a corsair they use
Different pin outs on some of them

If you actually applied power to the drive
Fingers crossed you didn't damage it

 

[Phemo]

Just get a short SATA power extension cable for a few quid and cut the wire on that.