Daisy Chain SATA Power Cable, PowerMac G5

[mac57mac57]

My recent posts about upgrading my PowerMac G5 DP 2.3 GHz with a 2 TB WD Blue drive has got me thinking about reinstalling the "original" Seagate Momentus XT drive as a third drive. For that, I will need an internal eSATA card, the XT drive and a place and means to install it.

All of this sounds not too difficult, but in addition to getting a SATA cable to the XT drive, I also need a SATA power connection for it. I have seen that you can buy daisy chained SATA power cables. I am wondering if I could take the power cable for one of my current drives, plug it into the daisy chain cable instead of the drive, and then plug that drives plus the XT drive into remaining drops on the cable.

Has anyone here done such a thing? Pros, cons, experience? Thanks!

 

[Amethyst1]

You need a SATA card, not eSATA. eSATA’s for external drives. And this

You mean a Y splitter cable like this? Should be no problem. I’ve used them myself (not in a G5 though).

 

[mac57mac57]

My bad - yes, SATA is what I need, not eSATA. Thanks.

 

[haramia]

Where do you have space for the third drive? The power splitters work well if you don't use too many drives on one connector. Two instead of one is quite safe.

 

[mac57mac57]

The third drive is a half height 2.5" SSD. I can literally tape it into position in the vicinity of the video card... lots of physical space there... and I do mean "tape". There is no mounting hardware there (rails, etc.) so I will suspend the new drive in a small metal cage I have, ensuring proper electrical insulation, and then use duct tape to secure the cage/drive in the selected space. Should work well. I have done things like this in the past, but not on PowerMac G5s. I will have to post photos once done.