PC builders with non-modular PSUs have faced cable management issues at least once in their life. They think of cutting the PSU cables to get rid of this problem. But, if you don’t cut these cables carefully, then severe damage can be done to you & your systems.
As a PC builder, I have faced this problem several times in the past, and based on my personal experience, I have written this article to give you all details about how safe it is to cut the PSU cables.
So, Can You Cut PSU Cables?
Yes! You can cut the unused PSU cables, but you have to do it carefully; otherwise, you will get shocked, and your system’s components may also be damaged.
Within semi-modular or fully-modular Power Supplies, there is no need to cut the PSU cables because those cables are detachable. Only Non-modular PSUs have attachable cables.
Another thing you need to remember is that you cannot cut all the PSU cables; you can only cut unused PSU cables.
Un-Used Power Supply Cables
If you are confused about which PSU cables you should cut, then you can only cut the unused cables or extra cables.
We have some extra power connectors cables in our Power Supply, such as Molex and floppy connectors. These connectors are not used these days, so you can cut these cables without any hesitation.
Cutting the PSU cables is not recommended for everyone; below, I have explained some situations where you can do this & where you can’t.
When You Have To Cut The PSU Cables?
Non-modular PSU users are facing a few problems and therefore thinking of cutting the PSU cables. The issues are-
Not Enough Space For Cables In The Case
Suppose you build a Mini ITX in a Silverstone SUGO SG05 with a non-modular PSU, then there probably won’t be enough space for all the cables that come with the Power Supply.
In such scenarios, to make your case neat & clean, you can cut the unnecessary cables.
Cable Management
Within the mini ITX case, cable management will be a complicated task. To make cable management easy, you can cut unnecessary cables from the Power Supply.
Don’t Have Futureproof Plan
Molex connectors are primarily used to supply power to the fans, CD/DVD drives, floppy drives, video cards, and some older hard drives.
So if you don’t want to install the things like case fans and other things mentioned above in the future, then you can cut the extra Molex cables.
What Could Happen If You Cut The PSU Cables?
If you carefully cut the PSU cables and wrap them with tape, nothing terrible will happen.
But, if you don’t do it carefully and if the wires you cut touch each other or touch the PC case or you, something may short out, and you will get a heavy electric shock because high voltages are going through the cables.
That’s why it becomes important to cut the PSU cables carefully.
How Do You Cut The PSU Cables?
I have explained step-by-step ways in which you can cut the PSU cables so you won’t get shocked while doing this-
Don’t Cut Them Inside The PSU
This is the first thing you have to follow, don’t try to cut the cables from inside the PSU; instead, try to cut the cables from a few inches where they exit the shroud.
Insulate The Cable Heads With Electrical Tapes
After taking the position, you can cut the cables and ensure the cable head doesn’t touch the metal case. Then use electrical tape, wrap the cable’s head perfectly, and insulate it. This is how you can cut as much PSU cable as you need.
Things You Can Do Instead of Cutting PSU Cables
It looks pretty complicated for those PC builders who don’t have any basic electricity knowledge. For those builders, I don’t recommend cutting the PSU cables; instead, they can do the alternative which I mentioned below-
Use Zip-Ties
If you have so many cables in your case, you can use zip ties or cable ties instead of cutting the PSU cables.
These ties are easy to use and lower in costs which would help to manage the cables properly.
Buy Semi-Modular Or Modular PSU
If the zip-ties are not sufficient for you, then the only way to get rid of this problem is to buy a new Power Supply which is semi-modular or modular.
The semi-modular PSUs have some attachable and some detachable cables, while the fully-modular PSUs have all the detachable cables. So, if you don’t need any cable, you can keep it open. Read the article here to know whether you can use old PSU cables or not.
Final Verdict
At the end of this article, I want to summarize everything for you so that you can cut the unused Power Supply cables if you don’t have any plans to add any components in the future. But, you must cut the cables carefully and wrap the cables with tapes; otherwise, you will be shocked.
I hope this article is helpful for you and if you want to know more about the Power Supply, motherboards, Storage devices, and other PC parts & tech facts, then follow this blog regularly.
