CORSAIR ThermalProtect 600W 12V-2x6 Cable: Everything You Need to Know

Here at CORSAIR we engineer all of our 12V-2x6 GPU power cables to operate reliably and safely under all conditions. However, with GPUs continuing to increase in size and power consumption, we realize some people would like some additional peace of mind when running their GPU at full load, so we're announcing a new 12V-2x6 cable with built-in Over Temperature Protection (OTP) technology called ThermalProtect that actively monitors the temperature of the cable at all times.

The CORSAIR ThermalProtect 12V-2x6 cable is designed to power and protect modern GPUs. The cable is 650mm long and compatible with any GPU and power supply featuring a native 12V-2x6 connector. It features new technology from CORSAIR called ThermalProtect, which is OTP for the cable itself. This is a new technology we’ve developed to protect GPUs from taking damage as a result of the cable getting too hot.

This is distinct from the OTP already found in all CORSAIR PSUs as that OTP protects the power supply itself from getting too hot. the ThermalProtect cable simply provides this protection for the cable as well. This has the nice side effect of making this cable compatible with any brand of PSU.

This cable features new hardware that is embedded on the cable itself in a cable comb near the GPU side. It connects to the two wires that connect to the GPU connector sense pins (sense0, sense1), which is the row of four pins above the 12 pins used for power.

ThermalProtect monitors the cable’s temperature using hardware inside the cable comb located 30mm from the GPU connection. If that temperature exceeds 65°C, the OTP activates which sends a signal via those sense pins to tell the GPU to shut down to prevent any potential damage. This entire process takes place in milliseconds, so the effects are effectively instant.

On a 12V-2x6 connection, there are two sense pins that let the GPU determine how much power is available. On the CORSAIR ThermalProtect PCIe 5.1 12V-2x6 cable, that amount of power is 600W, which is the maximum available using this interface.

Though it is difficult to predict or state the root cause of a cable overheating with 100% accuracy, the most likely culprit in most scenarios is the cable is not being securely connected to the GPU. If you recall, this interface first arrived with the name 12VHPWR, and was revamped to what we now call 12V-2x6 with one of the main goals being to improve contact between the cable and the GPU. One of the ways that was achieved was by making the sense pins shorter so the cable had to be inserted fully in order for it to function properly.

When ThermalProtect takes action your GPU will shut off. Since there is no power to the GPU you will see a black screen, but the rest of the system itself should still be operational. Check to see if your fans are still spinning and if any RGB is still illuminated. This lets you know it wasn’t an OS or system crash that occurred, but ThermalProtect activating.

Once you have assessed the situation and confirmed it was ThermalProtect that was activated, you should hold down the power button on your PC until it shuts down, which will take two or three seconds.

1. With the PC powered down, turn off the power supply and unplug it from the wall. Open the side panel of your case and move the back of your hand near, but not touching the cable where it plugs into the GPU. If you can feel the heat from about an inch away, leave the PC alone for 20 minutes with the side panel off.
2. Once the cable has cooled off, check the connection to the GPU as it’s usually responsible for the cable overheating. When it is safe to do so, remove the 12V-2x6 cable from the GPU and inspect both the end of the cable and the power connector on the GPU. If there's no evidence of any damage, then the cable and GPU should be fine. Now reconnect it, making absolutely sure it is fully inserted and totally secure. There should be an audible “click” noise that occurs when the connector’s retention latch clamps down on the cable. Just to be safe, repeat this process with the PSU end of the cable, too.
3. Once the cable has been reinserted, the best way to make sure it’s properly connected is to inspect it closely. Since the tips of cable are colored grey, you'll know when it's fully inserted as you will not be able to see any grey at all. Using a flashlight makes this process easier.