How should I add some extra molex?

[moufen2]

Hello :)
I have a problem and I could use some advice on how to proceed:

My PSU has 3 molex connectors in one cable and 3 SATA connectors in another. All of my hardware however uses molex to SATA connectors are pretty much worthless to me.
I have 5 devices that need to draw power from the PSU: an ATI 3650 agp (requires molex), two PATA hard disks, one dvdrw and one dvdrom.
So I need a way to connect them all to the PSU, I think I only have two options:

1) Use Y-cables to split the existing molex into more: I could do that, but in that case all the devices would draw power from just one cable. I'm afraid the cable won't be able to deliver so much power without overheating. Plus I'm not sure if the PSU will be able to cope with the load required when I start the PC, when all components draw more power that at an idle state.

2) Convert the SATA connectors into molex and use these to power the optical drives and one of the HDDs: This sounds easier to implement and would require less power going through the cable (since the load is distributed across the molex and the sata cable).

Which one of the two cases would be the best option?

PS: My PSU has two +12V rails, 18A each, with a combined load of 360W (PSU is 400W). Not sure if each of the cables is on a separate rail. I only mention this cause it might help someone more knowledgeable than me answer my question better.

[KaptCrunch]

option 2 but whats the total hardware load? excede psu rating?

[LarkStarr]

I dont think it matters honestly. the PSU can handle an overload for the split second the extra draw is required.

[headsh0t]

What PSU are you using?

[moufen2]

Originally Posted by KaptCrunch

option 2 but whats the total hardware load? excede psu rating?

The maximum hardware load should be less than 300W at 100% load, so no it does not exceed the maximum PSU rating.

Originally Posted by headsh0t

What PSU are you using?

a Chieftec A-135 series 400W (APS-400S)

[headsh0t]

That's a decent enough PSU by the looks of it, so I personally would go with Y splitters on the molex.

[tzetsin]

if you can run a soldering iron just cut the sata cable off, and find a POS old PSU, cut the cable off that and solder it onto the cable that used to be sata on the new one. you wont have to worry about loads because there wont be any "extra" connections

[Zero82z]

Overloading the cables isn't really a concern with the amount of load that you'll be dealing with. The best thing to do would be to chop off some existing SATA connectors and replace them with molex connectors like Tzetsin suggested, but if you can't do that then using molex splitters will be fine.