Since the launch of Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 4090 in 2022, there have been persistent reports of melting 12VHPWR power connectors. The problem has been covered extensively, and not even minor revisions or adapters have seemingly solved the issues once and for all.
Nvidia initially claimed that the failures were due to user error from improperly inserted connectors, but the root cause is apparently more complex. Starting from the RTX 40 series, all 12V pins are internally tied together, preventing the GPU from detecting poor contact on individual pins. This allows the card to potentially draw excessive current through as few as one or two pins, leading to thermal overload and melting. The problem has continued even with the revised 12V-2×6 connector specification introduced in 2023, and recent reports show connectors melting after two years of use.
Enter the Ampinel: Active current balancing tech
German liquid-cooling specialist Aqua Computer has developed what may be the most comprehensive solution to date: the Ampinel. Unlike passive monitoring devices that simply alert users to problems, the Ampinel features a six-channel load balancer with a microcontroller that continuously monitors all six 12V power lines and actively redistributes current in real-time.
The device operates on a simple but critical principle: when it detects current exceeding 7.5A on any single line (the rated maximum), it immediately intervenes to redistribute the load across the other lines, thus preventing the thermal overload that causes connector melting. The add-on gizmo features a six-layer PCB with 2-ounce (70 μm) copper layers for minimal electrical losses and optimal heat dissipation, housed in an heatsink-like enclosure. There’s even a small OLED showing real-time current readings, and an integrated 85 dB buzzer to make sure you get the memo.
There are already several passive monitoring solutions on the market, such as Thermal Grizzly’s WireView Pro and various third-party adapters. However, the Ampinel’s active current balancing sets it apart as the first device to actively prevent the conditions that cause connector failure rather than simply monitoring.
Seal of approval from Igor’s Lab
The Ampinel has been put to the test by industry veteran Igor Wallossek of Igor’s Lab, in a review that incidentally also confirms the failures of Nvidia and standardization org PCI-SIG with 12VHPWR connector:
… brand new hardware, fresh out of the box, correctly locked until it clicks and yet the AMPINEL immediately sounds the alarm, and rightly so. Four lines over 9.5 amps, peak value 10.68 amps, 54.03 amps total current, 4.69 amps differential current, with a hotspot temperature of just 42.75 °C. That’s not user error, that’s a design problem and a humiliation for the standardization guys.
In any event the Ampinel does indeed mitigate the problem at a cost of €79.90 (approximately $90 USD excluding shipping and taxes). It’s rather bizarre that users need to purchase additional hardware to safely operate their expensive graphics cards, but for owners of high-end RTX 40 and RTX 50 series graphics cards, it might be a worthwhile investment compared to dealing with warranty claims.