Is it safe to use ODD power for multiple HDDs?

I would like to use ODD power connector with a splitter to provide power to a HDD and a SSD (or two). Is it safe? The other option requires soldering, which I would like to avoid if possible. =\

 

Two drives on the ODD's SATA power port would be a stretch. More than that and you risk a motherboard burn out.

 

Easily possible with desktop PSUs due to the use of relatively thick gauge interconnect wires and High capacity molex connectors but is very unknown for laptop motherboards.
You will be doubling or tripling the current drawn on the motherboard interconnects/traces, you basically will be at the mercy of the amount of over-engineering which was incorporated.

 

Thanks for the answers. Prior to creating this topic, I've checked mb schematics, max amperage to be drawn from odd or hdd power connector is not mentioned. I could use +5V from currently unused docking port, it can supply up to 3A according to schematics, which is more than enough... yet it's not easy for me to solder a cable to it. =\

 

Now that I think about it, the ODD would be reasonably overspecced power wise because ODD drives use a lot of power relative to SSDs or HDDs. I would consult the ODD to see the typical power draw.

For reference, my 3/4 speed external ODD draws about 8W from 2 USB ports via a Y splitter. I'd imagine the internal one uses about 10W - 12W because its faster. Though this impossible to tell for certain.

Either way, its still a gamble.

 

^^^This. If the electrical engineers were prudent, they'd design the ODD's SATA power port to handle up 150% of what the installed ODD requires. That's around 2.4 amps. Assuming they didn't, the port can handle 1.6-1.8 amps. Going off the spare drives I have (cause they say right on them how many amps their slated to draw), it's 0.4 for an SSD and 0.8-0.9 for a 2.5" HDD.

With that in mind, the SATA port can probably power 2 SSDs no problem. But 2 notebook Hard drives is right at the upper limit for the SATA power port. Proceed with caution.

 

I'm still searching for a datasheet of some BD ODD where they do mention max power drain, but googling takes ages due to poor internet connection. Anyway, I have serious doubts it means anything since afaiu internal ODDs are satisfied with single usb2.0 connection when used externally, or am I missing something?

 

It is true that they are satisfied but the speed takes a hit as the motor runs slower. Thats why most good external drives have USB Y cables to draw power from 2 ports (thats a potential 5W) and yet they are still slower than the true internal drives.