Bitcoin Forum

I'm trying to find safe ways of powering mining equipment.
I'm not really aware of how much breakers, outlets and receptacles can handle of constant power before they become unsafe.

I'm going to consult an electrician, but I'd like to do some of my own research beforehand.

So, from other's expereinces, how are you distributing power in your setups so you don't torch your place?

(I'm doing 1500w on a receptacle right now.  I have another 1500w that will be online tomorrow, and I have another receptacle, but I'm not sure if it's coming  off the same breaker)

Need some input from other miners.

It depends on where you are.  For example, in the US, your average household has 120V lines with 15/20A breakers.  You might also have 1 or 2 240V double-sized breakers at 30/40/50 amps (for things like electric stoves, central air, etc).

On your average 120V/15A circuit, you'll get 1800 watts; however, and this is important, they are only rated for 80% continuous load, which is 1440W.  If you are pulling more than that on a single breaker, you're very likely to trip it.

Your best bet, if you're consulting an electrician, is to ask if he can install a 240V/30A breaker and run the line to a nema l6 30 outlet.  Then throw a PDU on it and you've got 5.76kw available.

Good luck :)

I didn't think that it would trip if you ran over 80%, but that it was just strongly not recommended? Whats the standard those fuses are made to?

It's not recommended because the circuit will indeed trip if you're pushing more than 80% load continuously.  A circuit breaker does not trip on excess current, it trips on heat, just like the fuses of old.  If a circuit breaker is rated for 15 amps, what that usually means is that you can push non-continuous loads of 15A through it without building up enough heat trip it.  When you push 15A continuously, the heat will build up and trip it.  That's why the 80% rule is in place.  Pushing only 12A through the circuit will not cause enough heat to trip the circuit.  Here's a fun fact: take a look at your average household window air conditioner in the US.  Chances are very good you'll see 1440 watts as the power.  Why?  Because that's the 80% of your typical 15A breaker in a US residence.

That's kind of what I was getting at.  Assuming he's truly got 1500W currently with another 1500 on the way, he might wish to consult the electrician on the 240/30 option.  That'll give plenty of power, and on a dedicated circuit.

Also, I'm not sure if the OP is in the US... I can't remember the last time I heard someone refer to an outlet on the wall as a receptacle :).  If that's the case, then knowing more about his current system would be helpful.

Yes.  I am in the US.

It looks like they have each room wired to a 20amp breaker.   (3 "receptacles" per room :) )
I have 2x 750w power supplies powering my equipment that's currently running.

I have an identical setup that I'll be adding tomorrow.

There is room in the breaker box for expansion... (spaces between current breakers)
Would 240 mean getting separate service run?  Or, can they run 240 from an existing panel?
(I know nothing about electrical - please excuse my ignorance)

It's an office building - so they have a couple "double breakers" labeled for the AC unit and furnace.

Thanks guys for the input so far...

Just because you've got a pair of 750W PSUs doesn't mean you're drawing 1500 watts.  What gear are you running?  If each of those PSUs is driving an Antminer S3, you're probably only pulling 700W total from the wall for the both of them combined.

jonnybravo0311 is correct about the breaker info,but the wires have ALOT to do with it too.

Find out what American Wire Gauge you have to your receptacles,12 AWG or 14 AWG,there are wattage/amperage limits on these as well & they can catch on fire.

My house uses 14 AWG on the 15 amp circuits,so I keep to 1400 watts or less on those circuits.

Smaller the wire the less amperage it can handle (lower AWG #=bigger better wire,12 AWG is bigger than 14 AWG).

Go to Home Depot & get some sample pieces of wire & you can just hold them to your wires & judge the size  ;)

BTC Garden
website says:
Power Consumption is 1296 Watt for a set of miners.

then consider that circuit done.  since you do not know if the wire gauge is correct.



I redid my house the vast majority of my wiring is 10 gauge and 20 amp 120 volt service


 10 gauge is very hard to wire with but  since I was out of work back in the late 90's I did 1 circuit at at time in 10 gauge wire.

  Talk about good luck I beat the price jump in copper wire and upgraded  a 100 amp 20 breaker box  to a 200 amp 40 breaker box.

I did all the work except the ac line which was 6 gauge 220 volt 40 amp line.  So I left that alone.

 When every thing was done except the 200 amp box I hired a guy to hook the 200 amp box up.  As I did not want to do the pair of 120 lines that come into my home.

So I have 24000 watts I have pushed 10000 watts  for a month mining with gpus in the winter of 2012-2013.  my house was a freakin oven!  10 f outside 84 f inside.

Be careful with 20 amp breakers, since often times the previous owner will simply change out the breaker with a larger one (simply because the old one was tripping). Often times you'll find that the 20 amp breaker is paired with 14 gauge or smaller wire, 15 amp recepticles, or even correct wiring run through an over-populated conduit, all of which can create a fire hazard.

No problems with trusting a 20 amp breaker if you're certain that the entire circuit is up to the task.

Oh... the BTC Garden 1.2TH/s.  Yup... you're pulling about 1300 watts or more.  You're safe on either a 15A or 20A circuit.  However, you WILL NOT be able to plug that second rig in the same room.  Your 20A circuit can only handle 1920 watts total continuous load.  Also, be aware of what other equipment is in that same room and running on that same breaker.  You've got some room leftover to run some lights, laptop or low-power PC, TV etc... but definitely not another one of those mining rigs.

If you've got room in the panel, and that panel is driven by 2 120v mains (certainly should be), then your electrician should be able to throw a 240/30 in there.  Then, he can run the proper wiring and install a new "receptacle" (the nema I stated previously) for you in one of the rooms in addition to the 3 standard ones that are currently there.  Now you'll have enough power to drive 4 of those BTC Garden rigs... just need to be able to vent out all the heat they're gonna generate :)

I ran a 120amp sub-panel off my main panel strictly for Bitcoin mining purposes.  I have 12 dedicated 10amp outlets (actually 6 20amp outlets that are split) in my mining closet now.  :)  You can buy all the supplies needed to do it yourself for around $400 or you could hire an electrician to do it for just over a grand.