Avalon ASIC users thread

[aneutronic]

Question for the more experienced people on here than me

I've had an Avalon Batch #2 running for about three months, has been hashing nicely at 344 with a few reboots here and there. I updated to the latest firmware end of the last week, and I have noticed that this morning my hash rate has dropped by about 15 GH/s (Was previously 80 - 82 GH/s).

Miners 22 - 24 are reporting far lower matched work than the others, with miner 24 very low. Is this a sign that the chips are on their way out and/or need re-thermal pasting or something else?

Thanks!

Make sure your ribbon cables are tight to that module and make sure the backplane is snug into the hash boards.

Check the power cable for that module also, inspect the connectors on both ends for any evidence of heating due to poor connections.

If the cables are ok inspect the module for burnt capacitors in the defective miner sections.

If you have a meter you can compare the C1 voltage readings between miner sections.

C1 - 680uf - is also the capacitor that has been failing on some of the units.

[1680213899]

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[smoothrunnings]

Okay this is strange. I keep getting error messages from the site after I post a message, then I wait a bit and hit post and it tells me the post is already here, so I come back to the end of this thread and my message is not here. LOL

I am wondering if anyone has noticed and or figured out what the batch 2 avalon's run cooler than the batch 1's?

Thanks

[ProfMac]

Anyone more than me that took the hassle of signing up at tradehill?
avalon, what a joke, b3 4 90GH units for 16btc, and avalon mini 2 board (oc'd to 375mhz) 60GH unit 9btc.
Luckily , they have hundreds of units. so far i can only see one mini that has the 9btc bid.
If they put up some reasonable prices ok..

I signed up.

[smoothrunnings]

Anyone more than me that took the hassle of signing up at tradehill?
avalon, what a joke, b3 4 90GH units for 16btc, and avalon mini 2 board (oc'd to 375mhz) 60GH unit 9btc.
Luckily , they have hundreds of units. so far i can only see one mini that has the 9btc bid.
If they put up some reasonable prices ok..

As long as the units are on hand that's not too bad. ButterFly 60GH units that people have on hand generally go bout 2k to 2.5k or about 14BTC here in Toronto, ON, Canada. If they aren't on hand units and you have to wait 8 months to a year to receive them then yes your right!

[driksson]

Anyone more than me that took the hassle of signing up at tradehill?
avalon, what a joke, b3 4 90GH units for 16btc, and avalon mini 2 board (oc'd to 375mhz) 60GH unit 9btc.
Luckily , they have hundreds of units. so far i can only see one mini that has the 9btc bid.
If they put up some reasonable prices ok..

As long as the units are on hand that's not too bad. ButterFly 60GH units that people have on hand generally go bout 2k to 2.5k or about 14BTC here in Toronto, ON, Canada. If they aren't on hand units and you have to wait 8 months to a year to receive them then yes your right!

They are all in stock on hand. to be shipped 24hrs after auction end on the 10th of october. but overpriced imo..

[ProfMac]

Anyone more than me that took the hassle of signing up at tradehill?
avalon, what a joke, b3 4 90GH units for 16btc, and avalon mini 2 board (oc'd to 375mhz) 60GH unit 9btc.
Luckily , they have hundreds of units. so far i can only see one mini that has the 9btc bid.
If they put up some reasonable prices ok..

As long as the units are on hand that's not too bad. ButterFly 60GH units that people have on hand generally go bout 2k to 2.5k or about 14BTC here in Toronto, ON, Canada. If they aren't on hand units and you have to wait 8 months to a year to receive them then yes your right!

They are all in stock on hand. to be shipped 24hrs after auction end on the 10th of october. but overpriced imo..

Auctions have a paradox.  Items that have a lower starting bid fetch higher prices.  He started too high.  He should have started with no minimum bid.

[el_rlee]

Anyone more than me that took the hassle of signing up at tradehill?
avalon, what a joke, b3 4 90GH units for 16btc, and avalon mini 2 board (oc'd to 375mhz) 60GH unit 9btc.
Luckily , they have hundreds of units. so far i can only see one mini that has the 9btc bid.
If they put up some reasonable prices ok..

As long as the units are on hand that's not too bad. ButterFly 60GH units that people have on hand generally go bout 2k to 2.5k or about 14BTC here in Toronto, ON, Canada. If they aren't on hand units and you have to wait 8 months to a year to receive them then yes your right!

They are all in stock on hand. to be shipped 24hrs after auction end on the 10th of october. but overpriced imo..

Auctions have a paradox.  Items that have a lower starting bid fetch higher prices.  He started too high.  He should have started with no minimum bid.

I guess not many people went through the trouble of sending their ID's to get ripped off...

[smoothrunnings]

If I replaced my fans in my B1 do the need to have a certain amperage?

I am looking on Ebay and saw these fans from Foxconn -
http://www.ebay.com/itm/FOXCONN-Case-Fan-Model-PV123812DSPF01-DC-12V-90A-4-Wire-120mm-x-120mm-x-38mm-/190882015927?pt=US_Computer_Case_Fans&hash=item2c71746ab7

Thanks

[ProfMac]

i recall a thread where someone combined a broken avalon with a 3 module rig to make a 4 module rig, anyone recall this?

Several people have done this.

[ProfMac]

i recall a thread where someone combined a broken avalon with a 3 module rig to make a 4 module rig, anyone recall this?

Several people have done this.

do you have any of he links, professor?

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=253861.msg2703403#msg2703403

I have configured one machine as a 3 module Batch #2 unit with a 4th module from batch #3 and a custom ribbon cable.  It has been operational this way for weeks.
I bought Luke Stokes's Batch #3 case, controller, and TP-Link, and 1 damaged module, then bought a batch #2 PDU and controller, and I am running it with an external fan and partial capability on the damaged module.

This week, I bought a Batch #2 upgrade module.  When it and the temperature sensors arrive, I will have a 4 module all Avalon batch #2 machine, and a Frankenstein batch #3 machine.

[ProfMac]

awesome!

i had not considered the extra temp sensor requirements. do the b2s even have the space for extra sensor/s?

what PSU are using to power the 4 modules as i assume your rigs came with the 850

i currently o/c mine to 355Mhz but without upgrading the PSU i would have to u/c them to prevent any damage.

as much as i want to upgrade its looking like a totally cost ineffective endeavour.

perhaps teh lulz/science will have to be enough of a reason...

I did not consider the extra temp sensor requirements either.  The fans won't spin up without them.  It turns out that the wires go into a glob of silicone on the heat sink.

I used the 850 for several weeks, on --avalon-auto.  The frequency stabilized about 355.  It drew about 1030 W from the wall.  I recently replaced it with an ocz zx 1250 and now it only draws 1000 W.  This power supply is a little taller when installed, and the mounting screw for the top plate above the power supply won't fit.  The phrase "whisper quiet" really fits this power supply.

No one knows the future.  Some investors may liquidate their mining farm when it is only making 20% annualized ROI, or people may move end-of-profitable equipment to mine Bytecoin.  I figure I can sell the OCZ for a good price on eBay a year from now.  It also gets -20°F here, so the waste heat has monetary value.  I almost held onto my BTC for HashFast or that startup in Austin, but I thought having a nice, upscale 4 module batch 4 would be cool.  Or FinCEN may start busting unregistered miners next week.

[GandalfG]

awesome!

i had not considered the extra temp sensor requirements. do the b2s even have the space for extra sensor/s?

what PSU are using to power the 4 modules as i assume your rigs came with the 850

i currently o/c mine to 355Mhz but without upgrading the PSU i would have to u/c them to prevent any damage.

as much as i want to upgrade its looking like a totally cost ineffective endeavour.

perhaps teh lulz/science will have to be enough of a reason...

I did not consider the extra temp sensor requirements either.  The fans won't spin up without them.  It turns out that the wires go into a glob of silicone on the heat sink.

The glob of silicone are used for glue DS18B20 temperature sensor to heatsink.
https://en.bitcoin.it/w/images/en/thumb/7/72/Avalon-temperature-sensor-detail.JPG/800px-Avalon-temperature-sensor-detail.JPG

[ProfMac]

The glob of silicone are used for glue DS18B20 temperature sensor to heatsink.
https://en.bitcoin.it/w/images/en/thumb/7/72/Avalon-temperature-sensor-detail.JPG/800px-Avalon-temperature-sensor-detail.JPG

Where can I order some already made up?

[smoothrunnings]

Avalon fans!!

Has anyone replaced their fans in the past, and if so what did you replace them with?

I am having trouble finding fans that are within spec, I am finding mostly fans that have a low CFM but everything else matches, and it looks like Delta isn't making the FFB1212EH-PWM fan anymore which I would gladly buy and replace the main fan in my B1, and may test the 38mm with the delta's to see if anything improves or stays the same.

So I am at a loss as to what I should be looking for today, can anyone help?

Thanks!

[eestimees]

maybe FAN-0077L4 will do the job?

[GandalfG]

The glob of silicone are used for glue DS18B20 temperature sensor to heatsink.
https://en.bitcoin.it/w/images/en/thumb/7/72/Avalon-temperature-sensor-detail.JPG/800px-Avalon-temperature-sensor-detail.JPG

Where can I order some already made up?

In any shop with electronic parts.
Or  
http://pl.mouser.com/Search/Refine.aspx?Keyword=ds18b20

http://www.digikey.com/product-search/en?x=0&y=0&lang=en&site=us&KeyWords=ds18B20

I think solder 3 wires aren't problem. Can make it for You but shipment from EU may be costly.

[ProfMac]

i would have thought this impossible...

how much did u pay for your b2 module?

also where did you source your sensor/s?

I bought the b2 module as damaged, not working, for BTC 2.5.  It has 5 of 8 sub-assemblies working.   Two capacitors and almost all chips in the first sub-assembly are destroyed, and the 1st plug on the header strip seems to be dead.

I don't actually have a sensor in place.  I need to know the connector part number that connects it to the controller, or find a vendor.  I bought an AC desk fan and have it plugged in, and I am hashing at 256 MHz, to avoid overheating.

[wolfman]

Guys, my batch3 3 module unit has two 12V EPS connectors on PDU. Do I have to connect them both?
Thanks

Mine do too, and yes, I did connect them all: 3 x 8-pin pci-e, 2 x 8-pin EPS 12v, 1 x 24pin mobo

All the higher wattage PSU's I've seen come with two eps 12v connectors anyway (one 8pin and one 2x4pin).

I have another one running stable for couple of days, there I connected 1x24pin, 2xEPS and 2xPCIe(!).
I just wanted to know if I can get some cheaper 650-750W PS which usually come with 1xEPS.
I will probably test it myself but if anyone has feedback it would be appreciated.

Just to confirm, I have one 3 module 82 Ghash unit working stable for days that has one 8pin EPS and
one 4(!)pin EPS (plus 24 ATX and two 8pin PCIE), running on 750W Chieftec PSU.

[smoothrunnings]

i would have thought this impossible...

how much did u pay for your b2 module?

also where did you source your sensor/s?

I bought the b2 module as damaged, not working, for BTC 2.5.  It has 5 of 8 sub-assemblies working.   Two capacitors and almost all chips in the first sub-assembly are destroyed, and the 1st plug on the header strip seems to be dead.

I don't actually have a sensor in place.  I need to know the connector part number that connects it to the controller, or find a vendor.  I bought an AC desk fan and have it plugged in, and I am hashing at 256 MHz, to avoid overheating.

I wish I could find a sweet deal like that, would honestly like to add a 4th blade to my B1 and B2 avalons!

[aneutronic]

batch 3 avalon b4 and after mods...
34K resistor || with R10, replaced shoddy factory TIM with arctic cooling mx-4 (also applied between heatsink and chassis), running bottom up with 4" cabinet cooling fan blowing across.
cgminer options: --avalon-auto --avalon-fan 100 --avalon-cutoff 90 --avalon-temp 70





450MHz air-cooled fed with < 10* C outside air, runs ~440MHz with low 20s C ambient.  

seasonic 1250w pulling 1250w - 1280w at the wall    

earnings to date from 2nd week of August: 32.22BTC

various calculators estimate 20BTC - 30BTC loss

     


edit: fixed psu wattage typo