Which USB hub to use with Block Erupters | NanoFury NF1 | BPMC Red Fury | Ant U1

[visdude]

Asicminer is releasing a 49 port hub btw, could be handy:   https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=99497.14440

It looks like a 49-port Cambrionix (that's already in the beware list) in a different packaging.

49 port hubs would be nice in a massive erupter farm.

My experiences with usb hubs and power supplies for us 'regular mortals', makes me think,  "to many eggs in a basket"

A failure on one of these hubs means 49 devices offline for, "how long" to replace or repair?

That's why I stick to the cheapo, readily available hubs.  So far, the cheapos are still working fine; I guess not loading them to the max (only at around 62%) helped.

[fractalbc]

I finally got around to taking some measurements to see how good / bad the 10 port Chinese hubs were.

I started with a generic 10 port hub that I disassembled, a 5V 5A power supply listed above and a PC power supply with a molex to barrel adapter.

Starting with the 5V5A delta, I measured 4.61 volts where the barrel jack joined the PCB and 4.53 volts across the capacitor at the far end with 9 erupters mining.  0.08 volt drop is about a half a watt.  This is not going to melt any power or ground traces.

Next I hooked up a Seasonic 80+ gold rated supply with a molex to barrel adapter.

I measured 4.64 volts where power entered and 4.54 volts across the capacitor at the far end with 9 erupters mining.  This too is not any problem.

Then I measured across the pins of the molex plug.  Here I saw 4.86 volts.  That's 0.22 volt drop between the molex and the PCB, most likely in the barrel plug.  This is more than I like so I agree with those who propose soldering directly to the PCB to eliminate the barrel plug/jack.  Finally I measured at the 24 pin ATX power connector and found 4.97 volts showing a 0.10 volt drop in the 18 AWG wire from the PSU to the molex jack.

I then removed the barrel jack from the PCB and the molex lead and soldered the wires directly to the PCB.  This gave me 4.92 volts at the PCB unloaded, 4.85 with 9 miners a mining and 4.75 at the far end.  This is much better in my opinion.

So, I don't think there is anything really wrong with the cheap Chinese 10 port hubs themselves as long as you are reasonably handy.  Removing the barrel plug and soldering a pair of 16AWG wires to the PCB should solve all your problems.

[scapeoflegends]

Orico Bokcore BC-U3H10-BK USB 3.0

Ordered it off Ebay. Got it in the mail the other day

Plug it in - Doesn't work.
Tried a few things (Pluged into a different computer, Reinstalled Drivers, Etc..)
Nothing worked. I was Pissed $60 down the drain.

Opened the Hub up, Took a look at the board.

This little guy - The solder broke off one of the terminals.
https://i.imgur.com/PFeOMWpl.jpg

Soldered the one side back on and it worked like new.

https://i.imgur.com/NOcVvWGl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/6GF6jwJl.jpg

[CanaryInTheMine]

Time to add an ASICMiner Block Eruper 49 port USB 2.0 hub to the list 

more pics here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=303640.msg3428585#msg3428585



Next add some some USB miners:

[visdude]

Time to add an ASICMiner Block Eruper 49 port USB 2.0 hub to the list  

more pics here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=303640.msg3428585#msg3428585



Next add some some USB miners:

I haven't been keeping up on the specifics of this hub.  The last time I lurked in one of the related threads, they were still trying to figure out if the hub was drawing from the +5V or the +12V (with appropriate transformer/converter) leads on the 24-pin ATX connector.  Which one is it?

Also, do the Blue Furies fit on this hub without skipping ports?

[terrapinflyer]

The easiest way to go is to take the cable with the barrel plug that already fits your hub. In other words, cut it off from the wall adapter. Then you'll need the other end, something to connect to you PSU. For that, a cut off Molex splitters work fine.

Then you need to figure out where (+) wire on the barrel cable is. It is usually noted on the wall adapter if (+) is in the centre or on the outer ring. You can use some 1,5 volt battery and some appliance to determine which wire is connected to the outer ring.

On D-Link and Rosewill the (+) wire was marked with long dashes.

Connect red wire to the (+) wire of the barrel cable. Connect the black wire to the (-) wire of the barrel cable.

Double-check the above.

Triple-check the above.

The result will look something like this:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=253749.msg3223688#msg3223688

Now, short the green-wired connector to the black one of the ATX PSU to power it up and connect your newly spliced Molex->barrel cable. Connect to the hub. If it seems to work, connect one BE. Still working? Good. Connect the USB cable and try hashing. Connect the rest.

When powering down, ALWAYS disconnect the USB cable first before powering down the hub.

Thanks for the explanation. Im going to try this later this week.

Okay got this far and once again thanks. My next question is what is a safe load to run? If my PSU is rated at +5V 22A it should support 44 erupters. Now that is maxing it out at 110VA I know that cant be okay, so my question is at what capacity can I run this or any PSU? I was thinking of running 35 off it and two fans at 12V .85A so that is just about 80% of the +5V 22A rating. Also will that cause voltage drop because I am pulling more than 5A through an 18 gauge wire?

[Nemo1024]

Time to add an ASICMiner Block Eruper 49 port USB 2.0 hub to the list  

Nice! I've added it to the Special Hubs section. However, I am still trying to find how much they cost by themselves to calculate price per port, or do you need to by 50BEs to get a hub?

Okay got this far and once again thanks. My next question is what is a safe load to run? If my PSU is rated at +5V 22A it should support 44 erupters. Now that is maxing it out at 110VA I know that cant be okay, so my question is at what capacity can I run this or any PSU? I was thinking of running 35 off it and two fans at 12V .85A so that is just about 80% of the +5V 22A rating. Also will that cause voltage drop because I am pulling more than 5A through an 18 gauge wire?

It depends on how well your ATX supply delivers on the 5V rail. I mentioned it before that I have 2 different ATX'es with 25A on 5V., and the older ATX model could power way more BEs than the new one.

You 22A ATX should be good for about 35 BEs (22A/0.6A = 36.6). Just make sure you don't draw more than 8A from a single 4-pin Molex and not more than 12A from a single string (though, again, depending on your ATX, you may get away with 16A per string). You will know if you draw too much, if some of the BEs will randomly stop hashing and light solid green.

[Jeffrey]

Guys I'm confused... I'm looking at a cheap option to run 40-50 miners (about 40 BE and 5 or more BlueFury's). I was about to order 5 of the 10port TeckNet's from Amazon UK which would cost me about €215 inc shipping (to NL)

However, there's a shop in NL who sells the LogiLink 10ports (UA0096)

When I look at the lists, the LogiLink one appears twice. It's at the featured list, stating it can run 6 to 7 BE's (with the supplied 3.5a power supply) but at the same time it's listed at the warning part where it states it can run only 2 or none at all.

When I order 8 of them (aiming at around 50ish usable ports) it will come down to around €140 inc shipping, maybe add €10 for an extra power divide box (whatever they're called in English) to host all the power cables. Still, it's way cheaper than the TeckNet's.

The shop selling them has this 14day return policy (without giving a reason) so it's worth a try. However, I'm a bit worried about the experiences people have here with this hub, burning out, melting, etc.

So... what to do?

And at the same time, depending on the answers here, maybe the first post needs an update as this hub is listed twice.

[terrapinflyer]

Time to add an ASICMiner Block Eruper 49 port USB 2.0 hub to the list  

Nice! I've added it to the Special Hubs section. However, I am still trying to find how much they cost by themselves to calculate price per port, or do you need to by 50BEs to get a hub?

Okay got this far and once again thanks. My next question is what is a safe load to run? If my PSU is rated at +5V 22A it should support 44 erupters. Now that is maxing it out at 110VA I know that cant be okay, so my question is at what capacity can I run this or any PSU? I was thinking of running 35 off it and two fans at 12V .85A so that is just about 80% of the +5V 22A rating. Also will that cause voltage drop because I am pulling more than 5A through an 18 gauge wire?

It depends on how well your ATX supply delivers on the 5V rail. I mentioned it before that I have 2 different ATX'es with 25A on 5V., and the older ATX model could power way more BEs than the new one.

You 22A ATX should be good for about 35 BEs (22A/0.6A = 36.6). Just make sure you don't draw more than 8A from a single 4-pin Molex and not more than 12A from a single string (though, again, depending on your ATX, you may get away with 16A per string). You will know if you draw too much, if some of the BEs will randomly stop hashing and light solid green.

Thanks again Nemo I should have this all fixed up today, hopefully. Ill post some pics and maybe it will help someone else with some of the same questions.

[Nemo1024]

Guys I'm confused... I'm looking at a cheap option to run 40-50 miners (about 40 BE and 5 or more BlueFury's). I was about to order 5 of the 10port TeckNet's from Amazon UK which would cost me about €215 inc shipping (to NL)

However, there's a shop in NL who sells the LogiLink 10ports (UA0096)

LigilLnk in the warning list was added at a later point, when it was discovered that it's a clone of BigTek, where all the same warnings apply. It's unreviewed in the main list, so I'll remove it from there.

It might be a good option to buy, if you plan to mod it. Read the posts of guys who did that.

[pajak666]

I haven't been keeping up on the specifics of this hub.  The last time I lurked in one of the related threads, they were still trying to figure out if the hub was drawing from the +5V or the +12V (with appropriate transformer/converter) leads on the 24-pin ATX connector.  Which one is it?

Also, do the Blue Furies fit on this hub without skipping ports?

Can you please post link to thread with some review?
Also will this ASICminer hub power up usb 3.0 device ~0.9A ?
Usb 2.0 is limited to 0.5A only.

[xjack]

Asicminer is releasing a 49 port hub btw, could be handy:   https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=99497.14440

It looks like a 49-port Cambrionix (that's already in the beware list) in a different packaging.

OP shows Cambrionix is on the special list.  If it is on the beware list, mine works flawlessly on xubunutu since July, also works on BBB - Windows was a little flakey.  The power supply it comes with is a beware, a 10 year old Antec Trupower rectified the power problem.

[CanaryInTheMine]

@ Nemo, I think the current cost per port is 0 if buying 50 units...

[Mudbankkeith]

@ Nemo, I think the current cost per port is 0 if buying 50 units...

But can we buy one in the UK?

[CanaryInTheMine]

@ Nemo, I think the current cost per port is 0 if buying 50 units...

But can we buy one in the UK?

Absoluteley!  Plz contact yxt

[terrapinflyer]

Time to add an ASICMiner Block Eruper 49 port USB 2.0 hub to the list  

Nice! I've added it to the Special Hubs section. However, I am still trying to find how much they cost by themselves to calculate price per port, or do you need to by 50BEs to get a hub?

Okay got this far and once again thanks. My next question is what is a safe load to run? If my PSU is rated at +5V 22A it should support 44 erupters. Now that is maxing it out at 110VA I know that cant be okay, so my question is at what capacity can I run this or any PSU? I was thinking of running 35 off it and two fans at 12V .85A so that is just about 80% of the +5V 22A rating. Also will that cause voltage drop because I am pulling more than 5A through an 18 gauge wire?

It depends on how well your ATX supply delivers on the 5V rail. I mentioned it before that I have 2 different ATX'es with 25A on 5V., and the older ATX model could power way more BEs than the new one.

You 22A ATX should be good for about 35 BEs (22A/0.6A = 36.6). Just make sure you don't draw more than 8A from a single 4-pin Molex and not more than 12A from a single string (though, again, depending on your ATX, you may get away with 16A per string). You will know if you draw too much, if some of the BEs will randomly stop hashing and light solid green.

Thanks again Nemo I should have this all fixed up today, hopefully. Ill post some pics and maybe it will help someone else with some of the same questions.

Okay so I had some time today to put this all together and test it. I made an album to share some pics of the final project. Thanks again for you help here.
So I found these two PSU's in the recycle bin at the dump where I often pic parts from. This whole project cost me less than $20 and looks about a million times better than having all the hubs plugged into 3 power strips.
Hope this will help some others interested in doing this. http://imgur.com/a/QWLUt#0

[xjack]

Just found a cheap ATX supply to run the Block Erupter 49 Port Hub and Cambrionix 49 port.  5v@38A

Logisys Corp. 550W Power Supply PS550E12BK

Only a few hours of hashing with this P/S, but my total hashrate is within 5 MH/s of its previous rate on fossil ATX units.

[PMB]

Hi,

Logilink UA0096 HUB 10 Ports with Adapter 5V 3.5A - About 20€ ~ 27 USD - Will work with 6 Ports Ok, 7 Ports will work but you are pushing it - 3.57 Amp ...

regards,

P.

[Trongersoll]

@ Nemo, I think the current cost per port is 0 if buying 50 units...

This is so untrue. Nothing is free. Instead of giving you a quantity discount for buying 50 they are applying the savings to the cost of Hub. This just makes it harder to see the actual cost.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!!!

These come with out power supplies, so you need to figure in the cost of a power supply when figuring the per port costs as well.

"Free with purchase" is never Free.

[Tong]

@ Nemo, I think the current cost per port is 0 if buying 50 units...

This is so untrue. Nothing is free. Instead of giving you a quantity discount for buying 50 they are applying the savings to the cost of Hub. This just makes it harder to see the actual cost.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!!!

These come with out power supplies, so you need to figure in the cost of a power supply when figuring the per port costs as well.

"Free with purchase" is never Free.

.10 btc for a dedicated 5v psu
.09 for the custom made cable to connect it to the hub

So your new hub costs you .0039 per port as long as you order 50 B.E.

Grab the B.E.'s put them on eBay, earn a profit so the hub + psu + cable is free with $ left over for other things....

You're right it's not free with purchase, it MAKES you money to take it off their hands.

Tong