120 vs 240V

[Jerrys84]

Hello,

New miner here.  I set up an S7 over the weekend to test it out.  I had intended to set it up on a 240v circuit, however I did not have the correct equipment and for the sake of testing the miner I just used a handy 120 volt outlet.  The power supply says it is rated for both 120 and 240.

I had expected the miner to run at a lower efficiency due to the lessened power supply, but I was surprised to find that it was clocking in at over 4.1 th with the 120 volt supply.  My question is what is the advantage of the 240v?  4.1 is below its listed ability (4. but still close given that it is at half the voltage.

My hunch is that the 240 is more efficient (higher voltage, less loss due to resistance etc.) but I am curious if anyone can clarify the relationship.  I should also mentioned, the panel I am working off has a maximum capacity of 100 amps, so I am trying to get as much mileage as I can out of this.  I have one miner now but am interested in setting up more.

Thanks in advance for any info regarding this.

-Jerry

[sabbathhawk]

Hello,

New miner here.  I set up an S7 over the weekend to test it out.  I had intended to set it up on a 240v circuit, however I did not have the correct equipment and for the sake of testing the miner I just used a handy 120 volt outlet.  The power supply says it is rated for both 120 and 240.

I had expected the miner to run at a lower efficiency due to the lessened power supply, but I was surprised to find that it was clocking in at over 4.1 th with the 120 volt supply.  My question is what is the advantage of the 240v?  4.1 is below its listed ability (4. but still close given that it is at half the voltage.

My hunch is that the 240 is more efficient (higher voltage, less loss due to resistance etc.) but I am curious if anyone can clarify the relationship.  I should also mentioned, the panel I am working off has a maximum capacity of 100 amps, so I am trying to get as much mileage as I can out of this.  I have one miner now but am interested in setting up more.

Thanks in advance for any info regarding this.

-Jerry

Hello

There is no difference what voltage you will use
It was made because Europe uses 220v and North America 120v, that is because it is made 120/240v. So miners can be sold in both markets
Hope that will help
Good luck with mining

[Rodrigo Santos]

Watts ($ that you pay) = Volts x Amps

Watts are determined purely by voltage and electrical amperage, so for a device requiring a particular number of watts, as voltage increases, amperage decreases.
So, if you intend to use multiple equipment's, the increase of Amp will increase the temperature in wiring installation, and some power converters (such as AC/DC converters) get a little more efficient when run at higher voltages.

So, if you don’t need to convert from 120v to 220v, you must use 220v.

[kahc]

If the equipment is rated for both voltages than there shouldn't be any differences on the performance.

The advantage with 240V is:
- Drains less amps.
- Can use smaller and longer cables.

[Jerrys84]

If the equipment is rated for both voltages than there shouldn't be any differences on the performance.

The advantage with 240V is:
- Drains less amps.
- Can use smaller and longer cables.

Is that to say that at 120, it using closer to 15 amps, and at 240 it is using 8?

with a 100 amp panel, would that mean i could get 10 miners going with 240 volts, and would have only been able to get 5 miners at 120 volts?

[Dragsbaek]

with a 100 amp panel, would that mean i could get 10 miners going with 240 volts, and would have only been able to get 5 miners at 120 volts?

Yes.

[Foxpup]

As with most electronic devices, the PSU will down-convert your supply voltage (120 or 240 VAC) to whatever voltage the device needs (typically 5 VDC, though I don't know what this particular miner uses). It makes no difference what your supply voltage is except that a lower voltage will draw more current to deliver the same power. The maximum current for each circuit will be listed on the breaker panel.

As an aside, why do you even have both 120 and 240 volt circuits in the first place? I've only ever seen such setups in electronics laboratories; I'm not sure if it's even legal for a residential or commercial building.

[Jerrys84]

As with most electronic devices, the PSU will down-convert your supply voltage (120 or 240 VAC) to whatever voltage the device needs (typically 5 VDC, though I don't know what this particular miner uses). It makes no difference what your supply voltage is except that a lower voltage will draw more current to deliver the same power. The maximum current for each circuit will be listed on the breaker panel.

As an aside, why do you even have both 120 and 240 volt circuits in the first place? I've only ever seen such setups in electronics laboratories; I'm not sure if it's even legal for a residential or commercial building.

It's residential wiring, which comes in as two lines with 120 volts each.  Use both, voila, 240 volts.  Very common in residential wiring.  As used for laundry, electric stoves, air handlers, water heaters etc.

[uberproteam]

The frequency of 240V is 50 Hz, The frequency of 120V is 100Hz, The power drawn is same. It is just because each country has it's own regulations.

[kahc]

The frequency of 240V is 50 Hz, The frequency of 120V is 100Hz, The power drawn is same. It is just because each country has it's own regulations.

120V / 100Hz is not an industry standard.
Those numbers only exist in electronics labs or custom facilities.

[codewench]

with a 100 amp panel, would that mean i could get 10 miners going with 240 volts, and would have only been able to get 5 miners at 120 volts?

Yes.

No.

Based on the voltages mentioned, I assume Jerry is in North America. The incoming residential power (three wires) is 240 volts at 60 Hz with a center tap. The center tap conductor is earthed and called "Neutral". The other two wires are both called "Hot". From one Hot to Neutral is 120 volts. From Neutral to the other Hot, it is also 120 volts. Connecting across both Hots (and ignoring the Neutral) gives 240 volts.

Current entering via one conductor has to leave via a different conductor. Also, the topology means that the current in the Neutral is the difference in the currents in the Hots.

A 100 amp panel means Jerry can draw a max of 100 amps on any of the three conductors. This could be achieved by a 100 amp 120 volt load connected between one Hot and the Neutral. Or it could be a 100 amp 240 volt load connected across the Hots. Or it also be a 100 amp 120 volt load connected between one Hot and the Neutral and another 100 amp 120 volt load connected between Neutral and the other hot. In the last two cases, the current in the Neutral is zero!

Thus Jerry could have ten 240 volt miners. Or five 120 volt miners on one hot and five more 120 volt miners on the other hot. So - ten miners either way.

Jerry: You could have an electrician install a row of 240 volt receptacles. Nominally, two receptacles could be paired together on one circuit beaker. Because this is a 240 volt breaker, it will be double width taking up two spots in the breaker panel.

Alternately, you could have a row of 120 volt receptacles installed. The current requirements mean that each receptacle will need its own (single wide) circuit breaker. Depending on what brand of breakers you have, you may be able to use half width breakers to power two receptacles from one spot in the panel.

A row of 240 volt receptacles will be useless to anyone else in the future. Contrastingly, the 120 volt receptacles could be useful to someone running servers.