Avalon 8 official specs released

[mgoz]

I don't get how any of you guys are managing to stay running above 30C. My ambient room temp is around 20C with windows open and it's still been snowing here. I have a couple 841's daisy chained and one just stops hashing if the intake temperature reaches 30C, although I suspect something else may be wrong because it arrived with a dent and the fan seems to stop or slow considerably at random times. Last time it stopped hashing I was seeing temps at 28/133C with fan at 90RPM/100%. I am not sure why there is such a large difference in room vs intake temperature or why the fan reports it's at 100% at that speed.

I was going to purchase more of these, but if I am having problems in cool weather, it will be even worse in the Summer. I have some 821's outside in the shop that show intake around 15-20C. I was going to move everything out there and have them exhaust directly out of the building and keep a large box fan on the intakes, but a box fan on my 841's now is not reducing intake temperatures at all. I've been trying to blow cold air in and hot air out. They constantly run at 28-30C in a 20C room. Canaan said it was an intake temperature issue, but only one unit is affected.

[PeaMine]

Since it's a product they sell on their site, and they also changed their specifications, I couldn't see how it's off topic.
I am a paying customer of theirs, and Canaan as well since the Avalon 6.
I also wrote up several positive reviews as they are still working as advertised, and several business affiliates have purchased based on my recommendation.
It's a question about a product they are selling, and they are in the business of selling said products.
It will also affect all of their customers except for those in very cold locations year round so it needs to be addressed before end of Spring I would think or thousands of miners will be running well out of their new safe operating range.

I remember the 841 had 35C at one point listed, while the 821 had 40C listed, which makes sense as it is the same cooling system but less power.
I purposely chose the 821 over the 841 given this specification on their website.  At this point I would have been better off going with the S9, especially at the current price and previous pricing.

Both the 741 and 721 were rated at 40C as well https://blokforge.com/product/avalon-741/
However to drop all 8xx to 30C without notice after stating 40C, is unprecedented in the ASIC community as far as I know.

[Shazam!!!]

Here are my temps today. They are hashing away. Pretty much regular for me to see these temps.

[mgoz]

What's your room temp with them running that hot? Also fan and voltage settings? I've ran mine at 10% and -1 since I received them, but going to try changing the fan back to 100% to see if it helps at all with the one that keeps crashing. Seems like the fan keeps slowing when it shouldn't be.

[Shazam!!!]

What's your room temp with them running that hot? Also fan and voltage settings? I've ran mine at 10% and -1 since I received them, but going to try changing the fan back to 100% to see if it helps at all with the one that keeps crashing. Seems like the fan keeps slowing when it shouldn't be.

Room temp is 80°f, and everything is stock on the settings. Like I've posted before, I try not to run them this hot. They are currently located in my garage, and I can't "air" it out until I get home from work. Soon, they will be moved to my basement for the summer. I also want to add, I have 2 M3's running with them as well, and I believe that they are the real heat source. They're little torches, compared to the 841's.

[akadamson]

Room temp is 80°f, and everything is stock on the settings. Like I've posted before, I try not to run them this hot. They are currently located in my garage, and I can't "air" it out until I get home from work. Soon, they will be moved to my basement for the summer. I also want to add, I have 2 M3's running with them as well, and I believe that they are the real heat source. They're little torches, compared to the 841's.

Is that with the latest MM firmware change?


Moderator's note: This post was edited by frodocooper to remove a nested quote.

[Shazam!!!]

Is that with the latest MM firmware change? 

This is what I'm running. I haven't updated the firmware. I'm weird, I never update immediately, unless there is some sort of problem, or a huge improvement.  Plus, I like to see if "latest" released updates have any ill side effects. Kinda old school, if it's not broke, don't fix it, mentality.


Firmware Version:
git-18.063.12211-62d814c

[akadamson]

Not sure what that is.

Here is all the 841 firmware and note the original had an error in that it won't show you when you are in a bad heat range and potentially damaging the ASICs, but the new one will and will shut you down ...

https://github.com/Canaan-Creative/avalon8-docs/wiki/AvalonMiner-841-firmware-downloads

Pretty much everything shipped with the 8411802-1e73b80 version of the MM code, and the 8411803-14bf10 came out about a week after the 841s were released to the general public.

I updated all of mine and have had no issues... but I also haven't ran them wide open with no regard for the temperatures either.

I guess while I'm on this topic.  The undervolt stuff wasn't supposed to be in the firmware, and not all units will undervolt to -2.  2 out of 5 of mine, will not run (or run pretty wounded at -2), but change them to -1 or 0 and they run just fine with no significant delta from the other 3

[ccgllc]

I guess while I'm on this topic.  The undervolt stuff wasn't supposed to be in the firmware, and not all units will undervolt to -2.  2 out of 5 of mine, will not run (or run pretty wounded at -2), but change them to -1 or 0 and they run just fine with on significant delta from the other 3

If one desire maximum hash rate and power is not an issue, should they be running at +1?

[akadamson]

All this discussion about power, temps, etc. has caused me to chase a rate hole, but the result was enlightening.

If you use a sorcerer PSU, you will notice that the fan sucks instead of blows.  This means that in order to have enough attachment length to the power supply connections, you probably are placing the PSU above the 841/821 with the 2 fans opposite (841 vs PSU), and most likely you are exhausting the heat from the PSU out it's back and right back into the 841.

I ran mine on a different supply that I have that's fan blow the opposite way and the difference was 2-3C in inlet temperature difference.

This afternoon, I'm planning on seeing if I can flip a fan around in a sorcerer and cause it to suck in the same air that the 841 is and exhaust it forwards like the 841s and see if the inlet temps don't drop by 2-3C as a result.

Curious if anyone else noticed this or resolved it?

[Shazam!!!]

This afternoon, I'm planning on seeing if I can flip a fan around in a sorcerer and cause it to suck in the same air that the 841 is and exhaust it forwards like the 841s and see if the inlet temps don't drop by 2-3C as a result.

Curious if anyone else noticed this or resolved it?

I have noticed this with the sorcerer, and it has become a pet peev. I've thought the same thing about going 180° with the fan, but haven't been able to make time to experiment. I've also considered, adding length to the cables.  Please be sure to post your findings.

[akadamson]

This afternoon, I'm planning on seeing if I can flip a fan around in a sorcerer and cause it to suck in the same air that the 841 is and exhaust it forwards like the 841s and see if the inlet temps don't drop by 2-3C as a result.

Curious if anyone else noticed this or resolved it?

I have noticed this with the sorcerer, and it has become a pet peev. I've thought the same thing about going 180° with the fan, but haven't been able to make time to experiment. I've also considered, adding length to the cables.  Please be sure to post your findings.

Ok, was a pretty easy thing to rotate the fans... Except for the gray goooo... (glue), but it will release if wiggled enough.  I'll let you know results.  Gonna a be a little while till I can repeat conditions like I had this morning.

[richdmz]

All this discussion about power, temps, etc. has caused me to chase a rate hole, but the result was enlightening.

If you use a sorcerer PSU, you will notice that the fan sucks instead of blows.  This means that in order to have enough attachment length to the power supply connections, you probably are placing the PSU above the 841/821 with the 2 fans opposite (841 vs PSU), and most likely you are exhausting the heat from the PSU out it's back and right back into the 841.

I ran mine on a different supply that I have that's fan blow the opposite way and the difference was 2-3C in inlet temperature difference.

This afternoon, I'm planning on seeing if I can flip a fan around in a sorcerer and cause it to suck in the same air that the 841 is and exhaust it forwards like the 841s and see if the inlet temps don't drop by 2-3C as a result.

Curious if anyone else noticed this or resolved it?

I noticed this too and made a post here and spoke to Canaan about it. Canaan said reversing the fan "should be ok" (no confirmation) if temps stay under 40c. We plan to reverse them too as you did to see as we are run cold/hot aisle setups and curious to see if there is a temp improvement.

[akadamson]

So the improvement was around 1C... maybe 2, but it's pretty hard to really find the 2C, but at least all the hot air is going in the same direction as the *HOT* air ...

[Thetaj]

So far non of my machines have broken down. They all do 91-94W/TH @ -1 config. Idk what people are complaining about

[Shazam!!!]

So far non of my machines have broken down. They all do 91-94W/TH @ -1 config. Idk what people are complaining about

There seems to be a problem with the temps, going above 30°c. Personally, mine have been ok between 30°c and up to 38°c.
Have you seen any issues, regarding the temps of your machines?

[NotFuzzyWarm]

I noticed this too and made a post here and spoke to Canaan about it. I spoke to Canaan and they said reversing the (sorcerer) fan should be ok if temps stay under 40c. We plan to reverse them too as you did to see as we are run cold/hot aisle setups and curious to see if there is a temp improvement.

I'd like a better reply from Canaan other than 'should be' ok. Would be nice for them or their vendor to model & verify just what happens to the various hot spots in a PSU and make yay/nay based on that. Changing from blow to suck will drastically change the flow patterns inside the PSU...

Perfect confirmation would be Canaan acting on this and changing the flow direction on future Sorcerer's they sell.

But - that said, when I get back in-country next week think I'll give it a whirl.

[akadamson]

I noticed this too and made a post here and spoke to Canaan about it. I spoke to Canaan and they said reversing the (sorcerer) fan should be ok if temps stay under 40c. We plan to reverse them too as you did to see as we are run cold/hot aisle setups and curious to see if there is a temp improvement.

I'd like a better reply from Canaan other than 'should be' ok. Would be nice for them or their vendor to model & verify just what happens to the various hot spots in a PSU and make yay/nay based on that. Changing from blow to suck will drastically change the flow patterns inside the PSU...

Perfect confirmation would be Canaan acting on this and changing the flow direction on future Sorcerer's they sell.

But - that said, when I get back in-country next week think I'll give it a whirl.

Not very scientific, but from a fingers test.  The air coming out is warm - not hot, the 841 output is hotter, and there seems to be no significant temperature difference to the outside of the sorcerer.  But as noted, not a very scientific test.

[ccgllc]

I guess while I'm on this topic.  The undervolt stuff wasn't supposed to be in the firmware, and not all units will undervolt to -2.  2 out of 5 of mine, will not run (or run pretty wounded at -2), but change them to -1 or 0 and they run just fine with on significant delta from the other 3

If one desire maximum hash rate and power is not an issue, should they be running at +1?

FWIW - I switched (3) strings of Avalon 8s from +1 to -1 to help cool them down just a touch.  Before and after stats:

Before:  1a - 11464.6 - single 821
             3a - 66555.7 - string of (5) 841s
             3b- 64851.9 - string of (5) 841s
                   ----------
                   142872.2

After:    1a - 11538.1
            3a - 66540.3
            3b - 64928.6
                   ---------
                   143007.0

So virtually identical numbers.  Both test were over 16+ hours.  I should note the "after" group spent most of those hours in the evening and early morning with cooler intake air.

[akadamson]

I guess while I'm on this topic.  The undervolt stuff wasn't supposed to be in the firmware, and not all units will undervolt to -2.  2 out of 5 of mine, will not run (or run pretty wounded at -2), but change them to -1 or 0 and they run just fine with on significant delta from the other 3

If one desire maximum hash rate and power is not an issue, should they be running at +1?

FWIW - I switched (3) strings of Avalon 8s from +1 to -1 to help cool them down just a touch.  Before and after stats:

Before:  1a - 11464.6 - single 821
             3a - 66555.7 - string of (5) 841s
             3b- 64851.9 - string of (5) 841s
                   ----------
                   142872.2

After:    1a - 11538.1
            3a - 66540.3
            3b - 64928.6
                   ---------
                   143007.0

So virtually identical numbers.  Both test were over 16+ hours.  I should note the "after" group spent most of those hours in the evening and early morning with cooler intake air.

How did you do that?  Because if you just selected -1 in the web UI, that didn't make the change, you have to add the "--avalon8-voltage-level-offset -1" string in the more options line in the configuration the 0 - zero option is hard coded no matter if you selected the -1, -2, etc or not. ... little known detail.  BTW, from 0 to -1 on mine will show an approx .150-.2 Th drop per miner in the rate, but the outlet temp will change by a couple of C too