Bitmain's Antminer A3 may be emitting HCHO (Formaldehyde)

[Boneyg001]

This video has just been published and is going around which shows HCHO levels are dangerously high coming straight from the Antminer A3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4SlUW1LWoU

0.612 mg/m3 is A LOT! The recommended ambient levels depend on the organism that makes the guidelines, but the WHO, for example, recommends no more than 0.023 for working environments (https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehhe/trailerstudy/pdfs/08_118152_Compendium%20for%20States.pdf)

For those who aren't familiar with what HCHO does cancer.gov states the short-term effects are "individuals may experience adverse effects such as watery eyes; burning sensations in the eyes, nose, and throat; coughing; wheezing; nausea; and skin irritation" along with The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies formaldehyde as a human carcinogen.

For more information: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/formaldehyde/formaldehyde-fact-sheet


What's everyone's thoughts and might it be possible that the D3/S9/L3 could have the same problem?

[Eyedol-X]

This video has just been published and is going around which shows HCHO levels are dangerously high coming straight from the Antminer A3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4SlUW1LWoU

0.612 mg/m3 is A LOT! The recommended ambient levels depend on the organism that makes the guidelines, but the WHO, for example, recommends no more than 0.023 for working environments (https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehhe/trailerstudy/pdfs/08_118152_Compendium%20for%20States.pdf)

For those who aren't familiar with what HCHO does cancer.gov states the short-term effects are "individuals may experience adverse effects such as watery eyes; burning sensations in the eyes, nose, and throat; coughing; wheezing; nausea; and skin irritation" along with The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies formaldehyde as a human carcinogen.

For more information: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/formaldehyde/formaldehyde-fact-sheet


What's everyone's thoughts and might it be possible that the D3/S9/L3 could have the same problem?

Curious to see if Bitmain will respond to this.

If others can confirm or show similar results. It's a scary thing to think that these miners may be doing that.

[almost30]

interesting 

[tomwrx]

Can you test it on other miners, or you have only A3?

[Eyedol-X]

Anyone else out there have one of these air testers that can run it to validate or invalidate what's posted in this video?

[wheelz1200]

Im highly interested if someone can run tests on all the bitmain miners.  Have/had all of them at one point or another and will shut them down asap if this is the case....wtf

[Eyedol-X]

Im highly interested if someone can run tests on all the bitmain miners.  Have/had all of them at one point or another and will shut them down asap if this is the case....wtf

Well one thing I can say is I went and read the reviews on the tester used in the OP video and it's got rampant accusations of being inaccurate but it does some have some "detection" capability so at this point I would say take the readings shown with a grain of salt until we can find someone out there with a more accurate and widely recognized piece of testing equipment.

[wheelz1200]

Im highly interested if someone can run tests on all the bitmain miners.  Have/had all of them at one point or another and will shut them down asap if this is the case....wtf

Well one thing I can say is I went and read the reviews on the tester used in the OP video and it's got rampant accusations of being inaccurate but it does some have some "detection" capability so at this point I would say take the readings shown with a grain of salt until we can find someone out there with a more accurate and widely recognized piece of testing equipment.

Ok thanks i always wondered if there were any crzy side effects like this out there so will be interested if someone could run some tests, will keep an eye on this thread

[Eyedol-X]

Im highly interested if someone can run tests on all the bitmain miners.  Have/had all of them at one point or another and will shut them down asap if this is the case....wtf

Well one thing I can say is I went and read the reviews on the tester used in the OP video and it's got rampant accusations of being inaccurate but it does some have some "detection" capability so at this point I would say take the readings shown with a grain of salt until we can find someone out there with a more accurate and widely recognized piece of testing equipment.

Ok thanks i always wondered if there were any crzy side effects like this out there so will be interested if someone could run some tests, will keep an eye on this thread

I found a more recognized tester on Amazon for about $350 -- I may buy one if no one else out there chimes in on this.

My gut is saying there will be bad readings from them and I doubt this is an isolated event.

[MagicSmoker]

I'm an EE for my day job. Circuit boards are made with epoxy resin, and that doesn't emit formaldehyde (methanal) when it cures; same with the epoxy encapsulation of ICs and such. Basically, this seems like FUD.

[fanatic26]

There is nothing in the miner that would be emitting formaldehyde.

On the other hand, cigarettes contain formaldehyde and there are tens of millions of idiots still smoking.


Verdict: FUD

[rem26]

Maybe everyone will shutdown their miners to keep their homes formaldahyde free....   

[Boneyg001]

Hmm, if someone else could test that would be great.

[Eyedol-X]

I'm an EE for my day job. Circuit boards are made with epoxy resin, and that doesn't emit formaldehyde (methanal) when it cures; same with the epoxy encapsulation of ICs and such. Basically, this seems like FUD.

Thanks for chiming in with some technical information.

There is nothing in the miner that would be emitting formaldehyde.

On the other hand, cigarettes contain formaldehyde and there are tens of millions of idiots still smoking.


Verdict: FUD

Yeah E-cigs do as well -- I couldn't find anything definitive to confirm this and IMO it definitely looks like FUD if it was done by someone trying to get miners to turn off their machines. On the other hand the person that created the video may also be the victim of a really crappy piece of test equipment.

[shaninium]

Even if this is true the ventilation  that a good setup provides should eliminate any risk. Also the operating temperature  matters,  at least it does with e cigs and for HCHO. This video could have the boards running at an unrealistic 70- 80 and fans reduced we just dont know. The miners could be completely new too so even if there is something in the heat sink adhesive etc doesnt necessarily mean it will produce HCHO forever.

[nsummy]

That video was about the most unscientific "proof" ever.  Like others have said, its a cheap tester with a lot of bad reviews on Amazon.  Even if the reading is accurate though, Who is to say there isn't something else in the room causing it?

[Boneyg001]

That video was about the most unscientific "proof" ever.  Like others have said, its a cheap tester with a lot of bad reviews on Amazon.  Even if the reading is accurate though, Who is to say there isn't something else in the room causing it?

True, that's why I feel more tests need to be done with other Antminers and other sensors. However, someone else seems to have tested and got similar results.

"it appears that this may be true.

I went ahead and purchased my own HCHO meter (this is the model: http://a.co/6JzJ4ML) to verify after reading this post yesterday.

Here are the results of ~30 minutes of testing next to one of my A3 units:
https://i.imgur.com/YTxU8CI.jpg
0.336 mg/m3 of HCHO detected."

[dlezama]

That video was about the most unscientific "proof" ever.  Like others have said, its a cheap tester with a lot of bad reviews on Amazon.  Even if the reading is accurate though, Who is to say there isn't something else in the room causing it?

True, that's why I feel more tests need to be done with other Antminers and other sensors. However, someone else seems to have tested and got similar results.

"it appears that this may be true.

I went ahead and purchased my own HCHO meter (this is the model: http://a.co/6JzJ4ML) to verify after reading this post yesterday.

Here are the results of ~30 minutes of testing next to one of my A3 units:
https://i.imgur.com/YTxU8CI.jpg
0.336 mg/m3 of HCHO detected."

Did you try to measure next to other electronics? Especially new machines?

[64dimensions]

Not flacking for BM, but not really rigorous enough:

a) As we all know, GPU and ASIC miners heat up a room, warm up any stands they are on. So anything in the room warms up.

b) In the video, some if not all miners are sitting on cardboard boxes. You would need to eliminate the cardboard boxes (i believe glue is used in their construction), any manufactured wood product (plywood, cheap shelving) that uses some sort of glue as a binder. Any cheap packs or bags that are made out of polyester. Any construction materials used in building the room.

(Wasn't there an issue with imported drywall a few years back?)

Bottom line, I would expect there are other material candidates in the room that outgas formaldehyde when warmed up.

The possible A3 components would be the heat sink sticky tape and maybe the electrolytic capacitors(they have a small port for possible venting).

I forget, also the packing foam used in shipping the miners would be suspect.

[1234ms]

It`s a lie, formaldehyde has a boiling point of -19 degrees celcius, even if the antminer A3 was dipped in formaldehyde and shipped in an unsealed package to you all the formaldehyde would have evaporated by the time it arrived on your doorstep.