The Chili – 30+GH/s BFL based Bitcoin Miner Assembly

[oldbushie]

I got my miners up and running! It took me about 3 hours to get them all set up. Thank you MrTeal and ChipGeek for the boards, and Keefe for the mounting kit! Each board is currently averaging 35GH/s.

I do have one board that takes a long time to boot up for some strange reason, no clue why... hopefully future firmware update fixes that if it turns out to be an issue. Also, how will we be updating the firmware? Will that be doable via USB or will I need a JTAG?

[crazydownloaded]

what is everyone using for thermal ?
pads or paste

what pads are you using if so

what is the the best option for a $50 or under heat sink

I still have some pad left to sell ($2 per 37*33mm + shipping, shipping from California), send me a private message for details.
The pad is the recommended one (http://www.frozencpu.com/products/16875/thr-161/Fujipoly_Extreme_System_Builder_Thermal_Pad_-_Full_Sheet_-_300_x_200_x_05_-_Thermal_Conductivity_110_WmK.html)

[ChipGeek]

I got my miners up and running! It took me about 3 hours to get them all set up. Thank you MrTeal and ChipGeek for the boards, and Keefe for the mounting kit! Each board is currently averaging 35GH/s.

I do have one board that takes a long time to boot up for some strange reason, no clue why... hopefully future firmware update fixes that if it turns out to be an issue. Also, how will we be updating the firmware? Will that be doable via USB or will I need a JTAG?

You are welcome.  I'm glad you got them up and running.

Firmware upgrades will happen through the same USB cable you use for mining.  You will have to stop mining and there will be a simple app that will download the new code.

[oldbushie]

Awesome! That should make it fast to perform updates.

[agibby5]

Anyone have 4 thermal pads enough for 4-8chip chilis for sale?

[ChipGeek]

Anyone have 4 thermal pads enough for 4-8chip chilis for sale?

Look up 3 posts before yours to crazydownloaded's post.

[agibby5]

Anyone have 4 thermal pads enough for 4-8chip chilis for sale?

Look up 3 posts before yours to crazydownloaded's post.

He only has 3.

[Keefe]

Anyone have 4 thermal pads enough for 4-8chip chilis for sale?

Look up 3 posts before yours to crazydownloaded's post.

He only has 3.

I have 4 sets left. Each set is pre-cut into 4 10x20mm pieces that can each cover 2 chips, so one set per 8-chip board. The price is $4 per set, plus shipping ($1.69 for 2-3 day USPS First-Class, or $18.11 for 1-day USPS Priority Express to most locations). I'm also in southern California.

[winter]

what is everyone using for thermal ?
pads or paste

what pads are you using if so

what is the the best option for a $50 or under heat sink

•   A thermal pad is recommended over CPU grease as it cannot be guaranteed that all the dies will be coplanar or at the same height, I recommend this one for reasonable price and good performance
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/16875/thr-161/Fujipoly_Extreme_System_Builder_Thermal_Pad_-_Full_Sheet_-_300_x_200_x_05_-_Thermal_Conductivity_110_WmK.html

Recommended Cooler #1 – LGA1155 based
Coolermaster Hyper212 Evo
The Hyper 212 Evo is a good cooler to use this with Chili, although the included mounting hardware does make it a little difficult to use. I would recommend using these spacers instead of the supplied ones
http://www.mcmaster.com/#95947a310/=oridfb
and screw them in with some M3x10mm screws
http://www.mcmaster.com/#92005a120/=oribhm

Recommended Cooler #2 – GPU based Arctic Cooling Mono Plus
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7983391&CatId=99
This one is a little simpler to apply as a GPU die is about the same height off the motherboard as the Chili ASICs. It’s nice because it comes with a bunch of little heatsinks you can use on the VRMs if you want, too. I still recommend a backplate, similar to what you would use for a GPU.
http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/spare-parts/536/eva-foam-und-gpu-back-plate.html#
Also, I would assume you’re going to be mounting them vertically if you’re doing this, so you’ll probably want to pick up a PCIe bracket.
http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Keystone-Electronics/9203/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMtzcnMBgC2bs6gC270mlsjAcmixu2SULFc%3d

great write up
i have the pad coming so knock that off the list , i have a pcie bracket so knock that off the list , i also have a back plate but i dont think i have a form pad i will look around. I need to get the heatsink now i think option 2 is the way i will go as i will be able to keep the 30GH BFL in the computer case that it is running in now with out effecting the chili and getting in the way. the 212 is way to big i have used it before and its just huge. im looking to get the chili + bfl ls + (2) bfl 7GH + pc running off the 850w psu in the case might be cutting it i think
200watt for the chill , 1XX for the LS , 30watt for each of the 7GH + the computer itself its a cleron d with 1 gig ram and 1 hdd and dvd rom. i have to bring my meter to work and see how much this unit draws right now with out the the chili connected. I might just have to disconnect one of the 7GH if the power is cutting it lol , we will see. I wish i had 2 chili instead of the 30GH BFL

[Sy]

No one water cooling yet? 

[oldbushie]

I don't know if it's the current custom build of BFGMiner or my crap internet atm, but all my submitted shares appear to be stale...

I wasn't seeing this many stale shares before I switched from BFGMiner 3.3.

[oldbushie]

I ended up ditching the conf file because I think it was setting some things that interfered with how p2pool worked. I just used the same command line settings (only pool ip and user/pass) that I was using on normal BFGMiner. Seems to read everything fine.

Also, I'm occasionally seeing a Chili go 300GH/s / 0 GH/s (high/low) with 100% hardware errors (immediately obvious on opening BFGMiner) until I power cycle it.

[Bargraphics]

I ended up ditching the conf file because I think it was setting some things that interfered with how p2pool worked. I just used the same command line settings (only pool ip and user/pass) that I was using on normal BFGMiner. Seems to read everything fine.

Also, I'm occasionally seeing a Chili go 300GH/s / 0 GH/s (high/low) with 100% hardware errors (immediately obvious on opening BFGMiner) until I power cycle it.

I had a couple Chilis gives 100% HW Errors, it ended up being the USB wasn't registering correctly with BFGMiner (This is the best way I can describe it)

You should be able to just unplug/replug in the USB to that miner, let Windows see it and then restart BFGMiner.

The other issue with this is that you tried to start BFGMiner while the Chili wasn't fully booted up. It will see the Chili but not communicate properly.

Make sure all of the LEDs are not blinking anymore before firing up BFGMiner.

Hope this helps

[hephaist0s]

I have 3 chilis, all set up the same way and attached to the same machine, and two work great but the third one isn't recognized. When I run Zadig to apply the driver it comes up as "USB Serial Converter" instead of BitFORCE SHA256 SC like the other 2, and subsequently does not appear in cgminer. What am I doing wrong?

[Bargraphics]

I have 3 chilis, all set up the same way and attached to the same machine, and two work great but the third one isn't recognized. When I run Zadig to apply the driver it comes up as "USB Serial Converter" instead of BitFORCE SHA256 SC like the other 2, and subsequently does not appear in cgminer. What am I doing wrong?

Are they plugged into a hub or into three separate USB ports on your computer?


Edit: If you don't want to fiddle around with CGMiner just follow these steps, it literally should take you 3-5 minutes to get mining without issue

This is a workaround version of BFGMiner until a new firmware update for the chilis

Here's a modified version of BFGMiner, I also included the driver inside of it as well that should fix your problem. (I don't know much about CGMiner though)

http://www.speedyshare.com/uKncp/BFGMiner-Chili.zip

Open up bfgminer.conf and change the Pool and Username to whatever you want (It currently uses mine so make sure you change it)
Run CDM v2.08.30 WHQL Certified.exe to install the correct driver for windows

Once you do both of those, just open up bfgminer.exe and it should read from the config automatically and start hashing for you.
If it doesn't see the Chili, all you have to do is keep BFGMiner open, unplug the USB, Plug it back in, press M then + then type all or auto and enter. It should find it.

Please note if it still isn't working then you need to exit BFGMiner, unplug you chili power, plug it back in and wait for all the lights to stop blinking. If you try to find the miner while it's "Booting up" it will have issues.
"Booting Up" is the two most right LEDs (Closer to the Power) blinking back and forth. Again once all the LEDs are not blinking anymore it should be ready to start hashing, start your BFGMiner and follow the above steps.

Let me know if this helps

[agibby5]

Does the Chili work under Linux, specifically Ubuntu?

[ChipGeek]

I have 3 chilis, all set up the same way and attached to the same machine, and two work great but the third one isn't recognized. When I run Zadig to apply the driver it comes up as "USB Serial Converter" instead of BitFORCE SHA256 SC like the other 2, and subsequently does not appear in cgminer. What am I doing wrong?

It appears to me that it's possible that third unit has a problem.  If the problem is what I think it is, I can send you directions on how to fix it.

Please PM me with the serial number of that unit. 

[ChipGeek]

Does the Chili work under Linux, specifically Ubuntu?

Yes.  The Chili works anywhere a BFL SC ASIC works.  Note that we're done all of our testing so far with cgminer.  It also works with a special version of bfgminer.  We will soon release a fix in our firmware that will work with standard bfgminer.

[Bargraphics]

It appears to me that it's possible that third unit has a problem.  If the problem is what I think it is, I can send you directions on how to fix it.

Please PM me with the serial number of that unit.  

I have two units that are not operating correctly.

One had the two LEDs closest to the Power Connection blinking back and forth like it is booting up (but after waiting 5 hours they were still blinking)

the other one has the four LEDs closest to the Power Connection solid lit up (no blinking) and doesn't change from that state.

Any help on these would be appreciated (I'll PM you serial numbers once I get to where they are located)

[hephaist0s]

Are they plugged into a hub or into three separate USB ports on your computer?


Edit: If you don't want to fiddle around with CGMiner just follow these steps, it literally should take you 3-5 minutes to get mining without issue

This is a workaround version of BFGMiner until a new firmware update for the chilis

Here's a modified version of BFGMiner, I also included the driver inside of it as well that should fix your problem. (I don't know much about CGMiner though)

http://www.speedyshare.com/uKncp/BFGMiner-Chili.zip

Open up bfgminer.conf and change the Pool and Username to whatever you want (It currently uses mine so make sure you change it)
Run CDM v2.08.30 WHQL Certified.exe to install the correct driver for windows

Once you do both of those, just open up bfgminer.exe and it should read from the config automatically and start hashing for you.
If it doesn't see the Chili, all you have to do is keep BFGMiner open, unplug the USB, Plug it back in, press M then + then type all or auto and enter. It should find it.

Please note if it still isn't working then you need to exit BFGMiner, unplug you chili power, plug it back in and wait for all the lights to stop blinking. If you try to find the miner while it's "Booting up" it will have issues.
"Booting Up" is the two most right LEDs (Closer to the Power) blinking back and forth. Again once all the LEDs are not blinking anymore it should be ready to start hashing, start your BFGMiner and follow the above steps.

Let me know if this helps

They are plugged into a hub, but it still isn't recognized when plugged in directly. I tried the version of bfgminer you linked to -- thanks! -- but I get the same result -- two devices work, one does not appear.

I have PM'd ChipGeek; fingers crossed!