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

[Hands]

How many Raspberry pi's do you guys think would be needed to manage 10 cards.  I was going to run them all off a spare i3 based machine I have around here. But setting up a pi or two looks fun!

I'm not sure what the controller load is actually like.

Thanks

[Mudbankkeith]

How many Raspberry pi's do you guys think would be needed to manage 10 cards.  I was going to run them all off a spare i3 based machine I have around here. But setting up a pi or two looks fun!

I'm not sure what the controller load is actually like.

Thanks

2 is nice
It will give you room to split the load and cover for 'WHEN SH*T HAPPENS'

1 is pushing the load limits to max.(10 boards will push the Pi to 110% load)

Edit:-  my final setup will be 16 chili's across 2 Pi's  with a 3rd Pi as a backup.

[MrTeal]

Well it was a busy time and it's not over yet, there's lots of boxes that need to be delivered to the post office / FedEx.
Batch 3 is in the bag though, and all outstanding orders/auction wins should go out today.

We also still have some excess units after our auction, and we're going to be putting them up for sale right now. If you're interested, fire me off an email at mrtealasic@gmail.com

[Hands]

Would MrTeal or ChipGeek be willing to share a cad/pdf/vector file of the board. I wouldn't want all the traces or chip info or anything else propietary I just want the outline, hole locations, size of the area that needs cooling and where NOT to put pressure on the board (even thru foam). (For instant's it looks like there is an array of small something's near the center of the board on back. Should we avoid them or can they be barried in foam and a backing plate )

Just trying to cad out my holders and back plates to laser out or print.

Thanks

[MrTeal]

Would MrTeal or ChipGeek be willing to share a cad/pdf/vector file of the board. I wouldn't want all the traces or chip info or anything else propietary I just want the outline, hole locations, size of the area that needs cooling and where NOT to put pressure on the board (even thru foam). (For instant's it looks like there is an array of small something's near the center of the board on back. Should we avoid them or can they be barried in foam and a backing plate )

Just trying to cad out my holders and back plates to laser out or print.

Thanks

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=304250.msg3666970#msg3666970
The area of the ASICs that needs to be cooled is at least 35mm x 35mm (IE, your heatsink bottom should be that large to contact all the ASICs.
The small somethings under the board are just pads where extra decoupling caps could have went if needed. There's no parts there, so just don't short them out with metal and you're good.
For where to add extra cooling, underneath the mosfets (the small black rectangle towards the edge from the grey inductors) are the most important.

[Hands]

Would MrTeal or ChipGeek be willing to share a cad/pdf/vector file of the board. I wouldn't want all the traces or chip info or anything else propietary I just want the outline, hole locations, size of the area that needs cooling and where NOT to put pressure on the board (even thru foam). (For instant's it looks like there is an array of small something's near the center of the board on back. Should we avoid them or can they be barried in foam and a backing plate )

Just trying to cad out my holders and back plates to laser out or print.

Thanks

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=304250.msg3666970#msg3666970
The area of the ASICs that needs to be cooled is at least 35mm x 35mm (IE, your heatsink bottom should be that large to contact all the ASICs.
The small somethings under the board are just pads where extra decoupling caps could have went if needed. There's no parts there, so just don't short them out with metal and you're good.
For where to add extra cooling, underneath the mosfets (the small black rectangle towards the edge from the grey inductors) are the most important.

Perfect! Thank you :-)

[i3luefire]

What is the absolute best cooler for under $40?

[GenTarkin]

What is the absolute best cooler for under $40?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099
This one works extremely well if you get longer screws to replace the standard ones for the mounting, that way you can install the backplate rightside up and it puts decent even pressure on backside of the board...giving you more even pressure across all the asic chips against the heatsink.

[Hands]

Frys is selling off H60 refurbs for the same price http://www.frys.com/product/7356484?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

I picked up a bunch of H80 refurbs as well.. Which leads me to a question I am about to post.

[Keefe]

What is the absolute best cooler for under $40?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099
This one works extremely well if you get longer screws to replace the standard ones for the mounting, that way you can install the backplate rightside up and it puts decent even pressure on backside of the board...giving you more even pressure across all the asic chips against the heatsink.

I have 3 of those coolers to sell, with Chili mounting kits, for 0.35 BTC each plus shipping. US buyers only please.
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=304250.msg3619134#msg3619134
(pads out of stock now)

[MrTeal]

Frys is selling off H60 refurbs for the same price http://www.frys.com/product/7356484?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

I picked up a bunch of H80 refurbs as well.. Which leads me to a question I am about to post.

H60 you say?

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=304250.msg3515724#msg3515724

[Hands]

So I guess Corsair doesn't think a fan plug has enough juice to run there pump and twin fans on the H80..  As such they supply one pin (fan speed?) to the fanplug and the 12v comes from the standard 4 pin plugs.




So my question is this... will our cards be ok with only getting fan-speed back without there being any load on the fan plug?  

I imaging the reason they did this is they don't want to slow the pump down when the computer tries to slow the CPU fan down..  we just have a very different use case :-P

Thanks

[Hands]

Frys is selling off H60 refurbs for the same price http://www.frys.com/product/7356484?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

I picked up a bunch of H80 refurbs as well.. Which leads me to a question I am about to post.

H60 you say?

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=304250.msg3515724#msg3515724

Yes, and the H80's are 44.95   with a very similar attachment system.

[MrTeal]

So I guess Corsair doesn't think a fan plug has enough juice to run there pump and twin fans on the H80..  As such they supply one pin (fan speed?) to the fanplug and the 12v comes from the standard 4 pin plugs.


So my question is this... will our cards be ok with only getting fan-speed back without there being any load on the fan plug?  

I imaging the reason they did this is they don't want to slow the pump down when the computer tries to slow the CPU fan down..  we just have a very different use case :-P

Thanks

Not having a load on the fan plug will be fine.

[PhDMiner]

My cooling solution!!

1. Backplate: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004W8AOK2/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/312-Z8M8bZL.jpg
The black rubber looks like shadow. It is rubber sheet for insulation. The steel backplate is very thick and sturdy.

2. Cooler: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005SEZBXY/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Un70yxiNL.jpg
This horizontal cooler may be good to chill down MOSFETs.

3. MOSFET Heatsink: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004CLDIHK/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41py58WVcGL._SY300_.jpg
3M thermal tape is included.

4. Raspberry Pi
No need to describe

No need to buy additional screws. I could attach both of the backplate and the cooler just with screws provided by Cooler Master.

I put all these in my garage, and for the internet connection, installed a WiFi multi-bridge, which transparently connects the Raspberry Pi in the garage to the Verizon WiFi router in the living room. My garage is crazy cold these days so my chilis show about 38GHs at below 60 Celsius degree.

[GrapeApe]

I just ordered the last 4.

Edit: It says there are more now.

[Hands]

Man, I love those mosfet heatsinks... I got some of these

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CJRZP9I/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

they are rather dinky :-(.... I think I am going to order those too and return the ones I got..


I did snag 5 of these (2 cards per PSU)
(
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817438016

Single rail so I don't have to worry about which rail is serving power... ( I suppose dual rail is better if you know that one PCI-E plug is on one rail and the other is on the other.. but no way for a layman to really know that).

Building my own back plate and holder setup... Once the prototype is done I'll share the details :-).

[PhDMiner]

I just ordered the last 4.

Edit: It says there are more now.

Do you mean the last 4 of the backplate I uploaded? Actually, it also said last 4 when I first purchase them. They may have much more than that.

[GrapeApe]

I just ordered the last 4.

Edit: It says there are more now.

Do you mean the last 4 of the backplate I uploaded? Actually, it also said last 4 when I first purchase them. They may have much more than that.

Yep, but 4 is all I needed thx for the heads up. Also thx for posting the find. Are they nice and rigid, no board flex?

[PhDMiner]

I just ordered the last 4.

Edit: It says there are more now.

Do you mean the last 4 of the backplate I uploaded? Actually, it also said last 4 when I first purchase them. They may have much more than that.

Yep, but 4 is all I needed thx for the heads up. Also thx for posting the find. Are they nice and rigid, no board flex?

Welcome!! The plate is really thick, almost 2mm. 2mm steel is enough strong to protect pcb from bending.