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

[Bargraphics]

Now I have one mining and the other mines for a few minutes then switches to a gazillion gigahash and 100% HW errors

Honestly I've only ever seen this happen for two reasons.

The USB port it is plugged into isn't registered correctly/is going bad or the firmware needed to be reflashed on the chili.

I believe you stated both of these you have verified are not the cause?

Maybe try to hook it alone on a different computer,

try to install a different firmware version,
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zoewijezzhfl3bs/Chili14e.hex

The above firmware might not be the newest but it is the one I'm using on all my chilis and they are running great (Even the ones that did give the 100% hardware errors and one that was dead until I reflashed it with this firmware)

Hope this helps and you get can a stable chili for xmas!

Edit: Maybe try changing the PSU in case it isn't giving it enough juice for some reason? Long shot but I know I had a PSU that was having issues and causes my Chilis to behave a little weird.

[Keefe]

Now I have one mining and the other mines for a few minutes then switches to a gazillion gigahash and 100% HW errors

I had one like this. Well, the high GH and 100% errors part. But it would usually go for days between random occurrences. Cycling power always got it working again, usually for another few days. I sold it to plasticuser recently, so keep an eye out for any solutions he finds.

[plasticuser]

Now I have one mining and the other mines for a few minutes then switches to a gazillion gigahash and 100% HW errors

I had one like this. Well, the high GH and 100% errors part. But it would usually go for days between random occurrences. Cycling power always got it working again, usually for another few days. I sold it to plasticuser recently, so keep an eye out for any solutions he finds.

I reflashed it to 14e. It does the start-up LEDs, BFGminer recognizes it, it then reports it's doing TH/s, 100% error rate, and stops. In a windows VM, the chiliflash app reports it has four working chips: two with 11 engines and two with one engine. The total theoretical speed varies from 2 - 4GH. It's something hardware related, I believe.

Shame I only got about 18 hours of hashing with it before it fell over, but those are the breaks. I wish I could tell which ASICs were good.

Now BFL has sharply reduced prices on their 65nm line, I'm open to buying another chili or two if the price is reasonable. I'm not put off by one fussy board.

[jelin1984]

  ::)where is the step by steps details

for updated the firmware at chilli board?

[joeventura]

Now I have one mining and the other mines for a few minutes then switches to a gazillion gigahash and 100% HW errors

Honestly I've only ever seen this happen for two reasons.

The USB port it is plugged into isn't registered correctly/is going bad or the firmware needed to be reflashed on the chili.

I believe you stated both of these you have verified are not the cause?

Maybe try to hook it alone on a different computer,

try to install a different firmware version,
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zoewijezzhfl3bs/Chili14e.hex

The above firmware might not be the newest but it is the one I'm using on all my chilis and they are running great (Even the ones that did give the 100% hardware errors and one that was dead until I reflashed it with this firmware)

Hope this helps and you get can a stable chili for xmas!

Edit: Maybe try changing the PSU in case it isn't giving it enough juice for some reason? Long shot but I know I had a PSU that was having issues and causes my Chilis to behave a little weird.

I fixed it, don't know with which, but I reflashed to the firmware for units with near perfect engines
AND
I reseated the heatsink to the chips, one of these fixed the problem. its a Carefree mining Christmas!

Thanks for your speedy replies!! Happy Holidays to you!!

[jelin1984]

what drivers i must install for flash the chilli

because with winusb drivers
i can not flash my chilli
i must put other drivers
any link of drievrs

[lightfoot]

what drivers i must install for flash the chilli

because with winusb drivers
i can not flash my chilli
i must put other drivers
any link of drievrs

The factory ones with Windows. Fastest way to get them is to go to device settings, find the chili, uninstall drivers, and remove drivers from device. Then unplug replug and it should install the right ftdi ones.

Then use BFGMiner.

So how can I get the stale shares count down here? I'm at 39gh shares, but only 35 recognized as valid by the pool (eligus). Cut down my difficulty? Get a better pool?

C

[MrTeal]

what drivers i must install for flash the chilli

because with winusb drivers
i can not flash my chilli
i must put other drivers
any link of drievrs

See the second post of the thread. You need to have the FTDI drivers installed to use the flash utility.

[jelin1984]

Ok thanks I see it happy Xmas

[MrTeal]

Now I have one mining and the other mines for a few minutes then switches to a gazillion gigahash and 100% HW errors

I had one like this. Well, the high GH and 100% errors part. But it would usually go for days between random occurrences. Cycling power always got it working again, usually for another few days. I sold it to plasticuser recently, so keep an eye out for any solutions he finds.

I reflashed it to 14e. It does the start-up LEDs, BFGminer recognizes it, it then reports it's doing TH/s, 100% error rate, and stops. In a windows VM, the chiliflash app reports it has four working chips: two with 11 engines and two with one engine. The total theoretical speed varies from 2 - 4GH. It's something hardware related, I believe.

Shame I only got about 18 hours of hashing with it before it fell over, but those are the breaks. I wish I could tell which ASICs were good.

Now BFL has sharply reduced prices on their 65nm line, I'm open to buying another chili or two if the price is reasonable. I'm not put off by one fussy board.

This was the one with the short on the 3.3V rail, right?
I've never seen anything like that. I had one that came in that had one ASIC that didn't work; it had a crack along one side of an ASIC and another ASIC had a crushed corner. That was pretty obvious physical damage though.

It's too bad that the ultrasonic bath didn't help any further. Do you know if Keefe used something conductive/capacitive like Arctic Silver?

[plasticuser]

This was the one with the short on the 3.3V rail, right?
I've never seen anything like that. I had one that came in that had one ASIC that didn't work; it had a crack along one side of an ASIC and another ASIC had a crushed corner. That was pretty obvious physical damage though.

It's too bad that the ultrasonic bath didn't help any further. Do you know if Keefe used something conductive/capacitive like Arctic Silver?

That's the one. He hasn't, but I have. I applied it to the heatsink, not the ASICs, and a very thin layer that has contacted the tops of the ICs but never the sides or board.

The chili flash utility gives me the following:

DEVICE: Chili SC
MANUFACTURER: MrTeal and ChipGeek
FIRMWARE: 1.2.14e
CHIP PARALLELIZATION: NO
QUEUE DEPTH:40
PROCESSOR 3: 1 engines @ 172 MHz -- MAP: 0080
PROCESSOR 4: 11 engines @ 194 MHz -- MAP: FFE0
THEORETICAL MAX: 2.30 GH/s
ENGINES: 12
FREQUENCY: 192 MHz
CRITICAL TEMPERATURE: 0
TOTAL THERMAL CYCLES: 0
XLINK MODE: MASTER
XLINK PRESENT: NO
OK

At this point I'm giving up. Normally, I'd return it, but it's hardly Keefe's fault this happened. I think simply the stress of removing and replacing the heatsink may have done it in. it won't mine and I don't know how to fix it.

If anyone would like to buy the mostly dead board off me for experimentation, PM me. Be aware, the ARM chip works, but everything else is unverified/unknown. All I changed was putting stick on memory cooler chips on the power mosfets, and ultrasound clean it when I discovered debris under the edge of an ASIC (which may, but probably may not, be responsible)... Failing a buyer, I'll mail it to MrTeal so he might learn from the failure if it has any lessons that apply to other boards.

Also, Keefe has been more than fair, and this in no way represents any reflection on him. He sold me a known glitchy board, and stated so up front. It worked here for 18 hours before dying while I wasn't present. I appreciate the supportive PM that suggested I get my money back, but it's not Keefe's fault.

[Bitmonedo]

Any advice will be appreciated
One of my chilis is running a little slow
http://imageshack.com/a/img202/6720/n29r.png
I know this has been discussed before But fresh ideas are welcome
as you can see by the picture its hashing in the 20's. The heat sink is an evo212 and it's well seated
http://imageshack.us/scaled/large/24/jpaw.jpg
the power supply puts out or at least is supposed to put out 750W
and its feeding a single and the two chillis,
the three units are connected to an unpowered usb hub
The speed won't change if I plug them directly to a usb port on the computer
and the temp. on the questioned chilli won't go over 60 degrees.
............................................................................... ...
Well after some research I found out that a lot of engines are off.
Does any one know how to force the the chips to enable more engines?
http://imageshack.com/a/img17/7939/b6oy.png

[lightfoot]

Is it possible the heat sink itself is broken (bad heat pipes or something)? I've found that if I run my water block at too fast a flow rate the temps on the board go way down along with the hash rate.

Try a water block cooler like that $50 one on NewEgg. 36gh hashing as reported by Eligus, 39gh reported locally (why the difference I do not know...)

[Bargraphics]

as you can see by the picture its hashing in the 20's. The heat sink is an evo212 and it's well seated

I can tell you that even if you think the heatsink is well seated, it still might need to be redone. Every single one of the chilis that were running around ~20GH needed the heatsink redone along with the pad underneath.
They all used the Evo212 Heatsinks. You just have to completely take it off, redo it and try it again. Almost always fixed the issue. The one chili that it didn't fix completely still ran about 5-7GH better ~27GH, I just assume it got a bad batch of chips on that one.

[PhDMiner]

My chilis in garage are not working if cold. Yesterday they stopped at 3 am and today same. I rebooted everything and LEDs are blinking well, but my raspberry pi doesn't recognize the devices. They may be gonna recovered Morning as the yesterday case. How are your chilis? Are they okay in -7 Celsius degree?

[lightfoot]

Still hashing this morning at 39+Gh, peaking at 40gh, but the third statistic in BFGMiner is still about 2gh less (the one that is shares submitted to pool and accepted). Still not quite sure why, the rejected shares is <1% and errors are at a solid 5.5%.

Have heat sinks coming for the FETs, yes they are hot even with a fan on them. But man this $49 water cooling thing from newEgg is incredible. I have a dead jalapeno board coming in without chips so I can use that to see how/if I can fit water cooling on my J units. Well worth it.

C

[PhDMiner]

My chilis in garage are not working if cold. Yesterday they stopped at 3 am and today same. I rebooted everything and LEDs are blinking well, but my raspberry pi doesn't recognize the devices. They may be gonna recovered Morning as the yesterday case. How are your chilis? Are they okay in -7 Celsius degree?

I found the reason. U25 temperature sensor doesn't work properly under low temperature. I covered it with a small tape and now all chilis are okay.

[Mudbankkeith]

Still hashing this morning at 39+Gh, peaking at 40gh, but the third statistic in BFGMiner is still about 2gh less (the one that is shares submitted to pool and accepted). Still not quite sure why, the rejected shares is <1% and errors are at a solid 5.5%.

Have heat sinks coming for the FETs, yes they are hot even with a fan on them. But man this $49 water cooling thing from newEgg is incredible. I have a dead jalapeno board coming in without chips so I can use that to see how/if I can fit water cooling on my J units. Well worth it.

C

6% of 40Gh is 2.4Gh  so    40/40/38  is quite respectable.

[lightfoot]

Still hashing this morning at 39+Gh, peaking at 40gh, but the third statistic in BFGMiner is still about 2gh less (the one that is shares submitted to pool and accepted). Still not quite sure why, the rejected shares is <1% and errors are at a solid 5.5%.

Have heat sinks coming for the FETs, yes they are hot even with a fan on them. But man this $49 water cooling thing from newEgg is incredible. I have a dead jalapeno board coming in without chips so I can use that to see how/if I can fit water cooling on my J units. Well worth it.

C

6% of 40Gh is 2.4Gh  so    40/40/38  is quite respectable.

I wonder if that's it: The normal BFL chips don't take so much of a hit on an error because they all run all over the place. The Chili runs itself in lock-step, so when it has an error it's a total fail on all chips and not just the one chattering.

Which brings up a point: Is the error due to a heat issue? It's amazingly constant, maybe the microcode runs things fast enough to have that many errors or something.

But yes, 38 is pretty darn good. Might just enjoy that.

[joeventura]

Just received a Chili today and within minutes of it starting to hash it starts reporting that it is receiving an empty string from the temp sensor and the last Diag LED goes on, its in a 40 degree F room with three fans on it and heat sinks.

Any ideas?

Can I get an RMA?