PSU For Antminer S1

[Tikii]

Alright so i am about to buy 6-7 AntMiner S1 and i was looking at my options for PSUs and i had a couple of questions

1- How much better is it to get an 80 Plus Gold over 80 Plus Bronze?
2- Am i better off buying a 3 x 700w and hook 2 machine per or should i get one for each?
3- Are there any brand of PSU i should stay away from?

Thanks

[Jacko]

Alright so i am about to buy 6-7 AntMiner S1 and i was looking at my options for PSUs and i had a couple of questions

1- How much better is it to get an 80 Plus Gold over 80 Plus Bronze?
2- Am i better off buying a 3 x 700w and hook 2 machine per or should i get one for each?
3- Are there any brand of PSU i should stay away from?

Thanks

I run one Ant S1 per Corsair RM850 psu. The psu fan doesn't even come on ever. It is running at about 40% of the psu's capacity so is in no trouble of burning the psu out due to running at too high a percentage of its capacity and it's efficiency is around 92%. I have 4, S1's running and no psu problems. The only thing you need to do is the paper clip to short out two of the ATX 24 pin motherboard connections to tell the psu it is connected and the motherboard is switched on so the psu will start.

Don't buy cheap ones at £50 or £60 as they just are false economy.

The Corsair RM 850 has 850w, 70.8 amp available to the 12v rail. Plus it's modular and comes with 2 X pcie connectors, so you are good to go as that's what an S1 needs.

[Jacko]

Here's a good guide to set up the miner when you get them.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=355387.0

And, welcome to the forums.

[crazyates]

Alright so i am about to buy 6-7 AntMiner S1 and i was looking at my options for PSUs and i had a couple of questions

1- How much better is it to get an 80 Plus Gold over 80 Plus Bronze?
2- Am i better off buying a 3 x 700w and hook 2 machine per or should i get one for each?
3- Are there any brand of PSU i should stay away from?

Thanks

1) We're running 4 Ants, on 220v and some 92% PSUs. We're pulling right at 1600W for all 4, at the wall. That means that each Ant is pulling ~370W (on average) from the PSU ((1600/4)*0.92).

If you were running those same ants on a 110v outlet, on a 82% PSU, it would pull 1800W ((370*4)/0.82) at the wall, not 1600W. You're now paying for an extra 200W of electricity, which effectively does nothing.

That's 4.8kW of power per day ((200/1000)*24), and 144kW per month of power. At 0.15USD/kW, that's $21USD per month. Remember, this is EXTRA costs, not the total cost, for running a less efficient PSU.

If you're going to run them for 6 months, it's worth spending the extra $50 and getting an 80Plus GOLD PSU, cuz you'll save $120 over the next 6 months.

Plus, more efficient PSUs tend to run a little cooler, and are nice.

2) I'd say find a PSU that can supply at LEAST 60A on the 12V rail. This PSU fits the bill almost perfectly. If you're looking to OC, This one supplies 70A on the 12V rail, and will give you some headroom to spare.

3) There are good brands, and bad ones. The biggest thing I can tell you is don't skimp. A cheap PSU will give you constant headaches, and end up costing you more in the end.

[Tikii]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, i will look into everything.

[fractalbc]

You are into the range where higher efficiency supplies MAY be more cost effective.  The math is pretty easy.  Look at what you will pay for wasted electricity over the life of the supply and see if it justifies the cost.  Likewise the choice between one supply per miner and multiple miners per supply.  It is pretty easy math.  Does a supply that can run two miners cost more than twice the price of one that can do one or less.  How about one that can do three?

Do remember that the 80+ tiers are optional and cost extra.  Many quality manufacturers don't spend the money.  Check out the real efficiency curves at 80plus.org for supplies you are interested in at your anticipated load.

Ok, enough theory.  I did the math a month ago and found it cheaper and easier to buy one supply per miner but that was buying supplies at promotional prices.  List prices still favored the separate supplies but not by as big a margin.  Paying 200 dollars to run two or 350 dollars to run three did not make sense when I could buy tier 2, brand name supplies that would be at the sweet part of their efficiency curve for long life at 40 dollars each on sale and tier 1 supplies were 70 dollars each.  Again, ymmv.

[Tikii]

You are into the range where higher efficiency supplies MAY be more cost effective.  The math is pretty easy.  Look at what you will pay for wasted electricity over the life of the supply and see if it justifies the cost.  Likewise the choice between one supply per miner and multiple miners per supply.  It is pretty easy math.  Does a supply that can run two miners cost more than twice the price of one that can do one or less.  How about one that can do three?

Do remember that the 80+ tiers are optional and cost extra.  Many quality manufacturers don't spend the money.  Check out the real efficiency curves at 80plus.org for supplies you are interested in at your anticipated load.

Ok, enough theory.  I did the math a month ago and found it cheaper and easier to buy one supply per miner but that was buying supplies at promotional prices.  List prices still favored the separate supplies but not by as big a margin.  Paying 200 dollars to run two or 350 dollars to run three did not make sense when I could buy tier 2, brand name supplies that would be at the sweet part of their efficiency curve for long life at 40 dollars each on sale and tier 1 supplies were 70 dollars each.  Again, ymmv.

Ok so you're saying i should go with 1 PSU per unit. Interesting, so far i have Crazy saying i should go with less PSU and you saying i should get 1 PSU per unit.

[iglasses]

I run one  corsair 750 per ant but I only have three. I have a fourth on the way and will probably just add another 750 cause I like em and the only other  brand PSU I've tried with mining equipment proved not to be up to the task.

[Tikii]

I run one  corsair 750 per ant but I only have three. I have a fourth on the way and will probably just add another 750 cause I like em and the only other  brand PSU I've tried with mining equipment proved not to be up to the task.

Which are you using?

Bronze, Gold?

Also what if i go with something like this for 2 Ant?
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182188

[crazyates]

Paying 200 dollars to run two or 350 dollars to run three did not make sense when I could buy tier 2, brand name supplies that would be at the sweet part of their efficiency curve for long life at 40 dollars each on sale and tier 1 supplies were 70 dollars each.  Again, ymmv.

Ok so you're saying i should go with 1 PSU per unit. Interesting, so far i have Crazy saying i should go with less PSU and you saying i should get 1 PSU per unit.

It doesn't cost $200 to buy a PSU that can run 2 Ants. Look at the links I posted. You can easily buy a PSU for 2 Ants for $150, or cheaper.

EDIT: It also doesn't take 350USD to power 3 of them, either. This PSU has 108A on the 12V rail, which is enough for 3 Ants with a mild OC. The best part is it's only $250, not $350.

[iglasses]

It was a Best Buy EVGA brand. I don't recommend it...lol

[thomas_s]

The server grade dell 750 w can safely power two S1's

https://minersource.net/products/dell-750w-psu-slash-adapter

[solarion]

My 15 ants are running on:

Rosewill capstone 550. 80+ gold and $75 shipped on amazon.
Corsair RM550. 80+ gold and $79 shipped on amazon. May have been promotional price.

Both work great and handle ants clocked at 400 on 120v or 240v.