GridSeed 5-chip USB miner voltage mod

[wolfey2014]

I am giving out 0.6BTC to the first to get his Gridseed miner stable at 1100 MHz (<10 HW error in 24h) and post the steps to mod the miner. So far I have managed to get it stable at 1013 MHz, but I feel we can push it further.
I have found the only way to push these further is by replacing the 36k resistor with a higher one and playing with PLL voltage, you need to lower the resistance of R211 or R212 by tracing it with a pencil. Measure the voltage across both resistors and it should be around 1.1v total. If you want to increase PLL voltage, trace R212, to decrease it, trace R211 (go back and forth atleast 10-20 times or you will not notice a change). Simply use an eraser to revert the mod. Personally 1.05v seems sweet spot.



Disclaimer: as always, I am not responsible for damage to your miner, do this at your own risk!

What is the test point on the card for checking/monitoring the voltage?

Thanks
Wolfey2014

Core voltage can be measured across the 36k, assuming it's voltmodded (by default it would be the 33k)
PLL voltage can be measured across R211 and R212.

Thank you.
What does PLL stand for, again? I'm a bit rusty on some terminology.
Wolfey2014

[Xer0]

PhaseLockedLoop

[wolfey2014]

PhaseLockedLoop

Thanks.
I actually remembered minutes before I saw your response

And in this case, altering the PLL voltage accomplishes what, exactly?

[TrollboxChamp]

Also I have found that the big resistors or capacitors or whatever they are that are close to the chips do not allow the heatsink to touch the chip next to them.  So I added .016 of copper so that the heatsink is flush.  I don't think it really matters just running scrypt but I did it for fun.

thermal pads....

how is your poolside hashrate #'s average comparing to your cgminer hashrate?

I feel like all those units connected to one instance of cgminer is bogging you down in speed

Danny

He is def losing hashes. You can see it in his shares. I am running 80 of these and its annoying...

[Andareed]

from the gridseed gc3355 datasheet :

CLUS_ADDR=0xE
REG ADDR
(8 bits)

0x0

[30]pll_BS
0 PLL Band Select
1: High band, 500MHz<=Fvco<=1GHz
0: Low band, 300MHz<=Fvco<=600MHz

the default is 0 so it might requirw a software mod to modify the reg addr to the higher band? or is it already enabled? thought of this as i recall the the PLL voltage being modifed somewhere.. stab in dark maybe.........

GridSeed docs are actually wrong, pll_BS is bit 31, and pll_BP is probably bit 30. If you look at the frequency tables in cgminer, you'll see that for frequencies >= 500 MHz, the highest bit is set.

[Reggie0]

I am giving out 0.6BTC to the first to get his Gridseed miner stable at 1100 MHz (<10 HW error in 24h) and post the steps to mod the miner. So far I have managed to get it stable at 1013 MHz, but I feel we can push it further.

Are there rewards(donation) for higher frequencies?

[stewmath]

I might need to try this volt mod, for some reason my gridseed miner is having great difficulty getting over 300kh/s no matter what frequency i run

i thought it was running really well before but it seemed was an inaccurate reading from bfgminer

[Girhes]

GridSeed docs are actually wrong, pll_BS is bit 31, and pll_BP is probably bit 30. If you look at the frequency tables in cgminer, you'll see that for frequencies >= 500 MHz, the highest bit is set.

Actually the gridseed version of cgminer sets bit30 low for 250/400/450mhz, and high for 500mhz and above just as they specified it in the docs.

[stewmath]

Anyone have a compiled Windows exe for this volt mod CGminer?

Try here
http://cryptomining-blog.com/1461-updated-cgminer-3-7-2-for-windows-scrypt-mining-on-gridseed-5-chip-gc3355-asics/

how do i use this version of cgminer with the newer gridseeds?? When i try using this version it says no deviced detected

[vabchgent]

Anyone have a compiled Windows exe for this volt mod CGminer?

Try here
http://cryptomining-blog.com/1461-updated-cgminer-3-7-2-for-windows-scrypt-mining-on-gridseed-5-chip-gc3355-asics/

how do i use this version of cgminer with the newer gridseeds?? When i try using this version it says no deviced detected

Did you install the zadig drivers. Also start cgminer with no devices attached then plug the gridseeds in one at a time.

[stewmath]

Anyone have a compiled Windows exe for this volt mod CGminer?

Try here
http://cryptomining-blog.com/1461-updated-cgminer-3-7-2-for-windows-scrypt-mining-on-gridseed-5-chip-gc3355-asics/

how do i use this version of cgminer with the newer gridseeds?? When i try using this version it says no deviced detected

Did you install the zadig drivers. Also start cgminer with no devices attached then plug the gridseeds in one at a time.

No i dont think i need the zadig drivers with my gridseed, its the new version so it uses the cm32 thing

[maranello1561]

I am so happy to get rid of the controllers.  I had digital timers turning the power off every 2 hours for 1 minute to reset all the miners.  CGminer has been flawless so far.  Time to start soldering.

I'm starting to like CGminer more and more
I'm holding off on the over-volt / over-current mods for a while yet to see what happens to the ones who do.
Getting positive results on the profit end is a good thing but, is it temporary or is it permanent? Will the uP's take it indefinitely or will they fail prematurely at some point? Only time will tell.
Wolfey2014

Oh cmon stop being so melodramatic. I say lets UP the voltage more and see what happens

[sandor111]

I am giving out 0.6BTC to the first to get his Gridseed miner stable at 1100 MHz (<10 HW error in 24h) and post the steps to mod the miner. So far I have managed to get it stable at 1013 MHz, but I feel we can push it further.

Are there rewards(donation) for higher frequencies?

1100 MHz and of course higher. 

[maranello1561]

I'm chillin and seeing what others do in the long run with these volt mods. The only thing I'm doing is disconnecting the fans but I'm running in scrypt only so they are running just fine.

I'm with ya Wolfey.

Don't wait too long though; else the gridseeds will already become obsolete when the next model (1M+) comes out... I'd say in 3 months

[vabchgent]

Anyone have a compiled Windows exe for this volt mod CGminer?

Try here
http://cryptomining-blog.com/1461-updated-cgminer-3-7-2-for-windows-scrypt-mining-on-gridseed-5-chip-gc3355-asics/

how do i use this version of cgminer with the newer gridseeds?? When i try using this version it says no deviced detected

Did you install the zadig drivers. Also start cgminer with no devices attached then plug the gridseeds in one at a time.

No i dont think i need the zadig drivers with my gridseed, its the new version so it uses the cm32 thing

cgminer regardless of what drivers it uses st32 or the cm32 drivers need zadiag drivers to run. your best bet is probably using bfg miner if you want to stick with the basic drivers that come with the gridseed.

you can find bfgminer here

http://cryptomining-blog.com/1396-download-bfgminer-3-10-0-for-windows-scrypt-mining-on-gridseed-5-chip-asics/

Also if you need help use this forum
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=494625.980

[jamieb81]

I'm chillin and seeing what others do in the long run with these volt mods. The only thing I'm doing is disconnecting the fans but I'm running in scrypt only so they are running just fine.

I'm with ya Wolfey.

Don't wait too long though; else the gridseeds will already become obsolete when the next model (1M+) comes out... I'd say in 3 months

but for what price?? could still be more affordable to have two or 3 of the actual ones runing

[flounderella]

I'm chillin and seeing what others do in the long run with these volt mods. The only thing I'm doing is disconnecting the fans but I'm running in scrypt only so they are running just fine.

I'm with ya Wolfey.

Don't wait too long though; else the gridseeds will already become obsolete when the next model (1M+) comes out... I'd say in 3 months

but for what price?? could still be more affordable to have two or 3 of the actual ones runing

Don't forget the KnCs coming with 100Mh+ ... wouldn't be surprised if a few of them are already up and running in UAT/QA and mining stuff

[flounderella]

A soldering gun probably wont work here. Your going to need a pretty fine pencil tip and a steady hand.

Something like this may work but I'm waiting a week to see how things go before modding my 10.

http://www.amazon.com/Wall-Lenk-L25K-Watt-Soldering/dp/B000M2UXTE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395424899&sr=8-1

[jamieb81]

I'm chillin and seeing what others do in the long run with these volt mods. The only thing I'm doing is disconnecting the fans but I'm running in scrypt only so they are running just fine.

I'm with ya Wolfey.

Don't wait too long though; else the gridseeds will already become obsolete when the next model (1M+) comes out... I'd say in 3 months

but for what price?? could still be more affordable to have two or 3 of the actual ones runing

Don't forget the KnCs coming with 100Mh+ ... wouldn't be surprised if a few of them are already up and running in UAT/QA and mining stuff

sure and they are not the only ones www.mining-asics-technologies.com also are coming with them ( I'm Dutch and this is a Dutch company )

I belive that they will be reliable especially that they are parnered up with a very big German chip producer.

let's just hope that all the "little" people with GPU rigs and some gridseeds can still play the game a bit, and that this wont become just one market for the elite

[jamieb81]

A soldering gun probably wont work here. Your going to need a pretty fine pencil tip and a steady hand.

Something like this may work but I'm waiting a week to see how things go before modding my 10.

http://www.amazon.com/Wall-Lenk-L25K-Watt-Soldering/dp/B000M2UXTE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395424899&sr=8-1

yeah I have one like this with very thin tip, but mine is 40w. let us know if it worked with that