Mining Safety

Electrical safety is paramount even if you only run a small rig.

1. Test your electrical source and ensure your outlets are rated to handle it. On home circuits this can be tricky, as each leg of the grid can only handle so much power. Too much load on one outlet can cause a fire!

2. Use a server rack grade (fused) power distribution hub. Some of these are even smart that can track your power usage with a web browser, and can have fault-tolerance built in to switch power sources. These can be picked up for around $100 for the more basic ones.

3. Deploy an uninteruptable power supply (UPS) that is rated to supply your farm for at least 5 minutes. If the power goes out, you have some time to properly shut down the farm. Many of these support USB connections to automatically initiate a soft powerdown if the battery starts running low, if you have a computer of some kind running your miners.

4. Do your homework on local fire codes! At least in my jurisdiction, the mandate is for server racks to be at least 2 feet from any walls. You want a buffer between your miners and any walls or furniture so any exploding gear won't start a fire. Ideally your miners are not on carpeted surfaces either. Ensure your miners have adequate an open airflow.

5. For larger farms, you really should be running them in a space with a fire suppression system rated for electrical fires.

6. Always keep a fire extinguisher (rated for electrical!) nearby and visible. That is good advice for any household anyway. Many municipalities will recharge extinguishers for free from the fire department.