Lucky Miner LV08 - Firmware

[iambonkerz]

Hello everyone,

I recently bought a Lucky Miner LV08, which, like the LV07, came with locked firmware, preventing updates to Skot/ESP-Miner. I was looking to unlock it so I can install custom firmware. The LV07 firmware only supports a single TPS546 regulator. Using it caused overheating and a power draw of around 180W at the wall. Since the LV08 has three TPS546s, the firmware was modified to match its hardware, bringing the power draw back down to 120W.

Here’s the forked firmware:
https://github.com/mrbonkerz/ESP-Miner-LVXX

Credits:
unpainted for providing the EMC2303 firmware from LV07.
JohnnyBitGoode for suggesting independent TPS546 control, and also a very detailed analysis of the hardware.

I’d love to hear if anyone has suggestions for further improvements.

[Casraw]

Thank you for your work :-). Will try this on my lv07 and my lv08. Because at one pool i got only invalid shares. but there was something weitd. One out of 3 LV08 shows me on the /test site that i have 10 chips. Today it was 9 again.

[iambonkerz]

Thank you for your work :-). Will try this on my lv07 and my lv08. Because at one pool i got only invalid shares. but there was something weitd. One out of 3 LV08 shows me on the /test site that i have 10 chips. Today it was 9 again.

You’re welcome! How are the temperatures and shares submitted on your LV07 and LV08 compared to the stock firmware?

[fromport]

You’re welcome! How are the temperatures and shares submitted on your LV07 and LV08 compared to the stock firmware?

Overview of settings between luckyos & your bitaxe version

https://imgur.com/a/ViKVuRa

[Casraw]

You’re welcome! How are the temperatures and shares submitted on your LV07 and LV08 compared to the stock firmware?

Overview of settings between luckyos & your bitaxe version

https://imgur.com/a/ViKVuRa

I encountered this that in some pools the stock firmware shares gets rejected due to malformed shares. Didnt flash a lv08 yet. But will do in the next time. I have 3 of them so i can compare it.

[Baby_Raptors]

My LV08 runs cooler than the stock version. Thank you for making this possible. 

[fromport]

Am I reading it correct that you closed the PR at Skot's bitaxe source tree ?
https://github.com/skot/ESP-Miner/pull/700 

I got into a heated argument with skot about support for LuckyMiners.


https://www.dth.net/pmt/bitaxe/skot_renaming_PR.jpg

https://www.dth.net/pmt/bitaxe/classy_response.jpg

[iambonkerz]

My LV08 runs cooler than the stock version. Thank you for making this possible. 

great! glad it is working well for you 

Am I reading it correct that you closed the PR at Skot's bitaxe source tree ?
https://github.com/skot/ESP-Miner/pull/700 

I got into a heated argument with skot about support for LuckyMiners.


https://www.dth.net/pmt/bitaxe/skot_renaming_PR.jpg

https://www.dth.net/pmt/bitaxe/classy_response.jpg

LOL, I wasn't quite sure how to use GitHub and was figuring out how to merge the repository.

[moderator's note: consecutive posts merged]

[napangelo86]

First of all thanks for the work done.
I just flashed my lucky miner lv08 with the forked version of Bitaxe v2.6.0-1.0.2.
In the settings I set the following configuration:
Frequency 550
Core Voltage 1250

How much did you set it to?

thanks

[iambonkerz]

First of all thanks for the work done.
I just flashed my lucky miner lv08 with the forked version of Bitaxe v2.6.0-1.0.2.
In the settings I set the following configuration:
Frequency 550
Core Voltage 1250

How much did you set it to?

thanks

I’m using 550,1150

[fromport]

I’m using 550,1150

I am running 615/1235
Average: 5.10 TH/s
Average: 26.66 J/TH
ASIC temp 60C
VR temp 75C

[iambonkerz]

I’m using 550,1150

I am running 615/1235
Average: 5.10 TH/s
Average: 26.66 J/TH
ASIC temp 60C
VR temp 75C

Have you tried lowering the VR temperature? It seems to improve the regulator's efficiency, brings the power usage down too

[fromport]

Have you tried lowering the VR temperature? It seems to improve the regulator's efficiency, brings the power usage down too

No i haven't
I am going to replace the fans of 2 of my LV08 today with noctua's and put new (better?) thermal past on the heatsinks.
See how that helps, will keep you posted.

[fromport]

Have you tried lowering the VR temperature? It seems to improve the regulator's efficiency, brings the power usage down too

No i haven't
I am going to replace the fans of 2 of my LV08 today with noctua's and put new (better?) thermal past on the heatsinks.
See how that helps, will keep you posted.

Today I replaced the 2 fans in my LV08 with the noctua fans.
Within minutes the unit overheated with my setting.
Put the fans on 100% instead of auto and with default settings it kept cool.
Now I am trying your settings of 550/1150 on both my converted LV08 and my original LV08's
Will compare in about 12 hrs time.
Thank you for the suggestion.

[fromport]

Have you tried lowering the VR temperature? It seems to improve the regulator's efficiency, brings the power usage down too

You convinced me:

My old overclocked situation:

615 Mhz /1235 mV  -> 5.1  Th/s at 158 watt AC input.

Now:
557 Mhz /1150 mV  -> 4.39 Th/s at 112 watt AC input

for 16.4% more hash power, I need 41% more power

[iambonkerz]

Have you tried lowering the VR temperature? It seems to improve the regulator's efficiency, brings the power usage down too

You convinced me:

My old overclocked situation:

615 Mhz /1235 mV  -> 5.1  Th/s at 158 watt AC input.

Now:
557 Mhz /1150 mV  -> 4.39 Th/s at 112 watt AC input

for 16.4% more hash power, I need 41% more power

Is this with cooling the VR or by adjusting the freq/power?

[fromport]

My old overclocked situation:
615 Mhz /1235 mV  -> 5.1  Th/s at 158 watt AC input.

Now:
557 Mhz /1150 mV  -> 4.39 Th/s at 112 watt AC input

for 16.4% more hash power, I need 41% more power

Is this with cooling the VR or by adjusting the freq/power?

Just adjusting freq/voltage.
I haven't changed anything in the cooling as of yet.
Arent the VR's already cooled ?
I think the heatsink is rather fragile:
The 3 VR's at the PCB:
https://www.dth.net/pmt/luckyminer/img/VR1.jpg
And the heatsink
https://www.dth.net/pmt/luckyminer/img/VR2.jpg

[fromport]

Someone flashed his LV08 with the latest greatest 2.6.0-1.0.3.bin image and his unit shows up as a 402 board:

Code:

 "version":    "v2.6.0-1.0.3",
 "idfVersion":    "v5.4",
 "boardVersion":    "402",

Flashed with "bitaxetool -p COM4 -f esp-miner-factory-lv08-v2.6.0-1.0.3.bin"

It is working, but afaik:

Code:

Bitaxe Max 1397 (100 Series)
Bitaxe Ultra 1366 (200 Series)
Bitaxe Hex 1366 (300 Series)
Bitaxe Supra 1368 (400 Series)
LV08 == 1.5 x HEX

My LV08's all show 302 board

Any idea ?
---------

In the source file is a config-lv08.cvs that reads:
$ cat config-lv08.cvs
{snip}
devicemodel,data,string,lv08
boardversion,data,string,402
{snip}

[iambonkerz]

My old overclocked situation:
615 Mhz /1235 mV  -> 5.1  Th/s at 158 watt AC input.

Now:
557 Mhz /1150 mV  -> 4.39 Th/s at 112 watt AC input

for 16.4% more hash power, I need 41% more power

Is this with cooling the VR or by adjusting the freq/power?

Just adjusting freq/voltage.
I haven't changed anything in the cooling as of yet.
Arent the VR's already cooled ?
I think the heatsink is rather fragile:
The 3 VR's at the PCB:
https://www.dth.net/pmt/luckyminer/img/VR1.jpg
And the heatsink
https://www.dth.net/pmt/luckyminer/img/VR2.jpg

Yes, the VR already has a heatsink. I repasted mine and increased the fan speed to cool it down further. Although repasting didn’t really make any significant change to the temperature

[iambonkerz]

Someone flashed his LV08 with the latest greatest 2.6.0-1.0.3.bin image and his unit shows up as a 402 board:

Code:

 "version":    "v2.6.0-1.0.3",
 "idfVersion":    "v5.4",
 "boardVersion":    "402",

Flashed with "bitaxetool -p COM4 -f esp-miner-factory-lv08-v2.6.0-1.0.3.bin"

It is working, but afaik:

Code:

Bitaxe Max 1397 (100 Series)
Bitaxe Ultra 1366 (200 Series)
Bitaxe Hex 1366 (300 Series)
Bitaxe Supra 1368 (400 Series)
LV08 == 1.5 x HEX

My LV08's all show 302 board

Any idea ?
---------

In the source file is a config-lv08.cvs that reads:
$ cat config-lv08.cvs
{snip}
devicemodel,data,string,lv08
boardversion,data,string,402
{snip}

You’re right—the board version doesn’t affect the operation of LuckyMiner since nothing is specifically tied to it. I’ve rereleased an update, so reflashing will only change the boardversion back to 302.