BFL Single in the wild (BOUNTY RECEIVED!!!)

[rjk]

BFL, I am having a hard time finding connectors to fit this spec. The closest I have found are Switchcraft 760's, which are 5.5 x 2.5mm, however the pin length is only 9.5 mm and the current rating is only 5 amps. By my calculations, the Single needs closer to 7 amps; will it be a major issue to use 5 amp rated plugs on this?

I don't know how much power is actually being lost due to PSU inefficiencies, so I don't know how much the actual DC power draw is. I have been using 75 watts for my estimations.

Got a clamp meter?

Carefully cut the DC power cords so the two wires (12V & ground) are separated.  Put the 12V wire in center of clamp meter and read amperage.  BTW it looks like the PSU is rated for 10A @ 12V.   Even a relatively inexpensive clamp meter should be pretty accurate on DC current.  It is AC especially for inductive loads which is tricky.

No I unfortunately don't have a good meter, and yes the PSU is 120 watt generic Chinese item. I'm doing up a bill of materials for an adapter that will run 2x BFL Singles per 6-pin PSU connector. Only problem is, I really don't feel like crimping and soldering all those damn terminals.

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[DeathAndTaxes]

Not too difficult:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=67627.0

Excellent, I'll be going through this!  

speaking of power supplies, the one for the rigbox is going to have to be a beast huh?

Well speaking of the rigbox, can you even run these at home? If i'm doing the calculations correct, I = 2500W / 110v = 22.72A. Most US home fuses can only support 15A to 20A. So these will not work without doing some electrical work, right? I guess with such a large investment, you'd probably want to run it in a datacenter.

240V circuit.  2500W /240V = 10.8A.  Derate 20% for continual load and round up = 15A circuit.  A NEMA L6-30R outlet and 240V PDU could power a pair of them.  I got 2x L6-30R outlets and a pair of APC 240V PDUs so I guess I am good for 200GH/s or so.  Well other than the $120K.

[rjk]

BFL, I am having a hard time finding connectors to fit this spec. The closest I have found are Switchcraft 760's, which are 5.5 x 2.5mm, however the pin length is only 9.5 mm and the current rating is only 5 amps. By my calculations, the Single needs closer to 7 amps; will it be a major issue to use 5 amp rated plugs on this?

I don't know how much power is actually being lost due to PSU inefficiencies, so I don't know how much the actual DC power draw is. I have been using 75 watts for my estimations.

Got a clamp meter?

Carefully cut the DC power cords so the two wires (12V & ground) are separated.  Put the 12V wire in center of clamp meter and read amperage.  BTW it looks like the PSU is rated for 10A @ 12V.   Even a relatively inexpensive clamp meter should be pretty accurate on DC current.  It is AC especially for inductive loads which is tricky.

No I unfortunately don't have a good meter, and yes the PSU is 120 watt generic Chinese item. I'm doing up a bill of materials for an adapter that will run 2x BFL Singles per 6-pin PSU connector. Only problem is, I really don't feel like crimping and soldering all those damn terminals.

For those of you that want to create your own connectors, or wish to have someone create them, here is a mouser cart with all the right part numbers. It includes wire, but you can remove that if you already have some on hand. Link: http://www.mouser.com/ProjectManager/ProjectDetail.aspx?AccessID=2d24861d6d

I don't have the time or inclination to deal with all the fiddly connectors, otherwise I would do it myself. That parts list contains the necessary bits to create several copies of an adapter that converts 1 6-pin GPU connector to 2 standard barrel connectors for BFL Singles. You would need to add shrink wrap and solder to that if you want the connections to be more durable.

[Splirow]

Maybe BFL can make them and include them with the singles. Or have an option for the brick power supply or connector. Probably reduces cost for BFL.

[rjk]

Maybe BFL can make them and include them with the singles. Or have an option for the brick power supply or connector. Probably reduces cost for BFL.

Making it an option would be a good idea, and they could probably have a custom adapter made in china for dirt cheap.

[dave3]

I'm not sure if it's allowed to change the shipping address for Paypal orders, but I think it's totally negotiable for other ways of payments, since shipping address @ Paypal is used for account verification and needed to protect participating parties from scam, for returns/claims and etc. That's how I see it anyways.

I heard back from Sonny at Butterfly Labs, and he said they couldn't do it because of paypal restrictions.  Oh well.

I'll have to decide if it's worth the risk to do a wire transfer.

[pieppiep]

Bare board in my hand for size comparison. Click on it and zoom in to see an interesting thing - a header marked "LCD"....

I need to go for now, haven't gotten it started mining. I'll be back later to post more.

The atmel chip is also interesting.
I can't completely read the chip number, but it looks a lot like http://www.atmel.com/devices/at32uc3a0512.aspx
A 66 MHz 32bits AVR microcontroller.
Most other boards just have the communication done in the fpga itself I think?

[dave3]

Does anybody know how high the room temperature can get before it becomes an issue for the Single?

I usually keep the temperature in my office at 77° F during the day.  After I shut the A/C down for the night, it often gets up to 85° F by the next morning, though.

[BTC-engineer]

Bare board in my hand for size comparison. Click on it and zoom in to see an interesting thing - a header marked "LCD"....

I need to go for now, haven't gotten it started mining. I'll be back later to post more.

The atmel chip is also interesting.
I can't completely read the chip number, but it looks a lot like http://www.atmel.com/devices/at32uc3a0512.aspx
A 66 MHz 32bits AVR microcontroller.
Most other boards just have the communication done in the fpga itself I think?

Is this a rev2 board?

[RoloTonyBrownTown]

Finally got a chance to get this hooked up.  I feel..... liberated.  I no longer need to have my PC on it's side, case open, with cards dangling out of it and a huge fan blowing at the whole mess.   I now have a tiny little box sat on my desk doing the work instead.    Just brilliant

Damn quiet in here now though

[BFL-Engineer]

Finally got a chance to get this hooked up.  I feel..... liberated.  I no longer need to have my PC on it's side, case open, with cards dangling out of it and a huge fan blowing at the whole mess.   I now have a tiny little box sat on my desk doing the work instead.    Just brilliant

Damn quiet in here now though

Happy to hear so...


Regards,

[BFL-Engineer]

Also,  the temp of the operating single is a pretty much between 61C and 63C.  I'm assuming that this is normal, but my subjectivity is messed up by my GPU thinking.  This is a normal range right? I probably should just email Sonny, but he seems busy processing orders for singles.

What you're seeing as operating temperature is OK.


Regards,

[BFL-Engineer]

Not too difficult:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=67627.0

Excellent, I'll be going through this! 

speaking of power supplies, the one for the rigbox is going to have to be a beast huh?

Well speaking of the rigbox, can you even run these at home? If i'm doing the calculations correct, I = 2500W / 110v = 22.72A. Most US home fuses can only support 15A to 20A. So these will not work without doing some electrical work, right? I guess with such a large investment, you'd probably want to run it in a datacenter.

The rig-box consumes roughly the same power a Clothes Iron consumes, less than a washing machine. If you
already are using furniture that consume 2500W (or several which together consume this amount of power), then
there shouldn't be any problem.


Regards,

[DeathAndTaxes]

Finally got a chance to get this hooked up.  I feel..... liberated.  I no longer need to have my PC on it's side, case open, with cards dangling out of it and a huge fan blowing at the whole mess.   I now have a tiny little box sat on my desk doing the work instead.    Just brilliant

Damn quiet in here now though

Wait you got new hashing gear so you turned the old hashing gear off?  The hashes it produced are no longer valid?

[DeathAndTaxes]

The rig-box consumes roughly the same power a Clothes Iron consumes, less than a washing machine. If you
already are using furniture that consume 2500W (or several which together consume this amount of power), then
there shouldn't be any problem.

Something isn't right here.

No iron or washing machine in the US uses 2500W.

In most American homes only three "appliances" use 2500W+ and that would be hot water heater, central air heat pump/AC, and electric clothes dryer and they are almost always run on dedicated 240V circuits for safety.  Even if they don't they need a dedicated high current circuit.

The standard "outlet" in US home is NEMA 5-15 which is good for 15A @ 120V.  For continually loads "the code" requires no device pull more than 80% of rated power for the circuit.  So 2500W on a 120V circuit = 20.83 amps, 20% derate is 26.04 amps.  The smallest available circuit would be a 30A @ 120V circuit or 15A @ 240V circuit.

At first I thought this was the BFL "PR" account but it is BFL Engineer.  Did the PR people log into the engineer account by mistake?

This isn't trolling I have rewired my home and have two of these ...



So that is enough for 14.4 KW (11.5 KW derated) which is solid safe supply for 4x rig boxes (finding the $120K will be harder ).  However most Americans have exactly 1 outlet capable of 240V in their home and it is for the clothes dryer.  There are so little details on the rig box to have information that can't possibly be right is just frustrating.

Either:
a) the specs of rig box are wrong and it pulls <2500W
b) it uses multiple power supplies and user is expected to plug each on into a different branch circuit (not just different outlet).
c) your post here is wrong.
d) something I am missing.

So which is it?

[kjlimo]

The rig-box consumes roughly the same power a Clothes Iron consumes, less than a washing machine. If you
already are using furniture that consume 2500W (or several which together consume this amount of power), then
there shouldn't be any problem.

Something isn't right here.

No iron or dishwasher in the US uses 2500W. 

In most American homes only three "appliances" use 2500W+ and that would be hot water heater, central air heat pump/AC, and electric clothes dryer and they are almost always run on 240V circuit.

For continually loads "the code" requires they pull no more than the circuit rated power.  So 2500W on a 120V circuit = 20.83 amps, 20% derate is 26.04 amps.  The smallest available circuit would be 240V, 30A circuit.

At first I thought this was the BFL "PR" account but it is BFL Engineer.  Did the PR people log into the engineer account by mistake?

http://www.langtoninfo.com/showitem.aspx?isbn=3121040034866

[DeathAndTaxes]

The rig-box consumes roughly the same power a Clothes Iron consumes, less than a washing machine. If you
already are using furniture that consume 2500W (or several which together consume this amount of power), then
there shouldn't be any problem.

Something isn't right here.

No iron or dishwasher in the US uses 2500W.  

In most American homes only three "appliances" use 2500W+ and that would be hot water heater, central air heat pump/AC, and electric clothes dryer and they are almost always run on 240V circuit.

For continually loads "the code" requires they pull no more than the circuit rated power.  So 2500W on a 120V circuit = 20.83 amps, 20% derate is 26.04 amps.  The smallest available circuit would be 240V, 30A circuit.

At first I thought this was the BFL "PR" account but it is BFL Engineer.  Did the PR people log into the engineer account by mistake?

http://www.langtoninfo.com/showitem.aspx?isbn=3121040034866

Tada.  A UK product designed to run on .... 240V which wouldn't plug into a normal American outlet.

So your point was?

The point I was making is that a US NEMA 5-15 outlet is rated for no more than 1800W however electrical code (you know that thing that prevents your house from burning down and your home owners insurance from now covering it) limits continual loads to 80% of that or 1440W.

So please explain to to me how a 2500W appliance gets plugged into an outlet rated for no more than 1440W?

[Epoch]

It is important to keep this in mind: BFL does not have a Rigbox made yet. Any discussion on detailed specs at this point is pointless. As D&T mentioned, if the device draws 2500W then the average household (in North America at least) won't be able to run them on standard 120V circuits. Regardless of what BFL says.

This is the same situation as the pre-order Singles: BLF had a 'best guess expection' on the final specs (1.05ghps, 20W), posted them on their website, and took orders. When the actual Singles were built, they found they can't do 1.05ghps but only 830mhps. And they didn't use 20W, but 85W. Oops.

And here we are full circle again: BFL has no Rig Box prototype but only a 'best guess expectation' that it will do 50.4Ghps @ 2500W. At this point speculation is, again, pointless (and we have 2 old giant BFL threads as a testament to that). Let's wait a few months for the thing to show up (or at least a working prototype) and then start a thread discussing its actual hashrate and power draw and how (or if) you can run one on a 15A 120VAC circuit.

This thread isn't a Rig Box discussion speculation thread; it is a discussion of Singles in the wild, that people are actually holding in their hands. If someone wants to start a 'Pointless Rig Box Speculation' thread, go to town with that. Or just use this one: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=60586.0

[SysRun]

Since we've had so many questions about Order dates and Ship dates I've created a thread for just that information.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=67887

[DeepBit]

The rig-box consumes roughly the same power a Clothes Iron consumes, less than a washing machine. If you
already are using furniture that consume 2500W (or several which together consume this amount of power), then
there shouldn't be any problem.

Something isn't right here.
No iron or washing machine in the US uses 2500W.

May be he is from some 220V-country and just used to such equipment ?
Most water kettles are 2300-2400W in 220V-world, same for steam irons, vacuum cleaners, cooking ovens, hair driers and so on

Also it's possible that they know that 2500W is the maximum power available with normal wall sockets (in 220V-world) and decided that they'll try to fit their mining equipment into that limit somehow.