ANTMINER S3+ Discussion and Support Thread

[philipma1957]

What are the approximate dimensions (L x W x H) of a single packaged S3 and it's approx weight in lbs ?

Ty.

The packing box is around 14 or 15 inches long  and 9 by 9  so 14 by 9 by 9 the box weighs 13 lbs

[1714954859]

1714954859

[1714954859]

1714954859

[1714954859]

1714954859

[MoreBloodWine]

What are the approximate dimensions (L x W x H) of a single packaged S3 and it's approx weight in lbs ?

Ty.

The packing box is around 14 or 15 inches long  and 9 by 9  so 14 by 9 by 9 the box weighs 13 lbs

Ty for that philip.

[aarons6]

I just noticed that cgminer on one of my batch 3 S3 units restarted. It had been running for nearly 8 days. It appears that only cgminer restarted, not the entire unit (which has an uptime of 20 days currently).

This has never happened before. I've typically run these units for weeks on end, especially after I worked out the config that I want to use. I haven't changed pools recently either.

I've poked around in the logs but can't find any reason for the cgminer restart. I guess I could ignore this since it's basically harmless at the moment. It came up and is hashing away.

But I would like to understand why it restarted. Does anyone have suggestions for debugging this? Maybe there are logs that are available from ssh and not the web GUI that might help?

one of mine did the same thing a couple days ago..
i dunno if it lost network connection, or if some reason all the pools didnt ping and were seen as dead for a few minutes.
looking at the minutes up-time compare to the other one, it was down for around 10 minutes.

[robyone]

now it is impossible to tell what happened, but you can make arrangements so that next time if this happens you would know more.

you could modify original monitoring script that runs on your Antminer every 3 minutes:
/usr/bin/cgminer-monitor

cp /usr/bin/cgminer-monitor /usr/bin/cgminer-monitor_BACKUP

add new line before or after every:

    /etc/init.d/cgminer restart

the lines you want to add are like this:
    echo restarted at $(date '+%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S') no process running  >> /usr/bin/avg.log
    echo restarted at $(date '+%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S') because no valid work being done >> /usr/bin/avg.log
    echo restarted at $(date '+%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S') because of miner count >> /usr/bin/avg.log


if the issue repeats itself, then you can check by command:
tail /usr/bin/avg.log
and at least see which of the cases had occurred.

if for example - no process running, then your cgminer crashed
if no work being done, then probably your or pools network problem.

you can have additional checks as well, by adding:
ping -c 4 POOLIP >> /usr/bin/avg.log
ping -c 4 RANDOMIP_THAT_IS_ALWAYS_REACHABLE_LIKE_GOOGLE.COM >> /usr/bin/avg.log
next to the echo commands and you will see if this was due to your or pools network connectivity - it will try to ping 4 times.

[visdude]

you could be right.  however an OC'd ant is drawing about 400 watts to have a 500w PSU at 80% of it's limit is no bueno.  by crobar, i meant to push it beyond its limits or to failure.  my 1300 PSU turned out to be faulty (blown cap).  the 600 still works well, just not well with my ant.   that has been my experience...YMMV.  

It's not a matter of whether I'm right or wrong.  I was merely stating facts together with sound numbers to back it up.

An 80% load is still acceptable and seems to be the consensus threshold of maximum load especially for a 24/7 operation.  However, I'm curious about how you equated 400WAC draw at the wall to represent an 80% load on a 500WDC PSU with an efficiency of 85%.  Perhaps, you're confusing AC wattage (at the wall) with DC wattage of the PSU and vice versa and not figuring in the efficiency factor on top of that.

maybe i am wrong, i was under the impression that if you hook up a kill-a-watt meter to your device and if it indicates that the draw is 400w and if you have it hooked up to a 500w rated psu, does that not equate to a 80% load ?   on a different note, one of my chains in the UI is showing my chips have gone bad.  no bueno.  i am only hashing at a little over 300gh/s.  arrgh  =(

It doesn't work that way though.  A PSU (ATX, wall wart, power brick -- a.k.a. AC/DC power adapters) converts AC to DC and a certain amount of energy is wasted (produces heat) during the conversion process which determines its efficiency, hence the efficiency ratings.

An S3 overclocked to 243.75M and powered by a Corsair CX500 draws 413WAC at the wall (29C ambient room temperature).  Based on the Corsair CX500 80 Plus Verification and Testing Report, it is around 84% efficient at 75% load.  Therefore, the S3 requires 347WDC (413WAC * 84%) from the CX500's single +12V rail (PCIe) which has a maximum wattage of 456WDC (38A) as indicated on its label.  The load exerted on the CX500's single +12V rail would then be 76% (347WDC / 456WDC * 100).  I hope this helps.

I'm sorry that one of your blades stopped hashing.  Try going through the troubleshooting procedure that had been posted in here (check PCIe power connection/orientation, controller cables, etc.).

[JPoet]

Hope I didn't screw up.  I tried to set the IP of my S3, did it for my S2, now I can't find it the S3.

I have an S1 using DHCP
An S2 static
As well

Can I reset the S3?

[MoreBloodWine]

Hope I didn't screw up.  I tried to set the IP of my S3, did it for my S2, now I can't find it the S3.

I have an S1 using DHCP
An S2 static
As well

Can I reset the S3?

There should be a reset port next to the ethernet port if I' not mistaken, like a lil pin hole thing.

[philipma1957]

Hope I didn't screw up.  I tried to set the IP of my S3, did it for my S2, now I can't find it the S3.

I have an S1 using DHCP
An S2 static
As well

Can I reset the S3?

you can scan your network with http://advanced-ip-scanner.com/  works with a windows pc.

[JPoet]

Hope I didn't screw up.  I tried to set the IP of my S3, did it for my S2, now I can't find it the S3.

I have an S1 using DHCP
An S2 static
As well

Can I reset the S3?

There should be a reset port next to the ethernet port if I' not mistaken, like a lil pin hole thing.

Thank You!!! Trying to figure out my scaling strategy.

[JPoet]

Hope I didn't screw up.  I tried to set the IP of my S3, did it for my S2, now I can't find it the S3.

I have an S1 using DHCP
An S2 static
As well

Can I reset the S3?

you can scan your network with http://advanced-ip-scanner.com/  works with a windows pc.

Great thanks, can't find these any way I know in win8.1 or Airport.

[Moria843]

I know the feeling. I was also debating buying S3s but now holding to see what happens. I'm still mining with 8 S1s and they're down to pulling in about 1 BTC a month. At my electricity cost of $0.13/kWh this cost me about $340/month. So I'm still making a small profit at the current BTC price. May upgrade using the kits, but not worth it yet. Waiting to see what happens.

You really need to look at the pencil mod of your S1's I did my 9 miners and now they mine at only 140GH but use @ 200 watts less apiece. So now my electric cost (.125kw) is about .51 day each. You will make more profit doing so. Then this also freed up PSU to run some S3's

Not sure what you mean by pencil mod? I guess you mean lowering the frequency. I'll PuTTY in and try that. Thanks for the advice. 

It's this - https://bitcointa.lk/threads/guide-undervolt-antminer-s1-1-19w-gh-at-the-wall.286480/

I've done it on my S1, works great.  As aurel57 mentioned it'll increase your profit margin
 

Thanks for the info. I've been experimenting and using the technique I was able to go from an average efficiency of 2.11 J/Gh to 1.15 J/Gh for a 45% reduction in energy usage for the same amount of hashing . The calculations show that the reduction in hashing rate is offset by a much greater reduction of energy use. This means my 8 S1s will now cost me $5.72/day vs. $10.48/day. Not as efficient as S3s, but pretty good for S1s! That will keep them profitable a lot longer. Since they've already ROI'd, it's more profit for a longer time.

Also, I was using 4 Corsair RM850s to run my 8 overclocked S1s (had 2 on each). With each S1 now pulling only about 150 W at the lower ASIC voltage (from 420 W when overclocked and running at full ASIC voltage), I can now run all 8 S1s on 2 RM850s! I have 5 S1s on the 1st and 3 S1s on the 2nd. That frees up enough power supply capability to run 5 S3s, if I decide to get. Will be able to run 2 S3s on each of the 2 freed up RM850s and run 1 S3 with the RM350 that has the 3 S1s.

[manicminer]

What are recommended PSUs for Antminer S3 to buy - in Europe/US?

I don't know much about PSUs, so a link to a PSU 101 article (at least as it relates to bitcoin mining) would be welcome as well.

I read:
http://www.reddit.com/r/BitcoinMining/comments/24intr/best_corsair_psu_for_my_antminer_s1/ch7mntp

"Efficiency ratings describe the amount of electricity that the PSU loses as heat while powering the unit. Because miners are always on and consume a lot of power, more efficient units generally recover their higher purchase cost in less than a year. In nearly 100% of cases you'll save money by buying a platinum (or gold) rated PSU."

Sorry for quoting myself, but any help with this? From a total beginner level, like understanding power draw on the PSU. Thank you.

[Askit2]

What are recommended PSUs for Antminer S3 to buy - in Europe/US?

I don't know much about PSUs, so a link to a PSU 101 article (at least as it relates to bitcoin mining) would be welcome as well.

I read:
http://www.reddit.com/r/BitcoinMining/comments/24intr/best_corsair_psu_for_my_antminer_s1/ch7mntp

"Efficiency ratings describe the amount of electricity that the PSU loses as heat while powering the unit. Because miners are always on and consume a lot of power, more efficient units generally recover their higher purchase cost in less than a year. In nearly 100% of cases you'll save money by buying a platinum (or gold) rated PSU."

Sorry for quoting myself, but any help with this? From a total beginner level, like understanding power draw on the PSU. Thank you.

Think of the electricity from you wall like water. The power supply like a cup with a hole in it. Think of your antminer as a bucket. you grab water from the source. The bigger the hole in your cup the more cups it takes to fill  your bucket. The smaller the hole the higher the efficiency of the power supply. Every power supply takes some power to regulate the 110-220V AC coming in and rectify it as well to DC. That power is wasted like the water falling out of the leaky cup. It isn't that they don't matter to you. Just that they are all watts that won't power your antminer.

[Gogreen]

What are recommended PSUs for Antminer S3 to buy - in Europe/US?

I don't know much about PSUs, so a link to a PSU 101 article (at least as it relates to bitcoin mining) would be welcome as well.

I read:
http://www.reddit.com/r/BitcoinMining/comments/24intr/best_corsair_psu_for_my_antminer_s1/ch7mntp

"Efficiency ratings describe the amount of electricity that the PSU loses as heat while powering the unit. Because miners are always on and consume a lot of power, more efficient units generally recover their higher purchase cost in less than a year. In nearly 100% of cases you'll save money by buying a platinum (or gold) rated PSU."

Sorry for quoting myself, but any help with this? From a total beginner level, like understanding power draw on the PSU. Thank you.

Think of the electricity from you wall like water. The power supply like a cup with a hole in it. Think of your antminer as a bucket. you grab water from the source. The bigger the hole in your cup the more cups it takes to fill  your bucket. The smaller the hole the higher the efficiency of the power supply. Every power supply takes some power to regulate the 110-220V AC coming in and rectify it as well to DC. That power is wasted like the water falling out of the leaky cup. It isn't that they don't matter to you. Just that they are all watts that won't power your antminer.

So your recommendation? Drill a small hole? 

[IYFTech]

Hello Bitmain,

I see you have uploaded the latest cgminer source code here:  https://github.com/bitmaintech/cgminer

Can you please tell everyone how to upgrade their S2 & S3 miners to this latest version with the security fixes? Or are you releasing a new firmware for the S2 & S3 that will include this cgminer version?

Many Thanks, IYFTech.

[vortexz]

any news about shipping batch 8
it will become useless by the time it comes to me

[Jcga]

Hello Guyz,

Some news about the L1 just popped up

"Our brand new, high-performance L1 will be hashing at 120MH/s
with the market-best pricing of only $599.00 USD per unit with free shipping worldwide"

https://bitmaintech.com/productDetail.htm?pid=00020140830074550960Um75pnzg06E3

[ftoole]

any news about shipping batch 8
it will become useless by the time it comes to me

Yea just got an update from Bitmain Before September 20th.

[allcoinminer]

Hello Guyz,

Some news about the L1 just popped up

"Our brand new, high-performance L1 will be hashing at 120MH/s
with the market-best pricing of only $599.00 USD per unit with free shipping worldwide"

https://bitmaintech.com/productDetail.htm?pid=00020140830074550960Um75pnzg06E3

Here is their thread https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=768004.msg8652898#msg8652898

[Stratobitz]

Well I really hope Bitmain gives thought to expediting out B8 of the S3.

We ordered quite a few B7 - Which are all working great; and they inspired us to buy 34 more in B8.  But it's beginning to look a bit dismal in terms of ROI if they don't ship until 9/20.

I'm certainly watching the L1 Release, but will wait to see how they do with B8 shipments before we throw down another 20 BTC (spent on B8) on the L1.

I was highly impressed with B7. The miners arrived right on time and work great. I hope BMT realizes the value of 'customers for life' and gets those orders out the door soon.

Keeping fingers crossed!

Strato