ANTMINER S4 Discussion and Support Thread

[MyRig]

unknown ETA, will notify the engineers.  We would love to see the update as well!

@Prelude,

Requests were in to the programmers and engineers.  Unfortunately, we wrench monkeys can't write the firmware.  Please be patient!

Thank you

Great to hear! All I (and many others I'm sure) wanted was word from Bitmain that they acknowledge the issue and plan on fixing it. Communication is key! Thank you. 

BitmainWarranty,

There is also an issue with p2pool in the latest firmware which didn't exist in the Oct. 16th firmware. Do you know if that's being looked into also?

Any ETA on a new firmware version?

[sjenja]

I have a question regarding the operational voltage on the S4 chip. I can see in the data sheet that you recommend operational voltage around 0.8 (typ.). I have mine S4 running at 0.76 now over-clocked any idea on the expected lifetime change of the chip running above the 0.72 default voltage? 

[vabchgent]

I have a question regarding the operational voltage on the S4 chip. I can see in the data sheet that you recommend operational voltage around 0.8 (typ.). I have mine S4 running at 0.76 now over-clocked any idea on the expected lifetime change of the chip running above the 0.72 default voltage?  

I can tell you the power supply is going to give out before the chips. You are at max wattage on the power supply at 0.72  = slightly over 1400W

[MyRig]

Please NO OVER-CLOCKING S4, PSU is not made for that.  It is a 1400W PSU inside.  @ 2TH with 0.69W for continuos draw

[vabchgent]

Otherwise has anyone came up with a way to bypass the power switch on these. I have a remote to shut the power off. So I need the unit to start once the power is applied. Thanks

[sjenja]

Please NO OVER-CLOCKING S4, PSU is not made for that.  It is a 1400W PSU inside.  @ 2TH with 0.69W for continuos draw

I am well aware of the PSU power shortage on these S4's, I have 3/4 boards running on the original PSU and the last one on another PSU.
But you didn’t answer my question Any stats on the lifetime vs. voltage on the chips? And is the chip made for operational voltage of 0.75V, because that' s what i'm getting at if I read the chip datasheet.

[MyRig]

sorry, we as the support techs don't have that answer for you.  That is outside of supported S4 use.

[sjenja]

Anyone else here running the S4 at ~0.75Volt or more ? Any lessons leaned that would be nice to know? also what temps are you running them at when over-clocked? Any reported failure rate of the chip? Could be nice to know.

[Prelude]

Please NO OVER-CLOCKING S4, PSU is not made for that.  It is a 1400W PSU inside.  @ 2TH with 0.69W for continuos draw

Reading this makes me believe bitmain intentionally killed voltage control in the latest firmware because of PSU RMAs. If that's the case, well, that sucks. At the very least, lowering the voltage needs to be allowed, and ideally increasing it also with a nice big warning that increasing it while using the stock PSU will cause said PSU to fail.

[NotFuzzyWarm]

Anyone else here running the S4 at ~0.75Volt or more ? Any lessons leaned that would be nice to know? also what temps are you running them at when over-clocked? Any reported failure rate of the chip? Could be nice to know.

The s4 uses the same chips as the s3/3+ and C1 use. Same rules apply provided you have enough PSU to do it and keep temps reasonable. As for failed chips, I have 37 active miners from s2 up and 9 retired S1's. None have EVER had a chip (permanently) fail since I started mining in Feb 2014. Go offline from sketchy speed/voltage yes but never actually die.

By and large it is temps that cause any aging and even with that is more due to them drastically changing often (leading to material fatigue) than steady-state operation. Highest I've ran are under 65c when pushed but have since dropped to more moderate oc and back to 0725 for voltage. Reason? The efficiency of hash rate vs power drops like a rock and power ain't cheap. Plus, got a nice size farm so running everything at or just above stock speeds is no biggie as far as total farm hash rate.

[Cyper_BLC]

Anyone else here running the S4 at ~0.75Volt or more ? Any lessons leaned that would be nice to know? also what temps are you running them at when over-clocked? Any reported failure rate of the chip? Could be nice to know.

without cooler alu, Chips getting brown and burn itself at 0760V. it reach 300 degree, 5mm2 round area at center of the chips.
i seen that with my own eyes and i blow my finger skin when very very short time touch.

[charles2k]

Mean while, here is the fan spec for you.

Power consumption: 1600RPM 1.68W / 4000RPM 25.8W

How to get this 1600RPM (original fan) on S4? I never had lower than aprox. 2500RPM, even if I had in the room 0C and underclocked (and board temperatures were aprox. 30C)

[sjenja]

My S4 Is running at 0.760V 256.25Mhz here is a test run I did. 2 chips cant handle the frequency but they work fine when running stock frequency and voltage. 0.760V might be a bit high for that frequency but it gets them chips stable. Also don' t mind the difficulty, I am renting it out at the moment and the renter has a crazy pool. Also running one of the fans on my own controller, testing my controller. Want to run all the fans on my own controller. Don' t like the noise.
The temps are steady and will hardly ever change more than a few degrees. I figure this is okay?

[sjenja]

Mean while, here is the fan spec for you.

Power consumption: 1600RPM 1.68W / 4000RPM 25.8W

How to get this 1600RPM (original fan) on S4? I never had lower than aprox. 2500RPM, even if I had in the room 0C and underclocked (and board temperatures were aprox. 30C)

You can build you own controller for almost nothing and connect the blue PWM wire from the fan to the controller. That way you can control it down to 1600RPM. I am currently testing my own controller. You can hook up a temperature sensor to the PWM controller.
http://pcbheaven.com/circuitpages/High_Frequency_PWM_Fan_Controller/index.php
http://www.let-elektronik.dk/let-elektronik/sensor/temperatur/temperature-sensor-lm335a.html

[Prelude]

My S4 Is running at 0.760V 256.25Mhz here is a test run I did. 2 chips cant handle the frequency but they work fine when running stock frequency and voltage. 0.760V might be a bit high for that frequency but it gets them chips stable. Also don' t mind the difficulty, I am renting it out at the moment and the renter has a crazy pool. Also running one of the fans on my own controller, testing my controller. Want to run all the fans on my own controller. Don' t like the noise.
The temps are steady and will hardly ever change more than a few degrees. I figure this is okay?

Your temps are great considering the overclock. What power supply are you using? Also, which combination of smit's firmware are you using?

[sjenja]

I have 2 S4's both running the same over-clock. One has its 3/4 boards running of the original PSU and the the last board is running of a corsair HX850w(80silver). Im also running some of the fans on that PSU. The second miner has its boards taken out of the case and placed on a custom cooling rig I have build,( nothing fancy just a lot of fans strapped to the boards) they are running 40 decibel, as I am waiting for the replacement fans for the case(3/4 were DOA when I got the miner). The second miner is running 1932GH/s with only 3/4 boards no dead chips max. 47 C. I am not going to risk overheating my 850W psu so not running the last board from the second miner. Going to get a bigger PSU. I have free electricity currently where I live so going to take advantage of that. Also the miners are sucking outside air of ~9C but my room still gets like ~15-20C. That's why they are so cool. I' m using the latest firmware update from Bitmain and smit's 4.9.0 cgminer. 

[abracadabra]

I have 2 S4's both running the same over-clock. One has its 3/4 boards running of the original PSU and the the last board is running of a corsair HX850w(80silver). Im also running some of the fans on that PSU. The second miner has its boards taken out of the case and placed on a custom cooling rig I have build,( nothing fancy just a lot of fans strapped to the boards) they are running 40 decibel, as I am waiting for the replacement fans for the case(3/4 were DOA when I got the miner). The second miner is running 1932GH/s with only 3/4 boards no dead chips max. 47 C. I am not going to risk overheating my 850W psu so not running the last board from the second miner. Going to get a bigger PSU. I have free electricity currently where I live so going to take advantage of that. Also the miners are sucking outside air of ~9C but my room still gets like ~15-20C. That's why they are so cool. I' m using the latest firmware update from Bitmain and smit's 4.9.0 cgminer. 

What is the single board running off the corsair pulling at the wall?  Wondering if I can run 2 overclocked boards off a single 750W server psu.

[MyRig]

with the PSU's overhead, but please please please BE CAREFL when you do that

I have 2 S4's both running the same over-clock. One has its 3/4 boards running of the original PSU and the the last board is running of a corsair HX850w(80silver). Im also running some of the fans on that PSU. The second miner has its boards taken out of the case and placed on a custom cooling rig I have build,( nothing fancy just a lot of fans strapped to the boards) they are running 40 decibel, as I am waiting for the replacement fans for the case(3/4 were DOA when I got the miner). The second miner is running 1932GH/s with only 3/4 boards no dead chips max. 47 C. I am not going to risk overheating my 850W psu so not running the last board from the second miner. Going to get a bigger PSU. I have free electricity currently where I live so going to take advantage of that. Also the miners are sucking outside air of ~9C but my room still gets like ~15-20C. That's why they are so cool. I' m using the latest firmware update from Bitmain and smit's 4.9.0 cgminer. 

What is the single board running off the corsair pulling at the wall?  Wondering if I can run 2 overclocked boards off a single 750W server psu.

[nokati]

Hi,

I have a S4 and by accident I have format the SD card..

Where can I find a image to restore my SD?
I cant find it here;
https://www.bitmaintech.com/support.htm?pid=00720140413044945482bs4xshkh072D

or should I download the "Initial Version." and just unpacked to SD?

Thanks,
Sam

[MyRig]

It is here:

https://bitmain.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/203558329-Jan-29-Image

Please use HDD GURU's Raw Disk Copy Tool to finish restore this to your microSD card.

http://hddguru.com/software/HDD-Raw-Copy-Tool/

If you are having problems, please call +1-844-248-6246 option 2 or x 231 and one of the techs may be able to assist you via teamviewer.

or live chat

https://v2.zopim.com/widget/livechat.html?key=2ZaJsbRPVUUFCqOE8MmgXgbFFdNYxOBP

Hi,

I have a S4 and by accident I have format the SD card..

Where can I find a image to restore my SD?
I cant find it here;
https://www.bitmaintech.com/support.htm?pid=00720140413044945482bs4xshkh072D

or should I download the "Initial Version." and just unpacked to SD?

Thanks,
Sam