Limits of ASIC 6pin PCI connectors and burning machines

Mining & Hardware ASIC Mining
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#1

Hello there,

I have built myself a cheap 7 GPU rig to screw around with, it is completely within TDP and running stable at the moment albeit overclocked and belching heat out all day, it has been a wild ride but have found a lot of valuable information.

I have 4 old Antminers in my laundry room, and have been in the process of tinkering with them and have noticed something that is driving me nuts:

Each hashboard has three 75W (max) rated 6 pin pci connectors…

Same with the GS mini doge, one single 75W (max) rated power connector.

One congruency I have seen is that this seems to be the standard:

One 75W (max) 6pin pci power connector from the psu to the unit being requested to drive upwards of 150W each.

The miners then go on to troubleshoot every possible problem involved with power and heat, nobody is addressing that these things come from the factory as FIRE HAZARDS.

So does anyone have any valid opinion on this? Or am I just getting too high off hot GPU plastic and missed some sort of massive engineering shift to 150W(LOL) rated 6 pin connectors?

Im failing to understand why anyone would have problems troubleshooting a rig thats burning up or not running for long periods of time when the ONE connector on the back is fried. Thats the problem, its right in front of you; the PSU connectors arent rated for the power they have been DESIGNED to run.

To put things into perspective:

GTX 1060s have one connector on the back of the cards, this is because the TDP is 120W and the PCI-E slot provides 75W. So the rest of the juice is supplied through the 6 pin on the card itself.

Asus ROG strix 1060 has an 8-pin, apparently rated to 150W because they doubled the grounding capability of the 6 pin.

This is a disgusting breach of safety in my eyes by almost every ASIC manufacturer I’ve seen now, but i could be dead wrong and would like someone else’s opinion.

New to ASIC mining…
#2

Your confusing what computer makers and PSU manufacturers designed these ports for and what they are electrically capable of. The count of pins is irrelevant what will really matter is the quality and gauge of the wiring and circuitry to determine how much can be pushed on that single connector. It does mean not all PSU from a computer will properly push any of these ASICs due to their design likely being more inline with the computer component design. I believe my last check the actual designed rated wattage for a 6pin was over your suggested 75W however manufacturers of GPUs has gone with a lower limit as a general rule of thumb is pushing the max is not advisable particularly when you consider how cramped and enclosed a computer is in a more standard configuration.

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#3

Hmm good point about the connectors being enclosed, but we are building our rigs in open air settings and are still experiencing melted 6 pin connectors, Red Panda Mining and Brandoncoin both had 6 pins melt on their breakout boards.

Heres an interesting article… it seems the more I try to convince myself that the connectors are in fact rated for more than 75W the more I find out how much of an actual risk it is.

The standard from company to company is not whats in question, its that the components are the exact same. Maybe different transition temperatures for the plastics but really do you think Bitmain’s choice of plastic connector is something to trust your investments in?

If anything an ASIC like an L3 is pushing the component much harder than lets say a GPU thats pulling 120W / 2. So having the GPU over engineered and the ASIC not is not logical.

Is there any reputable sites anyone can provide with actual tests done on 6 pin connectors? Maybe unbiased ones from both sides of the field?

Im not stone cold or set in my ways I just really don’t like the thought of building things to their safe spec myself and then buying things that arent but are much more expensive.

#4

I was reading an article recently I could swear it talked about the rated wattage for the 6pin was like 80W or 90W not a huge difference but still. I don’t disagree with the overall issue but I will say that these are being rated based on a design for computers and computer components where a ASIC is not part of their design at all. I am happy to see a standardized cable use but given these devices pull more watts than most any computer and at least for Americans use type of power that is reserved for select purposes ASICs are just all around designed for something more than what they hook to. To be honest I would rather see ASIC specific PSU that use a wall plug we expect on high wattage devices something similar to what a dryer uses and then from there have a proprietary connection of as you point out use multiple 6pin and/or 8pin to match those connectors designed intended wattage. I don’t want to come off as against your issue but I do think we often being standards and design into a discussion where standards and design left the picture long ago. I do agree standards and design have a place in the topic but are to me goals more than flaws given the current state.

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#5

Very good point and we cannot assume that the ASICs are being designed to last 5+ years even if marketed so.

So maybe the issue stops there, they aren’t designed to be run past their expected lifetime so they are built with parts that won’t exceed that lifetime.

Sucks because I like to look at the cheaper used miners, which would then be dangerous. Also we know it’s exponentially more time consuming to repair a bunch of hashboards as a hobbyist than it is to buy brand new machines.

#6

If I knew how to design these things I would 100% be trying to design and sell a better shovel during this gold rush right now if I could.

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#7

Haha, yes wouldn’t that be nice. If you do design one can you call it the StrokingPirate Box? Or is that too ridiculous… :joy:

#8

Might get some misdirected hits with that name

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