How to check an asic to make sure it works before buying it

Appearance

First you need to inspect the technique. Contacts and wires should be clean and new in appearance. The power supply is original, without scratches, dents on the case and other parts. On a used device, small scuffs are acceptable.

Also, the miner can be shaken. In a serviceable device, nothing rustles and does not dangle.

Serial number

Such a check is the only way to find out whether the asic is new or not. To determine the release date of the Bitmain ASIC by serial number, you need:

1. Go to the developer’s website.
2. Select Support in the main menu.
3. Go to Warranty Check.
4. Enter the serial number of the asic.
5. A new window will pop up with technical information, including the date of release.

The serial number can be found on the sticker attached to the miner’s case. Usually the manufacturer gives a warranty of 3 months. Therefore, the manufacturing period should not exceed 60 days from the current date, taking into account the time for delivery of the asic.

Compliance with specifications

The ASIC must warm up to operating temperature. Therefore, you should wait 15-30 minutes after turning it on. After that it is necessary to:

1. Go to the administration panel.
2. Select the Miner Status section.
3. Compare the parameters in the table and check with the data in the specification.

Temperature sensors

A defective miner may overheat after startup. To check this, go to the admin panel parameters page. The developers of some models (Antminer S9) have added a function to separately monitor the temperature of the hash board and chips. It is recommended to use chips from the same manufacturer, otherwise data from some elements may not be read.

The temperature monitoring system reads data from temperature-sensitive sensors that are located near the board (usually there are several of them). The error occurs due to low voltage or poor-quality firmware. To eliminate it, you need to reinstall the program.

Fans

During the inspection of the miner, you need to check the presence of dents on the cooler grilles. They can appear during transportation and block the rotation of the fans.

In the first 30 minutes of operation of the async, you can hear the coolers speeding up. Extraneous noises may indicate a malfunction of the fan blades. You need to make sure that nothing has gotten into the running cooler. In normal cases, the noise will change to a steady hum.

Power contacts

Before the transaction, you need to inspect the power supply. This is one of the main components of the miner. The stability of the connected hash board depends on it. Contacts and wires should be clean, without traces of fire or melting.

When buying used equipment, this flaw can be allowed if the seller offers a discount. The cause of fire – unstable voltage or excessive overclocking of the async. You need to make sure that the power supply is operational. To do this, check the voltage output on a tester. Melted connectors can be replaced.

Hash board

At the next stage, it is necessary to find out whether the performance of the device corresponds to the manufacturer’s declared performance. To diagnose the hash board, you need to perform the following actions:

1. Connect the equipment and start mining.
2. Go to the Miner Status tab in the admin panel.
3. Compare the hash rate with the one declared by the developer.

Chip block boards

Failure of this component can lead to ASIC failure. If a hash board or a few chips fail, the asic will lose most of its hash rate but will still work. A control board failure requires immediate repair. The failure of the control chip is indicated by such errors:

• The system does not detect any board.
• No chips are displayed on the chipsets.
• The hashrate of all boards drops to zero during operation.

If one of the above problems occurred, you can try to reset the ASIC to factory settings. To do this, press the Reset button on the device panel.

Chips

During ASIC diagnostics, you may notice a decrease in hash rate. A common cause is the failure of several chips of the hash board. The problem can occur due to improper operation. A tester program (for example, ASIC REPAIR) will help to get a complete picture. To diagnose, you need to perform the following actions:

1. Download the program on the developer’s website. Install the tester.
2. Connect the asic. Start testing.
3. The program will automatically detect the model of the hash board.
4. The chip map will appear in the information panel.
5. Faulty elements will be displayed in the log window.

You can replace the burned parts yourself (if you have a soldering iron and minimal knowledge of electrical engineering) or contact a service center. In 2023, due to the failure of supply chains, the prices of chips increased. Before repairing, you need to calculate its payback:

1. Compare the cost of service and new elements.
2. Find out how much replacing parts will increase hash rate.

Sometimes it is more profitable to waste the resource of the board (more than 70% of burned chips) and replace the part. It is necessary to make sure that all hash boards in the asic are compatible (better from the same manufacturer). Otherwise, manual customization may be required. Another option is to repair a part of chips (reduce the number of non-working elements from 70% to 50-30%).

Warranty and risks

Specialists say: most of the problems of complex electromechanical equipment are detected at the beginning and at the end of operation. Therefore, it is necessary to check the asic before buying. The manufacturer gives a 3-month warranty on ASICs. It protects the buyer from manufacturing defects. If a malfunction is detected at this stage, the technique can be repaired free of charge in a service center or refunded.

In other cases, the buyer assumes the risks of failure. A used ASIC was almost certainly used under maximum loads. The cause of failure of second-hand equipment is usually natural wear and tear.

The cooling system breaks down more often in used ASICs. This reduces the resource of chips. Such breakdowns require replacement of elements. Therefore, experienced miners recommend to budget in advance for the purchase of a soldering station and hash board tester.

The best manufacturers of asic miners

The main criteria by which ASICs are chosen are hash rate and reliability. The table contains information about the best developers of miners in 2023.

It is cheaper to buy an ASIC on the developer’s website. But in this case, difficulties with the delivery of equipment are not excluded. The device can wait for several months, since the desired model is often out of stock due to a large number of orders from retailers.

The complexity of cryptocurrency mining is rapidly growing. Therefore, the purchase must be obtained quickly. Many miners are forced to take equipment from dealers or resellers.

Summary

The main advantage of used asics is the price. You can take equipment in good condition on the secondary market and reduce the payback period. However, buying used equipment is a risk. You may encounter scammers or get faulty equipment.

It is safer to buy a new ASIC with a manufacturer’s warranty. But there may be difficulties with delivery. You will have to use the services of intermediaries. Among them there are also fraudsters. Therefore, before buying equipment, it is necessary to test it.

After a complete inspection of the equipment, hidden defects may be found. However, the probability of this is lower. If there is no opportunity to meet with the seller, it is worth requesting a video of the checks or refuse the deal.

Frequently Asked Questions