This article discusses daily operation advice and how to clean a MicroBT Whatsminer. In order to maintain a stable hashing performance and extend the lifespan of your miner, it is crucial to know how to perform preventative maintenance.
Quick Answer:
- Disassemble the control board
- Disassemble the air inlet fan
- Disassemble the connecting board
- Unscrew the screws to take the hash board one by one
- Use a brush or dust blower to clean the dust inside the case
- Carefully clean up the dust on the hash board
- Use the dust blower to blow the dust under the radiator of the hash board to remove the dust inside
- Clean up the dust on the each part again
- Finally, assemble the mining machine part together
Cleaning is covered in the first section, where we also provide a list of some cleaning supplies you might require. The second section offers advice on how to run a miner on a daily basis. It concludes with a list of tools that are recommended.
Table of Contents
Let’s start!
Cleaning Your MicroBT Whatsminer
A regular cleaning schedule is crucial for miners. It boosts efficiency, increases hash rate, and lowers the risk of heat and fire. Additionally, keeping the machine clean should help to preserve the microchips and other parts and increase the lifespan of your equipment.
Try to clean your MicroBT Whatsminer monthly, or as needed depending on your air quality. When it is required, you will either be able to see visible lint or notice a significant decrease in your daily mining average of more than 5%.
The best way to clean a MicroBT Whatsminer is to use a high pressure air compressor with air gun in interval bursts. The chassis, hash boards, and fan blades will all have the built-up dust removed by this. The recommended air pressure range is 0.7 +/- 0.05 MPa.
Unless your environment is humid and dust is difficult to remove with just compressed air, you typically do not need to disassemble the machine for basic monthly cleanings. In which case you can take out the hash boards and dismount the fans, and then gently brush them off with a dry antistatic brush.
It is not advisable for miners to use vacuums on their mining equipment because they could suck up or loosen components. Additionally not recommended is canned compressed air because it contains water that may cause a machine to short out or over time harm its components.
Maintaining a clean mining environment is another crucial aspect. Try to regularly dust the surfaces around your mining area and vacuum it.
How-to Deep Clean the MicroBT Whatsminer
Depending on the air quality of your operating environment, your miner may need a deep clean occasionally—possibly once or twice a year. At mining farms and repair centres, ultrasonic cleaning machines for electronics are often used. Flux-filled ultrasonic baths are also excellent for immersion units or for cleaning a miner of solder or residue buildup.
For home miners, hash and control boards can be manually rinsed with 99% isopropyl alcohol. Since salts and minerals that may cause short-circuits and harm your machine can be left behind when using water to clean miners, it is not recommended. Recall to wash your machine with 99% isopropyl alcohol to remove any residue if it were to accidentally get wet with rainwater or other substances.
Below is a helpful video of how-to deep clean a MicroBT Whatsminer. For all SHA-256 miner models, this procedure could be altered.
Detailed steps of cleaning and dusting MicroBT Whatsminer:
- Disassemble the control board
- Disassemble the air inlet fan
- Disassemble the connecting board
- Unscrew the screws to take the hash board one by one
- Use a brush or dust blower to clean the dust inside the case
- Carefully clean up the dust on the hash board
- Use the dust blower to blow the dust under the radiator of the hash board to remove the dust inside
- Clean up the dust on the each part again
- Finally, assemble the mining machine part together
Summary of Tools for Cleaning your MicroBT Whatsminer:
In conclusion, for the monthly clean of your MicroBT Whatsminer we recommend the following tools:
- a high pressure air compressor with an air gun; the air pressure range should be 0.7 ±0.05 MPa
- antistatic gloves
- an antistatic soft brush
- a vacuum cleaner for the surrounding area, and dusting rags
- and remember to clean out your room ventilation filters/mesh, if used
Furthermore, an ultrasonic machine can help to deep clean your MicroBT Whatsminer, especially if you use immersion. Or, here is a list of the equipment required to manually deep clean a bitcoin ASIC miner like in the video above:
- Tools: a small dry antistatic brush and q-tips to remove stubborn dust, a Tools needed to disassemble the fans include a Phillips screwdriver, a plastic tub and cup for the bath, a net or strainer, a drying line and wire, cloths, and safety gloves.
- Substances: 99% isopropyl alcohol, Only use Never Dull polish on the outer case, vinegar on the fan grill, and optionally WD40 on the fan hub.
- Parts: replacement cables and/or fans may be needed which suit your ASIC model.
To protect the rig’s components, be careful not to use too hard brushes, or too much force when cleaning!
Daily Operation Tips:
A MicroBT Whatsminer needs to be monitored at least every couple hours.
Where should you look?
- the machine’s average hashing speed is within 5-10% of the stated specs
- the miner’s chip temperature is preferably between 70°-80°C (158°-176°F) to preserve the ASICs
- the ambient (room) temperature is 10°-30°C (50°-86°F) for optimal hashing
- the PCB (hash/control board) temperature is less than ~ 90°C (194°F), and all three hash boards do not differ more than 10°C (~20°F) from one another
- pool latency is low, and your submitted hashing speed matches the kernel log
- the electricity supply is stable and cables are not damaged
- the machine fans and the room ventilation is not obstructed
You will need to troubleshoot if one of these points is having a problem. It can occasionally be beneficial to perform a lengthy reset (turn the machine off for two minutes), or to move the machine to improve airflow. Sometimes a thorough investigation is necessary. A detailed discussion of repairs and troubleshooting is covered at the end of this article.
Here is more detailed information regarding running conditions:
Visual Checks
When first installing a miner or after it has been repaired, visually inspect it.
- Inspect for dents or damage
- Gently shake and listen for loose screws, heat sinks, or other components
- Check that no scraps are lodged in the fans, and they are complete, and run in the correct direction
- Feel for loose cables, and check that copper bars are not tilted or squished
- If you need to touch the electronics, wear antistatic gloves
- See that no warning lights come on when it is plugged in
- Double-check that your mining pool settings and IP are correct
Fans
Your miner’s cooling fans will eventually need to be replaced, and the official MicroBT Fan is advised. The power consumption and efficiency may be impacted if miners decide to replace their inferior-quality fans with better-quality ones in order to reduce noise or improve cooling. Additionally, avoid switching a high speed fan out for a lower speed fan to avoid overheating.
Ventilation and Humidity
The MicroBT Whatsminer heats up. Room fans and/or outside ventilation can be added to a mining space to enhance heat dissipation. In order to maintain clean air in your mining room and keep bugs out, consider installing a dust screen or mesh on an intake vent. While a wind cover or hood on an outlet vent helps to maintain proper airflow by preventing backdraft. Just keep in mind to check and maintain ventilation systems frequently. Additionally, check your ventilation to ensure that it prevents snow or rain from entering, as happened to the unfortunate miner in the tweet below.
To prevent warm air from recirculating into the cooler air intake area, mining farms can also construct separate hot and cold aisles and install negative pressure fans. Some farms have cathedral structures that force hot air up and through vents in the roof while drawing cool air up and through the sides of the building. Alternatively, air-cooled mining containers draw air straight through from one side to the other.
Because it costs money to operate, air conditioning is typically not cost-effective. Water curtains are an alternative that some miners use, but they are not completely reliable. Evaporation can cause them to use up a lot of water, and dust and debris can clog filters. There is a chance that water curtains will make it more humid.
High humidity can corrode a miner, causing pitting and bubbling on the metal surfaces. Optimal humidity is below 65%. Dehumidifiers or air recirculation can be used to solve this problem. Additionally, it is not advised to operate machines close to the ocean because the salty air can damage hash boards.
Noise
Mining machines like MicroBT Whatsminer are noisy, around 70 dB when measured with a sound meter. Fortunately, when it comes to finding solutions to Whatsminer’s noise problems, bitcoin miners are incredibly inventive and creative individuals.
A miner silencer box, for instance, can be built from metal, wood, or even an ice chest. However, when testing a new miner box, pay attention to the machine’s temperatures to prevent overheating and make adjustments as necessary. A mining box or room could also be made quiet using fireproof soundproof insulation, such as rockwool.
Lastly, wear ear protection around running devices to protect your hearing.
Immersion
Running Whatsminer in immersion fluid can provide cooling, dampen noise, and keep the equipment cleaner than when it runs on air. A rig’s lifespan may be extended by immersion. Even though they were submerged, some miners were able to connect their home and pool heating systems! If you want to operate an immersion setup, Telegram groups like Immersion Cooling Technology Talk may be of great assistance.
This kind of solution, however, is not suitable for everyone because it can be expensive and demanding, and warranties are voided. In hot climates where water evaporates quickly, immersion systems can use a lot of water because they dissipate heat into a cooling chamber. Mineral oil in particular, as well as immersion fluids, can corrode. In research studies, damage has been attributed to sulphur, bubble patterns, and inadequate electrical grounding.
Canaan is the only manufacturer of specialized immersion cooling systems and units for bitcoin mining equipment. As opposed to air-cooled devices, Bitmain and MicroBT produce hydro-cooled ones like the WhatsMiner M53, S19 Pro + Hydro, and Antminer S9 Hydro.
Fire Safety
By using non-flammable items close to your machine, you can lessen the risk of a fire. Make sure you have enough ventilation and keep a fire extinguisher handy. In order to avoid dust accumulation that could set your bitcoin ASIC miner on fire, you should also clean it frequently. In the section after this, we’ll go over how to clean your ASIC bitcoin miner.
Use fireproof electrical and network cables in your setup, as well. Check cables frequently for wear and tear, and replace them as necessary. You can also use an infrared thermometer to check that the temperature of the circuit breaker, cables, and power distribution unit (PDU) connectors have a maximum operating temperature of 70°C (158°F). Moreover, monitor the stability of your electricity supply as follows…
Electricity Checks
Prior to beginning a mining operation, double-check your electrical setup. You will need to do your own research based on the model(s) you wish to run, and may need to hire an electrician to get started. Additionally, a power supply needs to be about 20% more powerful than the miner’s specified power consumption.
On a daily basis you can use a multimeter to check that the voltage of the In order to prevent instability or burned cables, PDU socket is within the normal range of 220V+10%. Additionally, if you have a three-phase ammeter, make sure that it does not deviate by more than 15%. Make an appointment with an electrician if the voltage is unusual.
Additionally, you must routinely check for electrical leaks coming from a miner. It’s likely that your miner’s power supply unit (PSU) is not properly grounded, which could lead to damage to the device, if you are getting shocks when you touch it. Here is a guide from Bitmain on using a multimeter to check for grounding. You should use a multimeter, which is covered here, to check the voltage of your power supply.
Avoid power surges and outages, which can harm equipment. This can be achieved by either installing surge protectors or, just in case, turning off your machines during storms. To avoid abrupt stops, you should also turn off your Whatsminer devices gradually. Check that none of your power outlets are damaged, hot, or loose, and then one last thing.
Network
Utilize a static IP and a router to isolate your miners. This guarantees security and a sufficient network speed. Many also obfuscate using VPNs and/or TOR, but doing so can cause latency. Your hash rate shares may fluctuate, which will lower your daily earnings. Slow networks or high latency to the pool connection can also cause these issues. You can check your line speed by pinging the mining pool from the miner’s network diagnostics interface; it should be less than 100 milliseconds. If your speed is still slow, you can request different Stratum addresses from your mining pool or switch mining pools entirely.
Over-, Underclocking, and Autotuning
Bitcoin miners automatically change the speed of their fans. For instance, when a machine runs hot, fans turn more quickly. In order to prevent damage, some mining equipment will even shut off if it gets too hot or cold. Additionally, manufacturers strongly advise against overriding a miner’s settings with third-party firmware due to these stock fan speed and shutoff features.
Different power mode settings for some machines can be found in the miner configuration setup. For instance, the S9’s Low Power modes from Bitmain are described here. However, the overall voltage applied to the miner is altered by the under- and overclocking firmware of a manufacturer. While third-party firmware, such as Braiins, VNISH, and others, can be used to autotune chips with more complex settings, like lowering the voltage to a particular chain of chips.
Autotuning, according to many miners, is especially useful for managing unstable ASICs in older machines or for home mining. However, users should be aware that warranties will be null and void after the installation of alternative firmware, that improper power supplies may damage chips, and that software may introduce viruses or siphon off some of your hash. Furthermore, third-party firmware is not free and could have security flaws.
Additionally, overclocking on air will eventually burn chips, which can be extremely expensive. On the other hand, as long as chip temperatures stay low, overclocking in immersion fluid ought to be acceptable. So, as always, be sure to do your own research about firmware if you wish to use it. And, it is wise for your own peace of mind to use an electricity usage monitor, to double-check that the miner’s electrical draw at the wall plug matches what a firmware’s UI specifies.
Last but not least, farms can also use third-party miner management software. Systems like Foreman.mn, for instance, can assist with automating mining operations, accounting, reducing miner errors, and more.
Summary of Tools for Miner Operation
In summary, here is a list of some of the suggested tools discussed in this section that you may find useful for your mining operation, though you do not necessarily need everything on this list:
- anti-static gloves
- ear protection
- a sound/decibel meter
- soundproofing material is optional
- ventilation materials: ducting, vents, storm protection, dust filters, miner shrouds, etc.
- room fans and/or dehumidifiers
- an infrared thermometer, or a room thermometer
- a fire extinguisher and alarm
- extra cables and miner fans specific to your model
- installation of a PDU may be needed
- a multimeter, and maybe an ammeter
- a network cable and a router
- an electricity usage monitor/meter
- a computer to view the network, and your miner’s admin and kernel log
- voltage enhancing firmware from the manufacturer, or from a third-party is optional
Summary: Clean Up the MicroBT Whatsminer Regularly
In the #WhatsMiner, too much dust can easily result in high temperatures or short circuits, and humid weather can also cause these problems. So you might need to Too much dust in the WhatsMiner may easily cause high temperatures or short circuits, and humid weather may also cause these problems or even cause the device to burn out. So you might have to clean up the dust regularly for a better #mining experienceand follow the daily maintence tips for a better #mining experience.
