Bitcoin Mining PSUs – The Wrong Power Supply Can Cost You Money and Possibly Kill You.
My first experience with Bitcoin mining PSUs came through a Canaan Avalon Miner 721 with EVGA 1200 watt power supply AND controller purchased on Amazon for just $900. That was an EPIC deal, by the way. The EVGA gold rated power supply spoiled me, I must admit. Subsequent power supplies never measured up. Now I know why.
Bitcoin Mining PSUs are more or less measured relative to their power output (650 watts, 750 watts, etc.) and their rating (bronze, gold, etc.). HERE’S WHAT’S DIFFERENT – the cables. You need heavy duty cables for Bitcoin mining PSUs. The EVGA 1200 watt power supply that came with my first Bitcoin miner came with heavy duty cables and I didn’t appreciate the difference until recently. See for yourself…
The picture above is the most dramatic – the heat MELTED the interface AND the cable connector AND the cable. Why? The cables that came with the power supply were never intended to handle such a power load. I’m not going to knock any Bitcoin mining PSUs or the PSU shown here. I remain convinced it’s a quality power supply that ships cable sufficient to power a GPU but never intended to power an energy-hungry ASIC Bitcoin miner.
This has happened to me before. I was in bed watching TV one night when I saw a little flame out of the corner of my eye. I have my Avalon miner 721 running in my bedroom. The cables running from the power supply to the miner CAUGHT FIRE. Luckily I was still awake to handle the situation or there would be no telling what could’ve happened to me.
So what’s the answer to avoiding a literal meltdown in Bitcoin miner PSUs? The cables. The EVGA power supply that came with my Avalon 721 included heavy duty cables. When I unpacked and deployed new Bitcoin miner PSUS on my Avalon 741s I was surprised at how comparatively flimsy those cables were. I’ve been shopping for replacement Bitcoin miner PSUs when I discovered the Rosewill power supplies. They meet my power needs with ranges from 550W to 650W to 750W and possibly higher. What got my attention are the HEAVY DUTY CABLES. While the rating of the PSU is important (Bronze, Gold etc.) the cables of the PSU connected to your Bitcoin miners is the most important consideration of all.
I have not yet purchased a Rosewill power supply so I can’t officially endorse or in any way recommend this product but it’s the next power supply I’m going to buy for my miners. I have high hopes and will post a comprehensive review in the future.
