Author

Topic: Block Etupter Cube + Corsair AX860 - Won't power up (Read 1972 times)

newbie
Activity: 36
Merit: 0
Hi,
I had (yes just had) the exact same issue and the Paper clip switch WORKs!! I really can't understand why but it does. This is what I did:  As usual I would turn on the Ax1200i and seconds later an audible sound followed by the red self-test light and everything would be powered off.  Following the suggestion I took some pliers, removed the paper clip and re-inserted it and… Eureka! Thanks for the suggestion, I now have 3 overclocked cubes on my AX1200i working with a silence never before experienced. THANKS
donator
Activity: 686
Merit: 519
It's for the children!
AX1200

4 cubes

zero issues

Burn Cheap power supplies Burn!

AX860... Cheap? *Cough*

Different issues.  I'm not a fan of the lower level corsairs though.  I actually had an issue similar to this where adding new cubes to the PSU hot would cause one cube to stop working.  The solution was to turn the power supply off then on again with all the cubes connected Smiley
full member
Activity: 216
Merit: 100
AX1200

4 cubes

zero issues

Burn Cheap power supplies Burn!

AX860... Cheap? *Cough*
donator
Activity: 686
Merit: 519
It's for the children!
AX1200

4 cubes

zero issues

Burn Cheap power supplies Burn!
full member
Activity: 216
Merit: 100
I tried with an old IDE drive that should take some power but it didn't seem to be enough - maybe if it was on the same port it might have. Now it's been been running for over 9 hours at ~95% efficiency so I'm starting to consider my black hat trick a success, though I wouldn't recommend anyone else doing it... It looks like a great way to damage something considering what a little bit of static electricity can do to a complicated circuit.
newbie
Activity: 58
Merit: 0

Have you attached an additional load? Some PSUs have issues with staying on without an expected load on one of the other outputs, like plugging a CD drive into one of the molex connectors.
full member
Activity: 216
Merit: 100
Well, since it's a great PSU and I got it for a great price I'd actually rather keep it and use it for my server once the cube turns into an expensive heater Smiley Besides, hopefully I'll only have to restart it... never.
According to the cube it's running at 95% efficiency on high clock = 36-38Gh/s at the moment.
hero member
Activity: 490
Merit: 500
It might work because the power supply is already switched on by the time you flip the paper-clip switch.

The power supply seems to be checking for a short when it's switched on. Sees a high load and goes.. "ah ha! A short!" ..and turn itself off.

Honestly it's not fit for purpose, you shouldn't need to be soldering capacitors for it to work, I'd return it if you only just bought it a and get a different make.
full member
Activity: 216
Merit: 100
Eish :/

I found a way to get it started that works... But I really don't like it!

If I plug in the fuse AFTER giving it power it turns on just fine (But obviously some rather terrifying sparks from the fuse plug when plugging it in:( ) - anyone know of a better way? And why does this work??

Like the others have said it's power on over volt protection.

Swap the power supply for another brand is the best solution.

Or wire a switch to the green and black wires where you insert the paper-clip. By the way it's only 5v running over the paper clip you should get less sparks there if you want to insert/remove that. Give it a try and see if adding a power on/off switch there would work.

If that don't work you could wire a circuit breaker to the fuse holder to switch it on/off without the sparks.

A switch for the "paperclip"(actually thick insulated copper wire that fits perfectly) probably wouldn't work any better, since using the switch on the PSU has the same result, but a switch for the fuse might.

I still don't see why inserting the fuse when the other wires are live actually works though? Is it because the voltage increase is lower than starting it all at once? Is there any danger to the unit?(except minor electrocution from the sparks if handled carelessly)
hero member
Activity: 490
Merit: 500
Eish :/

I found a way to get it started that works... But I really don't like it!

If I plug in the fuse AFTER giving it power it turns on just fine (But obviously some rather terrifying sparks from the fuse plug when plugging it in:( ) - anyone know of a better way? And why does this work??

Like the others have said it's power on over volt protection.

Swap the power supply for another brand is the best solution.

Or wire a switch to the green and black wires where you insert the paper-clip. By the way it's only 5v running over the paper clip you should get less sparks there if you want to insert/remove that. Give it a try and see if adding a power on/off switch there would work.

If that don't work you could wire a circuit breaker to the fuse holder to switch it on/off without the sparks.
full member
Activity: 216
Merit: 100
Eish :/

I found a way to get it started that works... But I really don't like it!

If I plug in the fuse AFTER giving it power it turns on just fine (But obviously some rather terrifying sparks from the fuse plug when plugging it in:( ) - anyone know of a better way? And why does this work??
full member
Activity: 216
Merit: 100
"Over-voltage, under-voltage, over-current, and short circuit protection provide maximum safety for your critical system components."

http://www.corsair.com/en/power-supply-units/ax-series-power-supply-units/ax860-atx-power-supply-860-watt-80-plus-platinum-certified-fully-modular-psu.html

^^Îs this the problem??
full member
Activity: 216
Merit: 100
It powers up a hard drive just fine but when I connect the second plug on the cube... It powers off.
I suppose it could be a safety thing though... but it's just a plain AX860 as far as I can see on the box and PSU.

Could it be the fuse?
hero member
Activity: 1246
Merit: 501
Same problem with a CX750 here.  Solution was to use an elcheapo OCZ 600W.
sr. member
Activity: 336
Merit: 250
Do you have the AX860i  by any chance?    They use a "smart" chip that occasionally wrongly detects an over voltage during startup on some cubes and shuts down the power supply.  I had the same thing happen with my AX1200i.

There was a workaround for the AX "i" versions that included a 1000uF 16V capacitor across the PCI-E power leads to help with the power-on surge voltage spikes.  I couldn't find the original post but it was also discussed in the Cube setup thread.
full member
Activity: 126
Merit: 100
have you tried running something else with the PSU?
full member
Activity: 216
Merit: 100
Got a ASICMiner Block Erupter Cube today but it only powers up for two seconds, then switches off Sad

I know this is usually a problem with insufficient power but my Corsair AX860 has 71A on the 12v rail and has been confirmed running TWO cubes, so I wonder why it won't run one Sad ... It uses a 6+2 pin PCI-e connector (obsiously with the extra two not connected anywhere).

The PSU runs fine with "the paperclip trick" but once connected it powers off.

What could be the problem?
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