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Topic: Hacking the S7 - improving efficiency through minor hardware manipulation - page 12. (Read 26515 times)

sr. member
Activity: 338
Merit: 250
That chart is really informative.  Looks like the sweet spot at 650/620 is 500M to 550M.  I suspect 525M or 537.5M (should bring 2.4+TH/s at 495w, the only thing that shows bad for 550M is the HW errors creeping up) might be best.
legendary
Activity: 3416
Merit: 1865
Curmudgeonly hardware guy


Decided to summarize some of the mass of data down there in a handy graph. Note the bars represent a "maximum stable GH" for each voltage level; there is none for 720mV because it was still good at 750MHz and I didn't want to take it any higher for fear of blowing the regulator. The operating frequency can be derived from the hashrate by dividing by 4.5

So here's a not quite complete but pretty extensive chart of measured performance from my hacked S7LN.

Columns:
mmm/nnn - hot starting voltage/cold running voltage
xxx - operating frequency
Calc GH - Calculated GH of two 45-chip boards at running frequency
VAC, IAC - voltage and current measurements in cold running
WAC - Watts AC, power measure during cold running (calculated value)
Calc J/GH - Calculated J/GH based on Calc GH and WAC
HW% - percentage of HW errors after 30 minutes runtime
GH - 30min - Measured average GH after 30 minutes runtime
Hash Eff - Measured GH as a percentage of Calc GH
Actual J/GH - calculated from WAC and 30min measured GH

720/720Calc GHVACIACWACCalc J/GHHW%GH - 30minHash EffActual J/GH
75033751168.810210.3020.00033831.000.302
7253262.51158.69890.3030.00032501.000.304
70031501158.259490.3010.00031651.000.300
6753037.51157.99090.2990.00030351.000.299
65029251157.68740.2990.00028890.990.303
710/710
7753487.51158.8510180.2920.00834530.990.295
75033751158.59780.2900.00133260.990.294
7253262.51168.19400.2880.00032561.000.289
70031501177.89130.2900.00031090.990.294
6753037.51177.458720.2870.00030601.010.285
65029251177.28420.2880.00029351.000.287
700/700
80036001168.59860.2740.10433650.930.293
7753487.51168.39630.2760.03334360.990.280
75033751168.059340.2770.01133681.000.277
7253262.51167.78930.2740.00132210.990.277
70031501167.458640.2740.00031641.000.273
6753037.51167.28350.2750.00030150.990.277
65029251176.98070.2760.00029401.010.275
720/690
75033751177.709010.2670.03232930.980.274
7253262.51167.608820.2700.00732430.990.272
70031501167.258410.2670.00131280.990.269
6753037.511678120.2670.00030691.010.265
65029251176.67720.2640.00029491.010.262
6252812.51186.357490.2660.00028091.000.267
710/680
7753487.51177.608890.2550.33227990.800.318
75033751157.708860.2620.09031700.940.279
7253262.51157.408510.2610.02432000.980.266
70031501176.908070.2560.01031351.000.258
6753037.51176.607720.2540.00130341.000.255
65029251176.357430.2540.00028800.980.258
6252812.51176.107140.2540.00028061.000.254
60027001175.806790.2510.00026981.000.252(approx stock)
700/670
75033751167.258410.2490.42925930.770.324
7253262.51167.008120.2490.12630580.940.266
70031501166.807890.2500.03730790.980.256
6753037.51176.507610.2500.00830301.000.251
65029251176.207250.2480.00129191.000.249
690/660
75033751167.008120.2410.50324650.730.329
7253262.51166.807890.2420.23928150.860.280
70031501166.507540.2390.10729150.930.259
6753037.51166.307310.2410.03129460.970.248
65029251166.057020.2400.00729090.990.241
680/650
70031501186.207320.2320.27026460.840.276
6753037.51186.007080.2330.09628480.940.249
65029251185.756790.2320.03228670.980.237
6252812.51185.606610.2350.00528201.000.234
60027001185.306250.2320.00026810.990.233
670/640
65029251175.606550.2240.09627560.940.238
6252812.51185.306250.2220.02727650.980.226
60027001185.206140.2270.00527031.000.227
5752587.51175.005850.2260.00125590.990.229
55024751184.705550.2240.00024340.980.228
660/630
6252812.51185.106020.2140.12526060.930.231
60027001184.955840.2160.02826460.980.221
5752587.51174.805620.2170.00525740.990.218
55024751184.555370.2170.00025031.010.215
5252362.51184.305070.2150.00023651.000.215
650/620
6252812.51175.005850.2080.34322350.790.262
60027001184.755610.2080.14024620.910.228
5752587.51184.505310.2050.04125080.970.212
55024751184.305070.2050.00924671.000.206
5252362.51184.104840.2050.00123651.000.205
50022501183.904600.2050.00022401.000.205
4752137.51183.704370.2040.00021110.990.207
45020251183.504130.2040.00020171.000.205
4251912.51183.303890.2040.00019131.000.204
40018001183.103660.2030.00017991.000.203
640/610(unstable)
5752587.51184.405190.2010.08224190.930.215
55024751184.204960.2000.02524370.980.203
5252362.51184.004720.2000.00423440.990.201
50022501183.804480.1990.00122531.000.199
4752137.51173.604210.1970.00021311.000.198
45020251183.353950.1950.00020070.990.197
4251912.51183.203780.1970.00019121.000.197
40018001193.003570.1980.00017840.990.200
630/600(unstable)
50022501193.604280.1900.00822320.990.192
4752137.51183.504130.1930.00321140.990.195
45020251183.303890.1920.00220231.000.192
4251912.51183.103660.1910.00119131.000.191
40018001182.903420.1900.00118001.000.190
legendary
Activity: 3416
Merit: 1865
Curmudgeonly hardware guy
Right. I'll spend a bit of time trying to track down the command to TX that info. Not a lot, since I still got stuff to do and it's BURGER NIGHT.

Also thinking about it, that cmd_buf looked familiar. It's in driver-bmsc in what currently exists of bitmain's cgminer fork code, and in Icarus in U3 code. So, it's probably tied into cgminer itself and not in a script somewhere. But where is it stashed in a config? Hm...
hero member
Activity: 588
Merit: 500
I get the kernel log in under System, seems to show initially but then of often goes blank.

So good news that it seems to take the Parameter. Just need to find where it is stored so we can change it?

Here is the full Data sent from RA4 which is connected to P2 on the board edge.

Code:
12:06:10.177  73 0E FF FF FF FF FF FF                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         s.ÿÿÿÿÿÿ
12:07:16.080  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              .................................................
12:07:16.096  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    ...............
12:07:16.137  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 ................................................................
12:07:16.178  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 ................................................................
12:07:16.217  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 ................................................................
12:07:16.257  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 04 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 ................................................................
12:07:16.273  FE                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              þ
12:07:16.289  24 24 24                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        $$$
12:07:16.305  24 24                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           $$
12:07:16.321  24 24 24                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        $$$
12:07:16.337  24 24                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           $$
12:07:16.353  24                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              $
12:07:38.305  84 00 00 11                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     „...
12:07:39.678  AB B0 0E D4                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     «°.Ô
12:07:39.694  14 33  

The first line is sent soon after Power up then the others at the times shown. They are obviously filtering the TX in some way, can only assume it is there to help debug or who knows?

Rich



legendary
Activity: 3416
Merit: 1865
Curmudgeonly hardware guy
So I just put that firmware on a stock S7. I didn't probe the I2C lines but measuring the voltage says it should have been about 0x10 (hex 16). After putting that firmware on, now I'm seeing a voltage corresponding to 0x0E (hex 14) so I reckon it actually is doing the update.
legendary
Activity: 2506
Merit: 1714
Electrical engineer. Mining since 2014.
..
EDIT - perhaps at some point I should remember it's viewable in the webconfig.
Yeah.
My S7 (B9) shows nothing in the kernel log when I'm viewing it with Chrome, but with Microsoft Edge it works ok.
legendary
Activity: 3416
Merit: 1865
Curmudgeonly hardware guy
Not sure if I'm doing something wrong, but I'm getting nothing out of /var/log is why I'm asking.

EDIT - perhaps at some point I should remember it's viewable in the webconfig.
alh
legendary
Activity: 1846
Merit: 1052
Say, possibly dumb question. Where's the kernel log on these?

On most Linux based systems, /var/log/messages is it. That would have Kernel and possibly other messages. I expect cgminer to place it's logs elsewhere, though I don't really know.
legendary
Activity: 3416
Merit: 1865
Curmudgeonly hardware guy
Say, possibly dumb question. Where's the kernel log on these?
hero member
Activity: 588
Merit: 500
Yes I have seen that number before, tried changing it but 0x14 still written. The written value is in Hex, the 14 from the kernel log I had at first assumed to be decimal but must also be hex. Not sure what I have put in the repair log, whatever it is could be either?


Rich

legendary
Activity: 3416
Merit: 1865
Curmudgeonly hardware guy
Given that's the same number I've seen everywhere else, and have seen several different numbers written by the PIC, I doubt it's what we're looking for. But I could be wrong.

Also, when you give the values written by the PIC here and in the S7 repair thread, are you giving hex or decimal?
hero member
Activity: 588
Merit: 500
cgminer.conf shows "bitmain-voltage" : "0706" which I suspect is not used, but could try changing it?

Rich

legendary
Activity: 3416
Merit: 1865
Curmudgeonly hardware guy
Not unexpected. What's the voltage setting given in the cgminer.conf for that one?

Today's a short day, and also a fairly full one, so I'm not sure if I'll have time to play with this info yet. But I'll work on it.
hero member
Activity: 588
Merit: 500
I have got hold of a Hash Board from a Batch 8 135 Chip S7. Have it running on the Bench with an S5 Controller Board loaded with the S7 Firmware. I have been playing with the various different firmware versions and noticed something interesting with the latest single fan release.
S7firmware-201605231558-700M-1fan-6000.tar.gz MD5:7A38217ED4B93D662F4F0EBB85006694

Immediately after power up the Pic programs the Digital pot, with my board this is with 14 which sets the string Voltage to 10.667V. However with the latest single Fan firmware I detected on the Analyser a second programming of the Pot about 37 seconds after booting. This was also to 14.

Looking at the Kernel Log and also monitoring on the Serial Interface of the BBB I see the following.

Code:
[   36.708381] clear FPGA nonce buffer..
[   37.014489] btm_tx_conf..
[   37.017098] Set asic frequency {100}..
[   37.020850] bitmain_set_pic_voltage: n = 14..
[   37.025232] set_pic_voltage cmd_buf[0]: 0xab, cmd_buf[1]: 0xb0, cmd_buf[2]: 0xe, cmd_buf[3]: 0xd4..
[   37.034503] send BC data:..0x0000: 0x03 0x00 0x00 0x1a 0xab 0xb0 0x0e 0xd4 ..
[   37.056664] send BC data:..0x0000: 0x03 0x04 0x00 0x1a 0xab 0xb0 0x0e 0xd4 .

So it looks like Bitmain might be using the the TX connection to the Pic to pass a Digital Pot setting after booting.

Looking on the Analyser there is a Burst of data on the TX, which is also echo'd 100uS later on RA4 which is connected to the 2 Pin P2 connector on the board edge.

Then 4.8mS later the Pot is programmed with 14. Unfortunately as my system programs 14 at power up and then 14 again I cannot tell if the Pic is just repeating it's inbuilt value or passing the new value.


I do not know if there will be a file that can be SSH into with this 14 Value in or if it's embedded in some Bitmain code. I cannot find a file, but if anyone knows their way around the firmware perhaps they could have a look?


Rich
hero member
Activity: 754
Merit: 500
1xBit the largest casino
Inbetween things today, I'll be getting some operating data from different voltages and clock setpoints. I've got a stack of pregenerated hex files for different hot/cold settings and when I put up the analysis numbers I'll also post a ZIP file with all of 'em in it within a few days.

Right now it looks like 750MHz might be just a bit high for the 720/690 profile ( .03% errors) for 3.38TH from 900W at 61C, but that's still pretty decent. I think the cold-running is about the same setpoint as a stock full S7.


this 2 boards s7 lookssimilar to Batch6 boards.

I was looking around, took some photos too.

I can overclock abit if iset up the voltmetere to around 12.120Vis good from PSU else it gets alot of errors.

mine hashs 4050, but is doing around 4200-4400 wich is fine considering that b6 is not overclockable.

ill post some pictures soonof my boards så you can take a look on the similarity.

regards.
legendary
Activity: 3416
Merit: 1865
Curmudgeonly hardware guy
Inbetween things today, I'll be getting some operating data from different voltages and clock setpoints. I've got a stack of pregenerated hex files for different hot/cold settings and when I put up the analysis numbers I'll also post a ZIP file with all of 'em in it within a few days.

Right now it looks like 750MHz might be just a bit high for the 720/690 profile ( .03% errors) for 3.38TH from 900W at 61C, but that's still pretty decent. I think the cold-running is about the same setpoint as a stock full S7.
legendary
Activity: 3416
Merit: 1865
Curmudgeonly hardware guy
I got a mostly-working S4 for free end of last year and gave it the same treatment to heat my apartment over the winter. Well, I didn't replace the fans but they did run a lot slower.
legendary
Activity: 3808
Merit: 1723
This reminds me of the S4 I once had. I got it really cheap and it was crazy loud, and I had to have it in my room that I sleep in.

I remember I managed to make it almost silent at 1.3TH/s running at around 0.55W/GHS and I swapped in some S3 fans and played around with the fan controller settings. You could actually change the voltage in the control panel. No need to pencil mod.

The loudest part was actually that stock server PSU. Sure miss that miner.

Its amazing how with an undervolt and underclock you can turn the loudest miner into something manageable.



legendary
Activity: 3416
Merit: 1865
Curmudgeonly hardware guy
Also, I've settled on terms for the group buy so that's live now.
legendary
Activity: 3416
Merit: 1865
Curmudgeonly hardware guy
The problem with updating the last setpoint is, you can't change it without reflashing the whole PIC firmware again. Unless you could talk to it via the controller's TX line, but if you can do that you might as well just write a firmware to set the voltage wherever you want via controller software. Which is probably what Bitmain's firmware already does, we just don't know the commands to make it do what we want. And I have probably already put more time on firmware than I should have, but it's the most fun I've had at work in months. Manufacturing is super boring, but it's also super necessary if I want to not go bankrupt, so I probably won't have more time until I get caught up on building stuff. Unless I get a bunch of sales on PSU boards right quick, in which case maybe a day of additional firmware dev would be a good celebration.

Anyone looking for a good PSU to run an S7 or S9 off 208/240?
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