ASIC Repair Bench

Hashrate dropped: a step-by-step diagnosis

Your miner is running but producing less than it should. Check the pool, network, temperatures, boards and firmware in that order, cheapest checks first.

By Niel· 2 min read
A line chart showing a hashrate that stays high, then drops sharply and stays low

A miner that is running but producing less than normal is not broken in the same way as a dead one. The trick is to find out when the drop happened and how big it was, because that narrows down the cause quickly.

Five checks in order: pool, network, temperatures, boards, firmware

What you’ll need

  • Access to the miner’s web page
  • Access to your pool’s dashboard
  • A notebook or text file to record what you find

The checks

  1. Look at the shape of the drop. A sudden fall to a lower steady level often means a board or part of a board dropped out. A slow decline points to heat or dust. A very jagged line points to network or power trouble.
  2. Compare the pool’s number with the miner’s number. If they disagree, the problem may be the connection, not the machine.
  3. Check the network. Look for repeated reconnects or rejected shares in the miner’s log, and test the cable and port.
  4. Check temperatures and fans. Miners slow down when they get too hot. Clean dust from the intakes and make sure the room is not recirculating its own hot air.
  5. Count the boards and chips. Compare the number the miner reports with what it should have. One missing board explains a large, steady drop.
  6. Check the firmware. If the drop started right after an update or a settings change, undo the change and watch for an hour before deciding.

Rules that save time

  • Change one thing at a time, then wait long enough for the numbers to settle.
  • Write down the time of each change so you can match it to the chart.
  • Do not trust a single reading. Compare an hour of data with the hour before it.

Caution: If you lower or raise power or frequency settings while testing, change them gradually and keep an eye on temperatures.

When to stop and get help

If a board or chip count is wrong after reseating cables and swapping slots, the fault is on the board. At that point, hand it to a repair shop with your notes.

Quick checklist

  • Noted when the drop started and how big it was
  • Compared pool and miner numbers
  • Checked cable, port and log for reconnects
  • Checked temperatures and cleaned intakes
  • Counted boards and chips
  • Reviewed recent firmware or settings changes

Safety first: unplug the miner and let it cool before opening it, and never open a power supply unless you are trained to. Repairing a miner may void its warranty.