The type of miner being used determines how much power is used by crypto miners. Due to their comparatively high efficiency, Antminer KA3 are frequently used for cryptocurrency mining operations.
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Antminer KA3 Power Consumption
At 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit), the Antminer KA3 ASIC miner uses 3,250 Watts to process 95 TH/s (95 Terahashes per second) of data. At the same temperature, the efficiency of this unit is 34.5 Joules per Terahash. This results in a hashing capacity ratio of 34.21 Watts per TH for the S19.
This represents a significant increase in efficiency over earlier models like the Antminer KA3, which uses 98 Watts per TH. It is important to keep in mind, though, that mining difficulty increases can partially counteract gains in miner productivity.
When the temperature is 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit), the Antminer KA3 ASIC Bitcoin miner uses 3,100 Watts at 90 TH/s. This equals a power to hashing capacity ratio of 34.44 Watts per TH for the device. Compared to the Antminer KA3, this is marginally less effective. Nevertheless, it is significantly more effective than earlier models like the Antminer KA3.
Solar-Powered Crypto Miners: a Brief Look
to determine the approximate number of solar panels needed to power one 13 TH/s Antminer KA3 for 24 hours per day in the United States. (which factors in cloudy weather and night time).
To calculate the total number of watts needed for the panels, multiply the average power consumption by 4. 19 270 Watt solar panels (operating at 24 volts) are generated, yielding a 5,130 Watt solar array.
At a price of $1.09 per Watt of the panels’ generation capacity, the cost of such an array could total $5,605 USD (prices vary by brand and retailer).
Though it might cost a little more per Watt, it is also possible to construct a 12 Volt array using a greater number of 100 Watt solar panels. Just the solar panels are included in this estimate; the inverter, batteries, and charge controller are not.
12-Volt systems might be able to power the Antminer KA3 without an inverter (with the aid of voltage regulation), which would result in significant financial savings. This is due to the Antminer KA3’s operating voltage range of 11.6 to 13 volts. Charge voltages from solar charge controllers can increase to an excessive 14.8 volts.
Hypothetical Ways to Augment ROI
The methods below have not yet been put to the test, but I intend to do so soon.
Airflow Augmentation + Waste Heat Recovery: Small fans that produce barely enough airflow to keep chip temperatures within acceptable ranges are typically built into computers. The rate at which those cooling systems release heat into the air, however, is extremely slow in comparison to what could be done.
For this reason, increased airflow generally causes chip temperatures to drop. The average amount of heat circulated into the room for heating per hour is likely to increase with increased airflow.
In other words, increasing airflow through an Antminer KA3 or other cryptocurrency mining device will not only lower the mining device’s temperature but also improve the efficiency with which your home is heated. In many situations, using cryptocurrency mining equipment as a heater has been beneficial.
This has the potential to significantly reduce the required run time and fuel and energy usage of conventional gas-powered (and all other) heaters by adding a significant amount of supplemental heat to homes.
A strong blower (centrifugal fan) can be used to increase airflow, which is particularly beneficial for forcing air through tight spaces like heat sinks and electronics. I would begin by using a 90-Watt inline blower if I gave this a try.
Sum Up
It may be advantageous to install a damper that allows you to choose between recirculating the hot exhaust air from the miner through the house during winter or just venting it outside during summer because you wouldn’t want your Antminer KA3 miner to offset your winter savings by heating your home.
