What is the PCB heat threshold for these devices? What temp do I need to start worrying about long term damage to chip/components?
Thanks!
In general, the ambient temperature of miners should always be maintained below ~35°C / ~95°F.
The ASIC used in the NewPac is the BM1387, which was primarily used in the Bitmain Antminer S9 miners. According to their data, upper temp limit on the PCB board should not exceed 85°C / 185°F. For the ASIC itself, temps should not exceed 125°C / 257°F. There are two ASIC chips on the NewPac, and they are located on the backside of PCB board (in between the PCB board and heatsink, with thermal paste). These are the very upper limits as described by ASIC manufacturer. It's always best to keep the sticks cool as possible! Temperature will also effect performance, and as it goes up, so does power consumption. Lastly, the manufacturer of the NewPac may have different limits on temperature, so use the numbers provided here with caution until confirmed or changed by sidehack!
Here is a picture showing location of both ASIC chips:
- click to enlarge -Here are pictures of the actual ASIC chips on the NewPac (with the heatsink off):
- click to enlarge -