FAQ

The Bitaxe is a fully open-source ASIC Bitcoin miner designed for flexibility and accessibility. By making powerful mining technology available to a broader audience, the Bitaxe democratizes Bitcoin mining.

Short Answer:

During normal operation, a Bitaxe uses approximately 15–25 watts—less than a typical household lightbulb. This makes it ideal for home or office mining setups.

What factors influence the exact power consumption?

• Clock Frequency:Higher frequency (more Hertz) increases the hashrate, but also raises power usage. To save energy, users can easily lower (underclock) the frequency.
• Core Voltage:Increasing core voltage leads to higher power consumption. Moderate undervolting reduces both power usage and device temperature.
• Cooling:Good airflow prevents thermal throttling, maintaining high efficiency. Keeping fans clean and ensuring clear air intake/exhaust pathways therefore offers double benefits.

Practical Usage Profiles:

• Eco Mode (slightly underclocked/undervolted): ~15 W
• Factory Settings: ~20 W
• Performance Mode (higher frequency): up to 25 W

Even in Performance mode, the Bitaxe remains so energy-efficient that it can operate from a standard household outlet without significantly affecting your electricity bill.

Several factors determine how warm your Bitaxe runs during operation. Understanding these can help you optimally balance cooling, performance, and noise levels:

• Clock Frequency:A higher frequency increases hashrate but also generates more heat. Only set the frequency as high as your cooling system can reliably manage.
• Core Voltage:Increasing the voltage leads to higher energy consumption and, consequently, higher heat output. Use overvolting sparingly; slight undervolting saves energy and reduces temperature.
• Heatsink:Size, material, and fin design determine how effectively heat is drawn away from the chip. Use a high-quality, properly installed heatsink. Optimized upgrade heatsinks are available in our shop.
• Thermal Paste:Thermal paste acts as the critical interface between the chip and heatsink. Apply a thin, even layer without gaps; regular replacement can significantly enhance cooling performance.
• Fans and Airflow:The more airflow passing through or over the heatsink, the quicker heat is dissipated. Keep fans free of dust and ensure unobstructed intake and exhaust paths.

Following these guidelines ensures your Bitaxe runs safely, efficiently, and quietly.

Short Answer:

• ASIC Chip: Safe up to 70°C, automatic protection mode triggers at 75°C, real danger only above 90°C.
• Voltage Regulator (Vreg): Rated for continuous operation up to 120°C; temperatures below 100°C are uncritical.

Detailed Explanation and Background

There’s a common misconception within the community claiming the Bitaxe should always stay below 60°C—this simply isn’t true. Here’s what’s accurate:

Manufacturer’s Specifications

The ASIC chips used are designed for significantly higher junction temperatures than 60°C. Their optimal operating range is between 50–70°C. Thermal throttling (automatic protective shutdown) only begins at around 75°C, providing ample safety margin.

Built-in Protection Mechanisms

When critical temperatures are reached, the Bitaxe automatically reduces frequency or stops hashing entirely—long before any hardware damage could occur.

Efficiency vs. Lifespan

Yes, lower temperatures improve efficiency; each degree cooler slightly reduces power consumption. However, if your Bitaxe runs quietly and stably at 65°C, there’s no risk and no need for concern.

Practical Tip

Reducing fan speed lowers noise. As long as your ASIC temperature remains below 75°C, you’re safely within the recommended range.

Conclusion

As long as your Bitaxe operates normally and doesn’t enter protection mode, you don’t need to worry about temperatures exceeding the commonly referenced 60°C threshold. Simply ensure proper airflow and a correctly mounted heatsink—then your device will run safely, efficiently, and reliably.

Bitaxe is one of the top open-source Bitcoin miners due to its customizable hardware and software, ease of use, and robust community support. Other notable open-source miners include Nerdaxe, and Qaxe.

Yes, the Bitaxe is an effective ASIC miner, particularly valued for its customization options and low power consumption. It supports both solo and pool mining, and its open-source nature allows for continuous improvements by the community.

The hashrate of a Bitaxe miner varies by model. The Bitaxe Supra offers a hashrate of up to 733 GH/s and the Bitaxe Gamma up to 1,330 GH/s, depending on the specific configuration and cooling solutions used.

Solo mining is generally not highly profitable in today’s competitive Bitcoin mining landscape. Profitability depends on electricity costs, Bitcoin prices, and hardware efficiency. Devices like Bitaxe are more suited for educational purposes and hobbyist mining rather than substantial profit.

The BM1368, used in the Bitaxe Supra, is the chip based on the Bitmain Antminer S21 and achieves hashrates of up to 733 GH/s with exceptional energy efficiency. The BM1370, used in the Bitaxe Gamma, is the chip from the Antminer S21 Pro. It is currently (as of November 2024) the best and most efficient ASIC on the market.

Bitcoin lottery mining refers to solo mining, where an individual miner attempts to solve a block and receive the entire block reward (currently 3.125 BTC). This method involves significant risk and high variance, as the chances of solving a block are low. However, successful miners can earn substantial rewards, similar to winning a lottery. This approach is more suitable for miners with significant computational power or those willing to accept high levels of uncertainty.

The Bitaxe Gamma (BM1370) is an open-source Bitcoin ASIC miner designed for serious enthusiasts. It features the powerful BM1370 ASIC chip and achieves up to 1,330 GH/s with exceptional energy efficiency (15 J/TH). Its open-source structure offers unparalleled flexibility and customizability, supporting decentralization in Bitcoin mining.

All Bitaxe models offer the following cooling options:

• Basic Cooling: Ensures stable operation under normal conditions.

• Noctua Cooling: Premium fans for quieter operation and improved thermal regulation.

• Ice Cooler Tower: Advanced cooling system for maximum heat dissipation during high-performance mining (sold separately).

• Noctua Cooler Tower: Combines the Ice Tower Cooler with a Noctua fan for optimal cooling during continuous high-performance mining (sold separately).

• Argon THRML Cooler: The ultimate cooling system for overclocking, allowing the Bitaxe to exceed 600 MHz and achieve maximum hashrate (sold separately).

1. Unbox and Inspect: Ensure all components are present and undamaged.
2. Place the Device in the Standing Case: Insert your Bitaxe device into the included standing case.
3. Connect Power Supply: Plug the Bitaxe device into the included 5V power supply. Do not use a non-approved power supply to avoid damaging the device.
4. Initial Power-Up: Power on your Bitaxe device. It will attempt to connect to a default network, which it will not find.
5. Connect to Bitaxe WiFi Access Point: Use a WiFi-capable device (such as a phone or laptop) to search for the new WiFi Access Point named Bitaxe_XXXX. Connect to the Bitaxe SSID.
6. Access AxeOS Web Portal: After connecting, you should be automatically prompted or redirected to the AxeOS web portal. If not automatically redirected, open your browser and visit http://192.168.4.1.
7. Configure WiFi Settings: In the AxeOS web portal, click on the ‘Settings’ button. Enter the WiFi SSID and password for your local WiFi network. Note: Bitaxe devices are not compatible with 5GHz WiFi; they only work with 2.4GHz WiFi. Double-check the WiFi SSID and password before entering to prevent manual recovery later.
8. Update Mining Pool Settings: In the AxeOS web portal, update the pool URL, port, and user to your preferred mining pool. Recommended pools include ckpool, publicpool, and D-Central’s Solo Pool.
9. Save and Restart: Click Save, then click Restart to apply the changes.
10. Start Mining: If everything is configured correctly, your Bitaxe device will start mining.

Yes, the Bitaxe is ideal for solo mining. Its open-source design promotes decentralization, allowing miners to operate independently and contribute to the Bitcoin network’s security and resilience. The advanced connectivity options make it easy to join and manage your preferred mining pool.

• User-Friendly Interface: Accessible even for beginners.
• Enhanced Durability: Built with high-quality materials for long-term reliability.
• Real-Time Monitoring: Advanced diagnostics and analytics tools for performance monitoring.
• Versatile Configuration: Supports various mining configurations to optimize performance.

The Bitaxe embraces the open-source ethos, with all design files available for modification and improvement by the community. This encourages collaborative development and continuous innovation in Bitcoin mining technologies.

The Bitaxe Gamma (BM1370) is equipped with the BM1370 ASIC chip, known for its exceptional energy efficiency of 15 J/TH. This makes it not only profitable but also environmentally friendly, supporting sustainable mining practices.

As with any advanced mining hardware, the initial setup may require technical adjustments. Specifically, with the latest Bitaxe Gamma (BM1370), there may be issues with the ASIC chip’s temperature. This is due to the chip’s extreme performance capabilities. If the device overheats during operation, there are two options:

1. The device can be throttled through the settings. For this, the ASIC chip’s frequency and, if necessary, the chip’s voltage should first be reduced by one level.

2. Alternatively, the device can be retrofitted with improved cooling.

The profitability of the Bitaxe Gamma (BM1370) can be limited due to its single ASIC chip, meaning it does not achieve as high a hashrate as larger, multi-chip miners like the S21 Pro. This miner is often used as a “lottery miner” or to gather small amounts of satoshis in mining pools. It is generally not profitable if electricity costs are above 0 euros, but it provides valuable experience and supports decentralized open-source mining efforts. This miner allows users to engage with and learn about Bitcoin mining without requiring significant financial investment.