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Bitmain Antminer S19J Pro: What Went Wrong
Recently, there has been a story circulating in the crypto mining community about a Bitmain Antminer S19j Pro catching on fire. In this article, we will discuss what happened, the potential reasons behind the incident, and what we can learn from this experience.
A Quick Recap of the Incident
For those not familiar with the incident, the miner in question had its stock fans removed in an attempt to quiet down the ASIC miner. The miner was then placed in a crypto mining shed and set up with an intake and exhaust system that involved an air filter box, an AC Infinity inline fan, and various adapters to connect the fan to the front and back of the miner.
The AC Infinity inline fan produces 800 CFM (cubic feet per minute), which is actually 300 CFM more than the stock fans. When the miner was turned on, within two to three minutes, there was a popping sound, a burning smell, and visible flames at the back of the miner.
Fortunately, no one was injured, and the owner managed to shut everything down before the flames spread. The miner was not used again, and the owner decided to investigate the issue further.
Inspecting the Damaged Miner
Upon removing the casing and examining the internals of the Antminer S19j Pro, the owner discovered that the bottom of the ASIC was blackened and charred. One of the hash boards had significant burnt chips, while the other boards appeared to be untouched by the incident.
In addition, one of the heatsinks appeared to be loose and angling towards another heatsink. It is unclear if this was the root cause of the fire, but it is certainly an interesting point to consider.
AC Infinity Inline Fan: Pushing It Too Far?
It is possible that the higher CFM provided by the AC Infinity inline fan may have been a factor in the incident. The extra airflow from the fan may have contributed to increased temperatures within the ASIC, resulting in the eventual fire.
However, this is purely speculative, and it is difficult to determine with certainty if this was the main reason behind the fire.
Taking Precautions and Reactions
The owner of the damaged Antminer S19j Pro reached out to Wadom, where the miner was initially purchased. Wadom, a complete Bitcoin mining solutions provider and largest distributor of Bitcoin mining equipment in the United States, agreed to provide a replacement miner as well as a return shipping label for the damaged unit.
Wadom’s response demonstrates excellent customer service and support for the hobbyist miner community. However, it is important to remember that this incident could have had far more disastrous consequences, such as causing significant damage to the mining shed or the owner’s property.
Learning From This Experience
The takeaway from this incident should be that hobbyist miners need to exercise caution when modifying their mining setups. It is crucial to carefully consider the overall impact of any changes to a mining setup, whether it’s something as simple as replacing a fan or more complex modifications.
Additionally, staying vigilant and keeping a close eye on your mining equipment during operation is vital to prevent potential fires or other hazards. Reacting quickly in emergency situations, like the owner of the Antminer S19j Pro, can significantly minimize potential damages and protect both your equipment and property.
In conclusion, while these types of incidents are rare, they serve as a reminder to remain precautious and vigilant when it comes to crypto mining. By taking the necessary precautions, understanding the limitations of your setup, and responding quickly to any potential hazards, you can ensure the safety of both your equipment and the environment in which you operate.
to be honest.. I got a bad KA3 ordered from, cryptominerbros > 1/3 hashboards dead on arrival… they aren't doing anything to help me…. but bitmain took 15 minutes emailing with for them to say for me to send my hashboard to them. not hard to deal with however. you lose warranty if you only send the hashboard, but sending the whole KA3 to LAOS for who knows long is pretty intimidating. unit still hashes at 66% for now.
I wish bitmain could do more direct to consumer sales since lots of re-sellers offer ZERO aftermarket support.
That heat sink that's not sitting right was the problem. You have taught all of us something. Inspect your machine before plugging it in.Thanks Sir!
This is the furthest thing from a one off lol good luck. Buy a whatsminer!
The stock fans on your ASIC are high RPM server grade fans, you replaced them with something which does not come even close in term of CFM and probably static pressure. What were you thinking lol
Next time, do some research before attempting such experimentation especially if you are not Thermodynamics/Airflow engineer :$
Hi please advise on antminer e9!! Should we buy it??
Hi i'm glad your shed didn't burn down. Did you ever thought of liquid immersion your Bitcoin miner in a cooling tank? Less noise and higher hash rates.
Most likely a short that caused the fire but, you need understand that cfm of a fan isn’t everything, static pressure capability is another massive point
This video should come with a warning. "Now, kids, don't try this at home."
Really happy to hear they are going to exchange your miner, I’m shocked but happy for you…
Cheap Chinese junk.
The fans are on there for a reason
Do you think any of this was your fault you seem like you knew 100% what you were doing. Luckily you got your money back some people wouldn’t be that lucky.
I heard they were FYRE.
modding any equipment comes with great risk if you dont know what your doing , airsflow is not just about cfm but how the air moves through the asic case , mod at your own risk !
Could the incoming air have high humidity or actual water droplets? Should monitor it before hooking in the next miner.
You were blowing air into the machine, that’s not how it works. You need to pull the air away from it not into it
I’ve seen that setup before and it never caught on fire.
Thanks for the triage of the unit. Being an Electronics Technician I see this from time to time. As bad as that board is burnt it will be scrapped and replaced. The other two hash boards look fine and will probably continue to work.
I would make sure the in line fan you have produces enough CFM to replace the stock fans before you put the new miner in the same setup.
Lucky! It was definitely the original screw that killed it.
RIP expensive bitcoin miner.
The exact same thing happened to me with my s19j pro 104 in the exact same circumstances. Very scary and dissapointing.
My concern with the fan setup is the static pressure spec on the fan you are using. I either missed it or it wasn’t mentioned. It may be able to push 800 cfm but might be moving far less air than the asic’s original fans because of the airflow restrictions in the asic.
Let's be honest you modified your asic and since you have a big following they are going to take care of it, but you clearly broke the warranty. And this ladies and gentlemen is how influence runs the world. Any random person in the same boat more then likely would of got the shaft. Love you're content though!
I feel like buying Asics with other people's money would be the way to go LOL
This is my biggest fear about getting one I've seen so many people get just one and have issues with it I can't imagine having 50 of them and having 50 issues,
Looks like it short circuited, the heatsink on the back probably just came off/melted due to heat.
I'm curious if you measured the actual airflow. Not the advertised value from ac infinity. Either way that looks like an electrical issue with the pcb board. Something could have shorted. You are very lucky, glad it did not burn down your shed and or house!
You just got to see the best out of this
Minute 11:38 burn pattern concerns me with the setup of air flow with the adapters. A burn pattern will cone outward as it moves away from origin point. The burn pattern on the first four rows of chips cones toward the front. It makes me wonder if the adapters are creating a recirculation of air inside the asic because the design doesn’t have a exhaust fan or divided channels for top and bottom (from what I remember in first video). Things to consider before a second attempt.
I am in no way a fire expert, asic expert, or air flow expert. I just like first responder shows and work as a Slot Machine Technician.
I’ve subscribed because I’ve always been interested in mining, but never been in a place to start my own. Finally getting there though with advice I’ve seen in your videos. I’ve acquired everything so far except graphics cards. They are my final items. Hoping to have my first one within the week.
I think you may have assumed 800cfm from the AC infinity without taking into account the filter which will reduce the airflow/velocity. Did you account for that when calculating CFM?
This is why you’re such a pure🖕 soul who always lend his hand with money… I wish the world has more people like you without you I wouldn’t have set up my own business successful if not for the 0.13btc I got from you thanks so much sir!
there was no defect. this was user error
THM, take a look at the rear lower bolt tip .. this type of issue is common when the bolt is touching or over that part of the hashboards, the lower bolt if it’s too long it will hit over be too close to the power distribution area of the board a ark can happen that will end up causing this issue, also the rear heatsink that start to move is NOT the cause that is just a result of the flash high temp heat causing that heatsink to shift, that is how you remove the rear heatsink with very high temps.
Thank you for sharing and as mentioned already a reminder to be vigilant and mindful of what we are doing with our mining rigs 👍
I am pretty sure the only reason you are getting a replacement is because they are sponsoring and you are an influencer. I wonder what their response would be if you were not a youtuber.
12:17 it looks like a short circuit. maybe because faulty power supply or that dummy plug you use.