Experiences in Building a Mining Rig
Indeed, that’s how it is. I decided to build a rig for mining cryptocurrency. It has always intrigued me (this is how many of my articles begin :D… everything seems easier to try when you actually want to try it :D…).
So yeah. The rig is up and running, and the graphics cards are working hard, so I’ve decided to share my experience with building it,
as someone who is involved in IT, but more in the world of software (programs), rather than hardware (cables, risers,
motherboards,…).
Assembly of the Rig
I watched several videos on rig assembly and took something from each. Eventually, I built the rig essentially based on
this video (with minor modifications)… The rig safely accommodates 6 cards. Theoretically, it could fit 1 to 2 more cards.
Materials for the Rig:
Aluminum profiles (aluminum or aluminium, it doesn’t matter. Aluminium is better :)))
- 4x: 55 cm (length)
- 4x: 30 cm (height)
- 4x: 35 cm (width)
The width of the aluminum L profile should be 2 cm. Make sure to calculate how long and how many profiles to buy so there’s minimal
waste. I bought 2×2.6m and cut them to the required size. (55+55+55+35+30+30) and used the rest from the second piece.
Wooden slats:
- 1x: 55 cm (for mounting the cards)
- (4-5)x: 35 cm (base)
+ Self-tapping screws (40+-)… long enough to go through 2-3 layers of aluminum sheet, or to hold in the slat.
+ Electrical tapes + strips of foam to soften the underside of the rig, so it doesn’t scratch the floor.
Tools:
- Screwdriver/cordless drill
- Metal saw
- Wood saw
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND USING A CORDLESS DRILL!!! And pre-drill the holes.
Following the video, you then assemble it. I first tried with a regular drill (I don’t have a cordless one), but it’s overkill
and drilling into aluminum is difficult, and you can split the thread of the screws. So, I ended up pre-drilling with a small drill bit and then
manually screwing it together.
Finally, measure the distance from the top of the rig to the height of the card to determine
where the \”middle shelf\” for the end of the cards will be. The top part of the card can be attached to the rig as if it were traditionally screwed
to the back of a computer case. I also saw cards being attached using electrical tapes threaded through the eye of the card and a drilled hole
in the top part of the rig. It’s definitely better to place the middle shelf lower because not all cards will be the same height (in my case). For
smaller cards, you can hang them on electrical tapes so they rest on the lower-placed shelf. For larger cards, you can screw them in.
Here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YMxGGXme8g I add a video on attaching using electrical tapes.
In my opinion, it’s definitely better to use the middle shelf, where the back part of the card is supported and either not attach it with tapes at all (and use screws like in a computer case), or only attach
the front part of the card with tapes. (I’ve already read ads selling motherboards that were damaged by falling graphics cards and I don’t think electrical tapes are that sturdy)
Components of the Rig
- Motherboard (with enough PCI-E slots… splitters are not entirely recommended)
- RAM
- Power supply (should have as many watts as the sum of the TDP of the graphics cards + 100W (for other components) all multiplied by 1.2 (source: nicehash.com)
- Disk (SSD) (a few gigs are enough, I recommend SSD for speed)
For connecting graphics cards, you need
- Risers
- PCI-E splitters (turn one PCI-E into 2)
PCI-E splitters definitely come in handy. Most graphics cards require additional power. That means we power the riser for the graphics card and the graphics card itself.
It is not recommended to use SATA or MOLEX cables for power.. they are not built for higher power consumption.
The main takeaway is that you should only use PCI-E cables for power.
If you’re powering the riser, just use one PCI-E cable (do not add MOLEX or SATA to the riser, nor another PCI-E (risers usually have 2 PCI-E)).
On the power supply, there is a MALE(M) end. On the motherboard, there are MALE(M) connectors. We usually get cables with the power supply.. for example, PCI-E with
FEMALE(F)-FEMALE(F) ends. That means we then buy a splitter described as 1xFEMALE(F) to 2xMALE(M). This labeling does not indicate the ends of the cable itself, but
the ends to which it connects :). That means the cable has one MALE end, but it connects to a FEMALE.. hence 1x FEMALE. .. I find this description a bit strange, but that’s how they are described in stores…
This is, for example, one of the things that confused me and I wasn’t sure if I was buying the completely opposite cables :), but as I say, I’m a newbie in electronics :).
It’s a good idea to buy a button for starting the system for a few bucks, so you don’t have to start the computer with a screwdriver by connecting
connectors on the motherboard like I did, which was a bit sci-fi for me as a non-hardware guy :D. I looked up in the documentation which pins need to be connected..
however, they should be easily found as there will be an abbreviation PWR near them on the motherboard :). Reset pins will be nearby too.
You connect the pins with a flat screwdriver and thus start the computer :).
What Next – Rig Assembled, Components Connected
If the rig holds up, everything is attached and connected, then all that remains is to install the operating system of your choice and start mining. The most common choices are Windows, Ubuntu (or some other Linux distribution), or HiveOs (which is also a Linux distribution). It’s important to remember that I need to be able to install drivers for the specific graphics cards on the chosen operating system. I also need to be able to change the overclocking of the graphics card. Initially, I tried Ubuntu, but managing drivers there isn’t as straightforward, so I eventually switched to Windows, where I already have some experience with light mining. I have seen the use of HiveOs, and it is relatively simple, as this operating system is specifically designed for mining. This means you install the drivers for the graphics cards. You find the recommended overclocking settings for mining on the specific algorithm for your graphics card. You can then set the overclocking in the mining software you use, or a popular choice is MSI Afterburner for setting the overclocking.
In my case, I had to resort to overclocking via Afterburner, as the NBMiner program I use did not allow me to set certain overclocking parameters for my graphics cards. Then, you turn off hibernation in the computer, set the wifi power to maximum performance (if you use a wifi adapter). You may need to increase paging in Windows… but the program will notify you, and you can Google it :). Choose a suitable mining program, and you are good to go and can start mining $$$ :)).
Managing the Rig
Managing the rig partly depends on the operating system you choose. For Windows, I can recommend TeamViewer. I have tried a number of programs for remote PC management. The only hiccup with TeamViewer is that you must have a screen connected to the PC you are controlling. Otherwise, you will see a black screen when connecting to a remote computer. This can be circumvented by buying a dummy HDMI stick for about 150 CZK. (The stick simulates a connected monitor)
Summary
As I’ve already said… for me, as someone who is not very hardware-savvy, it was quite a challenge, and I was a bit nervous. After all, you are buying components worth several thousand crowns, and you definitely don’t want to burn or damage them due to some bad connection you made. You can find a few good guides on the internet, but also a lot of bad ones… see, for example, connecting graphics cards using MOLEX/SATA (and then people in the videos wonder why their graphics card burned). I can definitely recommend this guide :D:D.. well, alright.. nicehash.com certainly has great guides that I drew from. I also read quite a few articles about cabling (interchanging use of 6pin/8pin,… maximum power carried through cables, etc.). In short, I had a lot of questions, few answers, so I slowly answered the questions with my research. I recommend you do the same :).
However, the positive thing (which is rare to hear these days :)) ) is that even someone relatively new to hardware like me was able to build a rig on the first try without anything catching fire :).
If you are planning to build a rig, all that remains is to wish you a hunger for information, good luck, and steady nerves! 🙂 Good Luck.