Tutorial: Avalon 6 3.5TH @ 1050w Bitcoin Miner

Avalon 6 (Avalon A6) is the newest model of Avalon 28nm miner. In this tutorial, we will demonstrate the setting-up for Avalon 6 (3.5TH @ 1050w) bitcoin miner.

Update Log

Update 04-17-2016: a new version of the Avalon A6 miner has become available: Avalon 6.01.

The rated hash speed on the specifications label shows as “3.8 TH/s @ 1155w“.

However, in our test, there is no significant difference between the older version Avalon 6.0. The mining speed in our test is still “3.5 TH/s @ 1050w“. So we think this is just a nothing changed “new” version. We will state the performance of the miner as it is in our testing results and state the speed as “3.5 TH/s @ 1050w” on the product details page.

So seems there is not too much to expect from this “new” version(Avalon 6.01). : )

Miner Specifications

Brand	Avalon 6.0
Model	3.5 TH/s @ 1050w
Hash Rate	3.5 TH/s ± 10%
Power Consumption	1050W + 5%
Chip	28nm A3218
6pin Connectors	4
Accessory	Raspberry Pi + AUC controller
PSU	NO built-in PSU

Preparations

Prepare a PSU (>= 1200w and with 6pin x 4); You can use several PSUs to connect to one miner. But DON’T connect 1 PSU to more than 1 miner.
Connect the miner to the router by an ethernet cord.
For miner configuration, please use the ethernet cord to connect the miner to the same router which your PC is also connected to (your PC is just needed for miner configuration).

Miner Connection

The miner connection of Avalon 6 takes some time if it’s your first time. Follow the instructions step by step.

This is how the miner looks like when you receive it from EastShore.

First, get the accessories (included in the box) prepared.

The accessories are (from left to right): the raspberry pi, the cord for AUC controller, the sd card with mining system, the AUC controller, two USB cables, the power supply (and the plug adapter) for the raspberry pi

Insert the SD card into Raspberry Pi

Get the AUC controller and the cord for AUC controller.

There are two connection ports on the AUC controller. One end of the controller should be connected to the Raspberry Pi, another end of the controller should be connected to the miner.

Connect the AUC controller to the miner.
There are two AUC connection ports on the miner. You can use any one of them.

How it looks after connected.

Connect the AUC controller to the Raspberry Pi.
There are two USB ports (just beside the internet port) on the Raspberry Pi. Use any one of the USB ports.

Connect the Raspberry Pi to the AUC controller with one of the USB cables.

Connect the Raspberry Pi to your router with the Ethernet cord.

Connect Raspberry Pi to its power supply: there is a mini-USB port (beside the SD card holder) on the Raspberry Pi, connect this port to its power supply with a USB cable.

Plug in the power supply of Raspberry Pi to the socket.

Connect the PSU to the miner. All the four 6pin ports on the miner should be connected.

All connection done.

Mining Guide

In this section, we will demonstrate the configuration of the miner. In the process, you will need your PC for miner configuration.

Power on the miner, then power on the Raspberry Pi. (You can also power on them at the same time)
Wait for about 1~7 minutes. (The miner needs time to initialize itself.)
Scan the IP address of your miner by an IP scanning software. Check this link for how to scan the IP address: https://www.eastshore.xyz/how-to-scan-out-the-configuration-ip-address-of-the-miner/ Generally, the IP of the miner is NOT “192.168.xx.100” (which is the default IP of Raspberry Pi).
In our test, if we scan the IP just after the miner is powered on, the IP will be “192.168.1.100”. But this is NOT the IP of the miner. We can’t log in the configuration page with this IP. The IP will change in about 5 minutes. So scan the IP again in 5 minutes, and this time the correct IP shows as “192.168.1.52”. So, scan the IP after 5-7 minutes the miner powered on.
Here is an example of the scanning result, the IP of the miner is “192.168.1.52“, and the “Manufacturer” shown as “Raspberry Pi Foundation”.

Open the configuration page in your browser with the IP address you just scanned, for example: “192.168.1.52.”

There is no password of Avalon miner, just click the button “Login“.
Then, you will see the “Dashboard” of the miner.

There are main commands on the left side of the configuration page.

Click “Configuration” to configure your mining account. You should configure all the three “Pool url” and “Pool worker“.

After configuration, click “Save & Apply” to save the changes. You need to wait for some seconds until the changes are applied.
Then, wait for about one minute, it starts mining automatically.
Navigate to the “Dashboard” to monitor the performance. All mining information will be shown there, such as the mining speed, the fan speed, and the active charts etc.

Advanced Version: more mining information will be shown in the “Advanced Version” of the dashboard. Click the command “Advanced Version” on the left side of the dashboard page, you will get the advanced version of the dashboard.

Navigate to “Status –> Cgminer Status“, more detailed mining information will show.

Advanced setting: there are more advanced settings here, you can set the “Minimum Fan %“, or upgrade the firmware of the miner. But it is NOT suggested to do such settings if your miner works well.

Click the “Change Theme” link on the left corner of any page in the advanced version, you can get back to the earlier simple dashboard of the miner.

All configuration done, happy mining!

Mining Speed Notes

The model of Avalon 6 is “3.5 TH/s @ 1050W”, the rated speed labeled on the miner is “3.5 TH/s ± 5%”. In our test, the speed may fluctuate between “3.1 TH/s ~ 3.7 TH/s” (so instead we stated the speed as 3.5 TH/s ± 10% at the product page).

The “GHS” on the “Dashboard” page may change frequently, but the “GHS av” will keep stable. So there is no need to worry about the frequently-changed speed of “GHS”.
However, if both the “GHS” and “GHS av” are very low (eg. lower than 3000GH/s), restart the miner, the speed should be normal.