The Ultimate DIY Troubleshooting Guide for Antminer Failure

Is your Antminer acting a bit moody today? One minute it’s humming along, and the next, silence, or worse, the dreaded flashing red light. At Yesmining, we know that in the world of crypto mining, time is money. Every minute your machine is down is a minute of lost rewards. Most Antminer issues are simple to fix. In this guide, we’ll show you how to troubleshoot like a pro and get your hash rate back online fast.

1. The “First Aid” Checklist

Before diving into the technical stuff, always start with these three “magic” steps. You’d be surprised how often they solve the problem:

• Check the Cables: Are the power cords and Ethernet cables plugged in tightly?

• The Classic Reboot: Turn it off, wait 30 seconds, and turn it back on.

• Check Your Internet: A miner without internet is like a car without fuel. Ensure your router is working.

2. Quick Reference: What do the lights mean?

The LEDs on your Antminer are its way of talking to you. Here is a simple cheat sheet:

3. Common Problems & Solutions

A. The “High Temperature” Alarm

Symptoms: Red light flashing, fans spinning at max speed, or the miner keeps restarting.

The Fix: Dust is the silent killer. Use compressed air to blow out the fans and heat sinks. Ensure there’s plenty of space for intake and exhaust. If a fan has actually stopped spinning, you can buy replacement fans at Yesmining and swap them out in minutes. It’s a very easy DIY fix!

B. Zero Hashrate (Showing “0 TH/s”)

Symptoms: The miner is on, but you aren’t earning.

The Fix: Log into your miner dashboard and ensure your worker name and pool URL are 100% correct. Sometimes a quick reset to factory settings or a firmware update solves software glitches.

C. Missing Hashboards or Chips (“X” Marks)

Symptoms: Your dashboard shows only 1 or 2 boards instead of 3, or you see “X” marks instead of “O”.

The Step-by-Step Fix:

1. Check Cables First: Open the top cover and ensure the data cables (ribbon cables) connecting the control board to the hashboards are secure. If a cable is damaged, replace it with a compatible data cable to restore functionality quickly. You can find compatible cables on the Yesmining accessories page.

2. Confirm the Failure: If cables are fine but boards still don’t show, you have a hardware issue.

3. Check Warranty: If your miner is under warranty, we strongly recommend sending it to the official Bitmain repair center. If it is out of warranty, we recommend finding a local repair shop nearby to save on international shipping costs and time.

4. Why DIY is Better (For Simple Parts)

When a miner stops, you don’t always need a professional technician. Replacing simple accessories yourself has major benefits. Official repair centers often have high service fees for simple fixes like a broken fan or a loose cable. Shipping a miner for repair can take weeks, leading to massive downtime.

By purchasing genuine Antminer accessories from Yesmining, you can get your machine running again in days, not months. It is the most cost-effective way to keep your operation running.

5. How to Read the “Kernel Log”

If the problem persists, check the Kernel Log by entering your miner’s IP address in your browser. Search (Ctrl + F) for these keywords:

• “Fan lost”: One of your fans is broken or unplugged. Time to order a replacement.

• “Overmax temp”: The miner is too hot and shut down for safety.

• “Read chip address error”: This points to a communication issue between the control board and hashboard.

Still Stuck? We’ve Got Your Back!

At Yesmining, we don’t just sell hardware; we support your mining journey. If you’ve followed this guide and still can’t figure out what’s wrong, don’t worry. Contact our sales team directly via Yesmining.io. Our technical team will assist you with advanced troubleshooting to identify the exact cause of the failure. Whether it’s a simple cable swap or a recommendation for a repair center, we are here to help you get back to mining!

Stop the downtime. Start the fix.

FAQ

• What does “Read chip address error” mean in the Antminer kernel log?
  This error usually indicates a communication issue between the control board and the hashboard. It can be caused by faulty data cables, unstable firmware, or a damaged hashboard. 

• What is the normal temperature range for an Antminer?
  Most Antminer models operate safely with chip temperatures between 60°C and 85°C. Temperatures consistently above this range may trigger automatic shutdown protection. 

• Why does my Antminer keep restarting?
  Frequent restarts are commonly caused by overheating, an unstable power supply, firmware corruption, or failing fans. Reviewing the kernel log can help identify the root cause.

• Can network issues cause zero hashrate?
  Yes. Network instability, packet loss, or poor connections to the mining pool can cause zero or low hashrate. Check the cables and router to ensure a stable network connection.