Bitcoin Mining Rig Warm Wind: Office Experience

Recently, we acquired a Bitcoin mining heating integrated machine and are using it for office heating. We believe that, in the long run, such devices may play an important role in the Bitcoin mining industry. As the lifespan of dedicated integrated circuits ( ASIC ) increases and production costs decrease, combining mining with heating may become more economically viable. Theoretically, if heating is already needed, this type of device can achieve 100% energy efficiency for mining, with operational energy costs being zero.

The current challenge is that the lifespan of ordinary heaters can reach 10-15 years, while the update speed of Bitcoin mining rigs is relatively fast. At the same time, the cost of producing ASICs is high, and only continuous mining can recover these costs. However, we anticipate that with technological advancements, the efficiency improvement of ASICs may slow down, and the lifespan may extend to around 10 years. At that time, integrating Bitcoin mining with various heating devices may become more meaningful.

The device we tested can mine at a maximum power of 400W. If more heat is needed, the power can be increased to 1400W, with an additional 1000W used solely for heating and not for mining.

Preliminary Impressions

This device essentially packages an old Bitcoin Mining Rig into a beautifully designed round steel casing, with noise levels lower than professional Mining Rigs. Its goal is to become a consumer-friendly device, potentially competing more with certain high-end appliance brands rather than targeting Bitcoin enthusiasts.

One major drawback we found is that, although the device can be remotely monitored through the mobile application, it seems that remote control is not possible. Given that the device needs to be connected to the internet for mining, the lack of remote control functionality is unfortunate. Compared to some high-end heaters, the design of the device's display screen and control panel appears somewhat rough.

Another drawback is the inability to choose a mining pool. Although this product is designed to be more user-friendly and does not support complex operations, adding a custom mining pool feature in the settings would be very helpful.

Operating Indicators

In the test, we first focused on the noise level. In an office environment with a background noise of about 48.5 decibels, the noise measured after the device was turned on was 56.5 decibels. According to simple calculations, the noise generated by the device itself is about 55.8 decibels, which is higher than the advertised 40 decibels, but still much quieter than a regular Mining Rig (, which is about 80 decibels ).

The typical power consumption of the device in mining-only mode is about 440W, slightly higher than the 400W reported by the application. The application shows a hashrate of approximately 10 TH/s, but we cannot verify this as we cannot view the mining pool data.

According to application data, the mining efficiency is about 40 J/Th, comparable to the top ASICs released in early 2020. While purchasing old mining rigs separately may be cheaper, modifying them to serve as office heaters requires additional work. In contrast, the advantage of this device is that it looks similar to a regular heater, making it more suitable for traditional office environments.

Conclusion

Considering the cost of electricity for commercial use, using it solely as a Mining Rig may not be economically viable. However, if used only when heating is needed, the electricity cost can be negligible, making mining feasible after deducting the equipment cost. Compared to ordinary electric heaters, the price premium of this device would take several years of mining earnings to offset. In comparison to some high-end air purifiers, the price difference is not significant, but the latter may excel in appearance and functionality.

For tech startups in cold regions, this type of equipment may be more attractive. In the long run, as technology advances, devices that combine Bitcoin mining with heating may become more cost-effective and practical. We will continue to monitor the developments in this field.