I was thinking about electric prices and politics in different regions. Purely hypothetical, but could mining at high altitude be better or worse for equipment? At higher altitudes, the air is less dense which means fans have to work harder, but it's usually cooler and less humid up there. Less fluctuation in temperature too, so cooling might be more consistent. Not planning a mining rig in El Alto, Bolivia just pondering...
-Dave
Yeah, since you don't need air for combustion like in engines, I think your only concern is the impact on coolers due to less dense air. Another thing is finding qualified maintenance people if you're in a remote high-altitude spot. But El Alto is a city, so that shouldn't be an issue.
It really comes down to how much cooler it is. Altitude and temperature are key when looking at fan performance. At sea level with high temps, you're losing a bit of efficiency, which might be comparable to a fan at a higher altitude with cooler temps. But all that is kinda cherry-picking and doesn’t mean it won't happen.
Yeah but with thinner air, it won’t cool as well, since there's less density. Wondering about liquid cooling though, if it’s sealed and pressurized, would it work better?
Like those new Bitmain products.
At sea level, pressure is 14.7 lbs, but at 10,000 feet it’s only 10.2 lbs. So density drops about 69% at the same temp. Humidity matters a lot too because moisture conducts heat way better than air. Personally, I’d take the cool, dry air at altitude. It’s not a huge deal if you’re working with miners.
If we’re talking about high altitudes, we gotta define that. Under 1500 meters might not be a big deal, could still get cheap energy plus cooler temps. But over 2000 meters? That's when air density starts messing with things.
That's totally wrong. Just stop if you don’t know the topic. Above 5000 ft, you gotta consider that air pressure affects equipment performance. Check the specs on anything; they often have altitude limits so it’s not just about temperature.
Come on, even though I get extreme altitude concerns in aerospace, a 12v device at regular altitudes? Doesn’t make sense. My extension cords and appliances work fine at 7200 ft. That limit of 5000 ft feels overly cautious.
What you guys said about air insulation is scientifically accurate. Many PSU manufacturers put altitude limits on their specs. At sea level, you need 8mm spacing, but at 5000m, it jumps to nearly 12mm. So yeah, altitude ratings matter a lot.
Those limits have safety margins built in. Sure, a bulb may blow under voltage stress, but a bit above the rated voltage can keep it running longer. Thinner air does create bigger sparks during discharges, though.
Generally true, but you can't just push those limits. Most devices are underrated. Bitmain is guilty of that too; saving a few bucks on solder for their expensive gear. Made in China, so who knows if they even hit their own standards.
Immersion cooling could be the answer to all this. Just oversize your dry cooler to handle the heat, and if the PSU is submerged, no arc problems from altitude. But where can you find cheap power at elevations over 2000m?