Bitmain Antminer S19K Pro
The cryptocurrency mining hardware market is constantly evolving, and keeping up with the hardware architecture of new models is essential for any repair technician. Recently, the Bitmain Antminer S19K Pro has become a popular choice for miners. With a current market price hovering around $720 and a hash rate of 120 TH/s, it offers an impressive price-to-performance ratio.
However, as these units begin to age or suffer from heat stress, S19K pro hashboard repair becomes a necessary skill. One common question we encounter in the shop is regarding chip compatibility: specifically, can you use Antminer XP chips on an S19K Pro?
In this case study, we will walk you through a recent repair that answers this question definitively.
Understanding the Architecture: BM1366AL vs. BM1366AG
Before diving into the repair, it is important to understand the board design. The S19K Pro features a hashboard design that is remarkably similar to the Antminer XP.
Standard S19K Pro units come equipped with the bm1366al chip. However, supply chain issues can sometimes leave technicians without specific parts. This leads to the question: are the chips interchangeable?
The short answer is yes. The Bitmain S19K Pro chip architecture is essentially the same as the Antminer XP. This means that the BM1366AG (found in the XP) and the bm1366al (found in the K Pro) are cross-compatible. While many experienced technicians are already aware of this, for those new to S19K pro hashboard repair, this is a crucial tip: if you run out of AL chips, you can confidently use the AG variant.
The Diagnostic Process
We recently received a hashboard that was completely non-functional. Upon connecting it to the hashboard tester, the result was a “0 ASIC” detection. As shown in the diagnostic logs, the entire screen was red, indicating a total communication failure on the chain.
During our initial S19K pro hashboard repair diagnostic, we traced the signal and identified an abnormal reading at chip #39.
The Repair: Swapping the Chips
At the time of this repair, our inventory was completely out of the stock bm1366al chips. However, we did have BM1366AG chips salvaged from an Antminer XP. Relying on the architectural similarities, we replaced the faulty chip #39 with the BM1366AG.
After replacing the chip, we ran the test again. Progress! The board was no longer showing 0 ASICs. However, the repair wasn’t finished yet. The tester was now detecting 62 chips, meaning the signal was breaking down before reaching the final 77th chip.
Troubleshooting the Signal Break
We focused our attention on the area where the detection stopped—specifically around chip #62 and chip #63.
This part of the diagnosis was tricky. When we measured the voltage and signal values at chips #62 and #63, everything appeared normal. The standard signals (CLK, CO, RI, BO, RST) seemed to be within range. A less experienced technician might suspect the tester was giving a false positive or that the new chip was faulty.
However, we knew the tester was reliable as it had just been used on a working board. We decided to perform a more detailed, granular inspection of the components between the chips.
The Final Solution
Upon closer inspection, we found the culprit: a small resistor located between chip #62 and #63 had failed. While the chips themselves were effectively processing signals, the resistor was preventing the transmission from continuing down the chain.
We replaced the faulty resistor and ran the test one last time. The result? The hashboard detected all 77 chips perfectly.
Conclusion
This repair confirms that for S19K pro hashboard repair, you have flexibility with your parts inventory. If you are stuck without a bm1366al, do not hesitate to use a BM1366AG. Furthermore, always remember that even if chip signals appear normal, passive components like resistors can often be the silent cause of a chain failure.