In times of a global pandemic, and a not so stable political environment, Bitcoin is booming. The pandemic-induced economic misery has played into the hands of our industry by not only attracting professionals but also reviving Bitcoin mining as a way of generating passive income.
Countries with difficult economic situations have recently witnessed a strong rise in the purchase of GPU cards. In Abkhazia, where crypto activities long been illegal, residents spent more than $500,000 on Bitcoin mining equipment over the last six months. Another factor of course are the strong crypto prices. Bitcoin (BTC) has risen by almost a third,
Home miners rarely invest in ASIC miners so the comments below are aimed at people thinking of building a GPU based rig. A Bitcoin mining rig consists of computers that have many graphics cards but no screen. The cases are filled with GPU cards, a power-generating unit, a motherboard and a noisy cooling system. A monitor can be connected, and it can then become a regular computer where a user can open a browser;
The Bitcoin Mining is connected to the internet, and therefore the blockchain. To be more specific, a Bitcoin mining rig needs to consist of:
An normal motherboard, which can link to a number of GPU card connectors.
A hard disk with 100 to 250 gigabytes of memory to house the wallet, with a Bitcoin wallet requiring 50 GB or more.
Several GPU cards, the most important components in a rig
A power-generating unit. A rig with four GPUs requires more than a single power unit. Usually, home miners have a few 750-watt units connected together.
A power adapter for GPU cards. These cards are connected to the motherboard using extension cards called “risers.” There are many different types, but the PCI-E 1x version 006 is probably the best.
A power switch.
A cooling system, perhaps with several coolers to provide more airflow.
Another important detail is the frame. A frame should be made out of wood or aluminium. The size of the mining rig needs to be larger than its frame due to parts, which stick out, adapters and a cooling system. For example, a seven-GPU rig will be approximately 22 inches wide (55 centimeters), 14 inches deep (35 centimeters) and 12 inches high (30 centimeters).
After purchasing all the components of the rig, it’s time to design it, and this is easy for a person who has experience with computer hardware.
When a rig is ready, the home miner needs to install software — i.e., to choose a program for mining. There are plenty of those around, and the majority are free.
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