Is your ASIC miner underperforming? Do you want your miner to have a better performance? Learn the secrets of core voltage & frequency tuning to fix low submissions or safely overclock for higher hashrate!

* If you are new to crypto mining, we recommend to review  Home Mining FAQ - Understandable Answers for Newbies (2025 Updates) 

Quick Explain: Voltage & Frequency 

• Core Voltage: Think of this as the power delivered to the mining chip's brain (the core). Measured in millivolts (mV), it determines how much electrical energy is available for the chip to perform its calculations. Too little voltage leads to instability and low submissions ("summit"); too much increases heat dramatically and risks damage.

• Frequency: Measured in megahertz (MHz), this is the speed at which the chip performs its hashing calculations. Higher frequency means more calculations per second (potentially higher hashrate), but also demands more power and generates significantly more heat.

Crucially, these two settings are deeply interconnected. Cranking up the frequency requires sufficient voltage to keep the chip stable. Increasing voltage allows for potentially higher stable frequencies but also increases power draw and heat output. Finding the optimal balance for your specific chips is key.

Is There a "Best" Setting? The One-Fits-All Kind?

The short answer is No. Factory settings (e.g., 1150mV / 625MHz for a ASIC chip like the BM1370) are merely safe starting points based on averages across thousands of chips. However, even chips from the same production batch exhibit minor physical variations, meaning their ideal voltage/frequency sweet spot differs. Your miner's cooling efficiency and power supply stability also play massive roles.

This guide is essential for two scenarios:

1. Troubleshooting Underperforming Chips: Fixing low submission rates ("summit") and instability.

2. Pushing for More Hashrate (Overclocking - OC): Safely extracting extra performance – proceed with extreme caution!

Part 1: Fixing Low Submissions & Instability (Tuning Up)

Is your miner dashboard showing consistently low hash submissions ("summit") from specific chips, or is the overall hashrate consistently below expectations? This often points to insufficient core voltage for the current frequency.

Goal: Find the minimum stable voltage that eliminates errors and restores expected hashrate at the current frequency. This optimizes efficiency!

Here's the Safe Tuning Process:

1. Identify: Use your miner's monitoring interface ( like AxeOS, Braiins OS+, etc.) to check whether there are any specific ASIC chips that are consistently underperforming too much or showing errors

2. Baseline: Note the current Core Voltage and Frequency settings (e.g., 1150mV / 625MHz).

3. Small Voltage Increment: Increase the Core Voltage for the problematic chip(s) by a small increment, typically +10mV. (e.g., from 1150mV to 1160mV). 

4. Save & Reboot: Apply the new settings and restart the miner.

5. Monitor Closely: Observe the miner for at least 15-30 minutes:

   • Did the submission rate ("summit") for that chip improve?

   • Did the overall hashrate stabilize or increase?

   • Are there any new hardware errors or increased temperature warnings?

6. Iterate (If Needed): If the chip is still underperforming, repeat steps 3-5, increasing voltage by another +10mV. Do this gradually!

7. Diagnose Failure: If after several small increments (e.g., reaching 1200-1250mV) there's no improvement, the issue is likely a faulty chip or another hardware problem (like poor thermal paste contact). Extract and analyze the miner logs for detailed error and further diagnose.

* If you dont know how to extrat the log, kindly review this How to Pull out Log to Help Diagnose the Issue

Part 2: The Cautious Path to Overclocking (OC) 

WARNING: Overclocking is an advanced procedure with inherent RISKS.

• Requires Knowledge: A solid understanding of electronics, your specific hardware, and cooling limits is mandatory.

• Hardware Damage Risk: Incorrect settings can permanently damage your ASIC chips or hashboards.

• Heat & Efficiency: Overclocking may dramatically increases heat output and power consumption (Watts), potentially reducing efficiency (J/TH) and shortening hardware lifespan.

• Cooling is Important: You MUST have exceptional cooling (low environment temps, airflow, heatsinks) before attempting OC. Overheating is the fastest path to failure.

If you understand and accept these risks, here's a methodical approach to finding your miner's OC limit:

1. Prerequisites:

   • Miner is 100% stable and working normally.

   • Temperatures are well below critical thresholds (e.g., ASIC Temp < 80°C, TPS Temp < 95°C) under full load.

   • Power supply has significant headroom (check your PSU's capacity at least 20-30% above current draw).

   • Cooling system is optimized and clean.

2. Small Frequency Increment: Increase the Frequency for all chips by a small step, typically +10 MHz (e.g., from 625MHz to 635MHz).

3. Save & Reboot: Apply settings and restart.

4. Critical Monitoring (15-30+ mins): Watch like a hawk:

   • Stability/Submissions: Are chips maintaining stable submissions ("summit")? Is the actual hashrate meeting the expected hashrate for the new frequency (calculated by your firmware or pool)? A drop indicates instability due to insufficient voltage.

   • Temperatures: Are ASIC Core Temperatures staying below ~80°C? Are TPS Temperatures staying below ~95°C? Exceeding these often triggers automatic shutdowns. 

   • Hardware Errors: Are any new errors appearing in the logs or interface?

5. Stable? Repeat Frequency Increase: If both stability and temperatures are acceptable, repeat Step 2 (+10 MHz Frequency), then Steps 3 & 4.

6. Instability (Low Summit/Errors) Detected?

   • Increase Core Voltage: If instability appears before dangerous temperatures, increase Core Voltage by +10mV for the unstable chips/board.

   • Save, Reboot, Monitor: Apply the new voltage, restart, and go back to Step 4. Monitor temperatures even more closely – higher voltage = more heat!

7. Overheating Detected?

   • STOP! You've hit a thermal limit for your current cooling setup.

   • Roll Back: Immediately revert the last frequency or voltage increase that pushed temps too high.

   • Cooling Upgrade Needed: To push further, you must improve cooling (better fans, lower environment temp, hydro cooling). Proceeding risks shutdowns and hardware damage.

8. Finding Your Limit: Repeat this cycle (Increase Freq -> Monitor -> If Unstable, Increase Volt -> Monitor Temps) until you either:

   • Achieve your desired performance level.

   • Encounter instability that isn't safely fixable with voltage (within safe limits).

   • Hit your thermal limits (temperatures become dangerously high).

The settings where you stop (due to stability or thermals) represent your miner's current OC limit under your specific cooling conditions. Remember, running at the absolute limit is stressful. Most users find a stable, slightly lower OC that offers a good hashrate boost without maxing out temps or voltage.

Final Word: Tune Responsibly

This guide empowers you to diagnose underperformance and understand the principles of safely exploring higher performance through core voltage and frequency tuning. It is NOT an encouragement to recklessly overclock.

• OC Risks Are Real: Potential rewards come with significant risks of permanent damage, fire hazard from overheating, and voided warranties.

• Efficiency Matters: Higher frequency and voltage drastically increase power consumption. Calculate if the extra hashrate justifies the extra electricity cost and potential hardware wear.

• Power Quality is Crucial: If your electricity supply is unstable (brownouts, surges, solar/wind fluctuations), DO NOT OVERCLOCK. Instability in power magnifies the risks of damaging your hardware during OC.

Use this knowledge wisely. Start small, monitor obsessively, prioritize stability and cooling, and always respect the hardware's limits. Happy (and safe) mining!