What is Bitmain ANTminer L3 + and L3 ++: power and ROI

At the very beginning of the release, the Antminer L3 model from the famous Chinese brand Bitmain was considered one of the most productive ASIC miners for mining Litecoin.

He also had prospects for mining a number of other cryptocurrencies – however, over time, the technique became irrelevant. Now on the market you can find an improved version – L3 +, which works according to the same algorithm. Scrypt, but allowing you to earn more over the same period, and, therefore, pay off the miner faster. In order to determine the capabilities of the device, you should get acquainted with the description of its technical characteristics and the calculation of the payback of the device in the conditions of 2020.

Specifications

The first version of ASIK ANTminer L3 appeared on the market in early 2017 and made a good impression due to its technical characteristics. With an electricity consumption within 0.4 kW / h, it allowed mining cryptocurrencies using the Scrypt algorithm at speeds up to 250-255 MH / s. However, with the increase in the complexity of Litecoin mining, TH miners gradually became outdated, and buyers did not receive the quick payback promised by the manufacturer. Because of this, the company launched the following modification of the ASIK L3 + miner on the market.

The improved version has twice the performance – 504 MH / s. The reason for the improvement in performance was the use of four standard ANTminer L3 boards – because of this, the noise from the cooling system, size and power consumption increased. In October 2017, the manufacturer Bitmain pleased mining fans with another modification with the same name. The difference in this version was the overclocked chip, which increased the hash rate to 600 MH / s while the ANTminer L3 consumption increased by only 50 watts. The noise of the model increased to 75 dB.

An attempt to further improve the characteristics of the ANTminer L3 led to the appearance of the L3 ++ version. However, it turned out to be even less successful than the first modification. With a consumption of 942 W of electricity, the device provided a performance lower than that of the previous version – from 580 to 596 MH / s. The dimensions and weight of this Bitmain ANTminer L3 ASIC remained at the same level. The level of noise generated due to good sound insulation also did not increase.

Tab. 1. Technical parameters of the three versions of the ASIC miner.

The cost of the device and where to buy a miner

In order to buy ANTminer L3 in 2020, you will not have to contact the manufacturer who has stopped selling outdated equipment, but to the online store.

This model is also available on the website of the official distributor of Bitmain in the Russian Federation, but the price is communicated to the client upon request. Link to the store page https://www.antminer-russia.ru/asic-bitmain-antminer-l3-plus.

In the online store https://ibmm.ru/katalog/bitmain/antminer-l3-plus this ASIK model can be bought in Moscow for 6900 rubles. The seller imports goods from China, gives a discount on wholesale and assists in overclocking and flashing the device.

And at https://www.avito.ru/moskva?q=antminer+l3+%2B the average price of this ASIK is 6500 rubles.

It is advisable to take into account the low resource of such used equipment, the warranty period for which does not exceed 3 months. Antminer-russia gives only one month warranty.

Having looked for the latest version of ANTminer, you can buy it in Moscow, which can cost from 6-7 thousand rubles, you can also find several advantageous offers.

Connection and settings

The process of connecting ANTminer L3, setting up and launching it into operation does not differ from most Bitmain models and other ASIKs similar in principle. Before starting mining, the owner of the equipment should do the following:

1. Make sure that the equipment is in the wired Internet access zone (connection is made via Ethernet), and the noise from its operation will not disturb others.
2. Install the device so that there is enough space between the cooler and nearby objects.
3. Connect ASIK to the power supply unit, which is connected to the mains, and start.
4. Go to setting up ASIK L3 using a computer operating in the same network.
5. Dial the device address by setting the appropriate operating parameters. If necessary, install the latest firmware on ANTminer L3.
6. Specify the address, login and password of the selected pool in the device settings.
7. Press the SAVE button and wait for the ASIC miner to reboot.

If the first version of the second modification with a hash rate of 504 MH / s is used, you can try overclocking the ANTminer L3, increasing performance within 15-20%. However, this step will lead to an increase in noise and temperature, and to a decrease in resource. It is worth noting that the work of the miner when the components are already heated to 80 degrees can lead to its failure.

Custom firmware for overclocking to 700 Mh / s can be downloaded from here https://mega.nz/#!Nx0U0L6Q!YqVAB-cbcLAH3gkdEqNq3Q1_wtMJ6IGih-DbbB7Hyg4.

But, keep in mind, all actions you perform at your own peril and risk. As one of the users of the Bits Media forum wrote: “The quality of modern Bitmain products is not great enough to overclock them. On the contrary, take care of the equipment so that the iron in the drain will work for at least a couple of years. “

Pool change

In order to configure the pool for Antminer L3, you should find a suitable option in the list of popular services. For mining cryptocurrencies using the Scrypt algorithm, they are suitable Antpool, F2Pool, BW, Litecoinpool и Coinotron… The best pool is considered Nicehash, characterized by high security, constantly working technical support and a user-friendly interface.

To change the settings, follow these steps:

1. The IP address of the equipment is entered into the address line, which should be found out even during the first connection.
2. In the form that appears, enter the password and login (by default – the word “root”).
3. The URL field contains the address of the service.
4. The Worker field contains the name of the worker from the selected pool.
5. The API-Key is entered, which is created at the first start.
6. The settings are saved by clicking Save & Apply.
7. Reboot in progress.

If mining does not automatically start, the miner is rebooted again. After correctly connecting and starting the device into operation, you can monitor mining on the Worker tab of the pool’s official website. If you have problems, you should contact the technical support of the service.

Currency selection for L3 +

An urgent question for the owner of ANTminer L3 is what to mine in 2020, and whether it makes sense to continue using this technique. If we are talking about the first modification, it is not difficult to answer it – the device should not be used for mining cryptocurrencies. For later versions, the situation is no longer so straightforward – the L3 + and L3 ++ models still allow mining so as not to be at a loss.

With an electricity price of $ 0.06 / kWh, the miner does not go negative only when mining Verge-Scrypt (XVG).

The rest of the coins of the Scrypt algorithm bring income to the owner of the miner only if there is a free socket. However, tomorrow these data may lose their relevance. According to experts’ forecasts, the Litecoin course may take off (link to source: https://changelly.com/blog/ru/litecoin-price-prediction/ ), and then mining this asset for ANTminer L3 + will again become profitable. There are many other altcoins on the Scrypt algorithm and any of them can go up in price.

For full information about the coins available for mining, see the resource MiningPoolStats… To be aware of which cryptocurrency has the highest current profit, start your day by visiting WhatToMine, an online mining profitability calculator. You can find out how to use it from the detailed review on our website.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantages of such equipment include:

• relatively affordable cost in 2020;
• payback, which is much higher compared to farms on video cards;
• the minimum number of elements that are needed for the device to operate is the ANTminer L3 itself, a power supply and a wired Internet connection;
• reliability of equipment that can last at least 5 years;
• quick restart when a malfunction occurs;
• small dimensions that allow the miner to take up a minimum of space.

Among the minuses, there is a strong noise from a powerful cooling system and poor maintainability. A failed ASIK chip cannot be repaired.

Some users say that ANTminer L3 cannot be flashed even if there is a suitable firmware. Not everyone is satisfied with the impossibility of repurposing the miner to work with other algorithms. And sometimes ANTminer L3 after the firmware stops seeing the boards, which requires a rollback to the old software version.

Payback in 2020

Summarizing

Considering the payback of Bitmain ANTminer L3, you can see that it is recommended to buy the L3 + modification in 2020. Even without overclocking, it allows you to make a profit just 7 months after purchase. True, ASIKs of this model can only be bought second-hand, and it is not known how long they will last. For a profitable miner to work, it is recommended to comply with several conditions.

• Firstly, it is advisable to buy it at the lowest price, and secondly, it is worth mining cryptocurrency in regions with a low price of electricity.
• An important point is the owner’s ability to repair the Antmeiner L3 with his own hands to save on maintenance.

And most importantly, for the smooth operation of IC devices, they need to provide the proper conditions. Due to the high noise level, ASIKi cannot be installed in residential buildings, these devices do not tolerate heat, high humidity and dust. It is important to ensure a stable electrical and internet connection.

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