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🚀 Advanced Overclocking Guide

🟠 Advanced📚 20 min read🔄 Updated Jan 31, 2025
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⚠️ READ THIS FIRST
Overclocking voids your warranty and can permanently damage your Bitaxe. Only proceed if you're comfortable with the risk. This guide assumes you have proper cooling and understand the basics of voltage/frequency relationships.

⚡ What is Overclocking?

Overclocking means running your Bitaxe's ASIC chip at higher frequencies and voltages than stock settings. This increases hashrate but also increases:

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Heat Output

Temperature can jump 10-20°C

Power Draw

Can exceed PSU capacity

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Component Stress

Reduced lifespan possible

Why Overclock? 🎯

  • More tickets: Higher hashrate = more chances to find a block
  • Better value: Squeeze maximum performance from your hardware
  • Learning: Understand how ASICs work at a deeper level
  • Fun factor: Pushing hardware to its limits is rewarding

📋 Before You Start

Make sure you have everything needed for safe overclocking:

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⚠️
Stock Cooling is NOT Enough for Aggressive OC
If you want to push beyond 10% overclock, you MUST upgrade cooling. Consider: larger heatsinks, better thermal paste, external fans, or even water cooling for extreme overclocks.

🔋 Understanding Voltage & Frequency

These are the two key settings that control your Bitaxe's performance:

⚡ Voltage (Core Voltage)

The amount of electrical power fed to the ASIC chip. Higher voltage allows higher frequencies but generates more heat.

Measured in:
Millivolts (mV)
Stock range:
1100-1200 mV
Safe max:
1300 mV

📡 Frequency (Clock Speed)

How fast the ASIC chip operates. Higher frequency = more hashes per second = more hashrate.

Measured in:
Megahertz (MHz)
Stock range:
490-525 MHz
Safe max:
650 MHz (with cooling)
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The Golden Rule
Higher frequency REQUIRES higher voltage. If you increase frequency without increasing voltage, your Bitaxe will crash or produce invalid shares. Always increase voltage first, then frequency.

Relationship Between V/F and Hashrate:

Stock (525 MHz, 1200mV): 1.20 TH/s, ~60°C, ~30W
Light OC (575 MHz, 1250mV): 1.32 TH/s, ~68°C, ~35W
Medium OC (625 MHz, 1300mV): 1.43 TH/s, ~75°C, ~42W
Heavy OC (650 MHz, 1350mV): 1.48 TH/s, ~82°C, ~48W
Extreme (700 MHz, 1400mV): 1.60 TH/s, ~90°C+, ~55W+ (DANGEROUS)

✅ Safe Overclocking Process

Follow this step-by-step process to safely overclock without damaging your device:

The Safe OC Method:

  1. 1

    Record Baseline

    Write down current voltage, frequency, hashrate, and temperature

  2. 2

    Small Increments Only

    Increase voltage by 25-50mV, frequency by 25 MHz at a time

  3. 3

    Save & Restart

    Apply settings and restart the device

  4. 4

    Monitor for 30 Minutes

    Watch temperature, hashrate stability, and share rejection rate

  5. 5

    Check Stability

    If stable and temp <78°C, go back to step 2. If unstable, reduce settings

  6. 6

    Final 24h Burn-In

    Once you find your limit, run for 24 hours to confirm long-term stability

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STOP Immediately If:
• Temperature exceeds 85°C
• Hashrate becomes erratic or drops
• Share rejection rate exceeds 5%
• Device crashes or reboots randomly
• You smell burning or see smoke

⚡ Bitaxe Gamma (BM1366) Overclocking

The Gamma uses Bitmain's BM1366 chip (same as Antminer S19 XP). Here are proven safe overclock profiles:

ProfileVoltageFrequencyHashrateTempPower
Stock1200 mV525 MHz1.20 TH/s~60°C~30W
Conservative1250 mV575 MHz1.32 TH/s~68°C~35W
Moderate1280 mV600 MHz1.37 TH/s~72°C~38W
Aggressive1300 mV625 MHz1.43 TH/s~75°C~42W
Extreme1350 mV650 MHz1.48 TH/s~82°C~48W
Dangerous1400 mV+700 MHz+1.60+ TH/s90°C+55W+
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Recommended: Moderate Profile
For most users, the Moderate profile (1280mV, 600MHz) offers the best balance. You get 14% more hashrate with manageable heat and minimal risk. Requires stock cooling.

How to Apply in AxeOS:

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⚡ Bitaxe Supra (BM1368) Overclocking

The Supra uses the newer BM1368 chip (from Antminer S21). It's more efficient but also more sensitive to voltage changes.

ProfileVoltageFrequencyHashrateTemp
Stock1150 mV490 MHz600 GH/s~55°C
Light OC1200 mV525 MHz650 GH/s~62°C
Medium OC1250 mV550 MHz690 GH/s~70°C
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Supra is More Sensitive
The BM1368 chip doesn't overclock as aggressively as the BM1366. Going above 1250mV can cause instability. Stick to conservative settings unless you have excellent cooling.

❄️ Cooling Requirements

Proper cooling is THE most important factor in successful overclocking. Here's what you need:

Stock Cooling

Good for: Up to 10% overclock
Max temp: 75°C
Cost: Included
The stock heatsink and 40mm fan work fine for conservative overclocks (575MHz on Gamma). Beyond that, upgrade.

Enhanced Cooling

Good for: 15-20% overclock
Max temp: 70°C
Cost: $10-30
Add a 60-80mm external fan, upgrade thermal paste to Arctic MX-4, or use a larger aftermarket heatsink.

Extreme Cooling

Good for: 25%+ overclock
Max temp: 65°C
Cost: $50-150
Custom water blocks, Noctua fans, massive heatsinks, or even immersion cooling for world-record attempts.

DIY Cooling Upgrades:

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🧪 Stability Testing

How to know if your overclock is actually stable:

Stability Checklist:

Temperature Stays Under 78°C

Over 24 hours of continuous operation

Hashrate is Consistent

No sudden drops or fluctuations >5%

Share Rejection Rate <2%

Check your pool's website for your worker stats

No Random Reboots

Device should stay connected continuously

Fan Speed Normal

Not maxed out trying to compensate for heat

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The 24-Hour Rule
Always run your final overclock settings for 24 hours before considering it "stable." What works for 1 hour might fail at hour 6 when components are heat-soaked.

🔧 Overclock Troubleshooting

❌ Device Crashes or Won't Boot

Cause: Voltage too low for the frequency, or settings corrupted

Solution:

  • • Hold BOOT button for 10+ seconds to factory reset
  • • Lower frequency or increase voltage
  • • Start over with conservative settings

❌ High Share Rejection Rate

Cause: ASIC producing invalid hashes due to instability

Solution:

  • • Reduce frequency by 25 MHz
  • • Increase voltage by 25 mV
  • • Check cooling - might be thermal throttling

❌ Hashrate Lower Than Expected

Cause: Thermal throttling or chip hitting power limits

Solution:

  • • Improve cooling immediately
  • • Check if temperature exceeds 75°C
  • • Verify power supply can handle the load

🎯 Final Thoughts

Overclocking is fun, educational, and can squeeze more performance from your Bitaxe. But remember:

  • You're still not going to make money - this is for fun and learning
  • 20% more hashrate doesn't significantly improve your lottery odds
  • Pushing too hard will reduce the lifespan of your device
  • Conservative overclocks (10-15%) are the sweet spot