Miner Power Consumption
Power consumption is the wattage an ASIC draws from the grid while running. On modern asics it ranges from hundreds of watts on desktop units to 5 kW and more on hydro models.
What power consumption is
The spec sheet lists watts, and for the major brands that figure is already measured at the input, meaning at the wall. Bitmain explicitly marks the measurement at the power input, and MicroBT states total power draw. The old advice to add another ten percent on top is outdated for these brands and only inflates the math.
An ASIC's draw is nearly constant. Unlike a computer that sleeps and wakes, a miner holds the same load for days on end. For the power bill that is convenient: multiply kilowatts by hours and by the rate, there is nowhere to slip. For the wiring it is strict: it must carry that load continuously, not just at peak.
The real figure floats around the rated one by single percent. Heat and overclocking push it up, thrifty firmware profiles pull it down. A sharp deviation either way is a symptom: draw sagging along with hashrate means a dead hashboard, draw rising at the same hashrate means cooling trouble.
Quick reference table
| Unit | watts, kilowatts for the bill |
| Bitmain and MicroBT ratings | already at the wall, add nothing |
| Load profile | constant, around the clock |
| S21 as a reference | 3500 W, which is 84 kWh per day |
| Tied to | J/TH, the power bill, wire gauge |
What this means for the outlet and wiring
Miners of this class run on 220 to 240 volts. An ASIC at 3500 W pulls about 15 amps continuously, so an ordinary 16 A household line is fully occupied by it, no kettle, no washer. Two such asics fit on one phase behind a 32 A breaker, a third does not.
In Spain, contracted power comes on top of that. Household tiers are 3.45, 4.6, and 5.75 kW for the whole home, and a single-phase feed maxes out at 14.49 kW. One mid-class ASIC eats most of a household contract, and that conversation with your provider belongs before the purchase, not after the ICP trips.
Contacts and cables live at their limit for years, so skimping on them is off the table. One power connector contact carries 8 to 9 amps, and melted plugs are a classic of cheap extension cords. Install proper wire gauge, proper outlets, and a dedicated breaker for the miner's line.
Example on a real asic
Antminer S21: 3500 W around the clock is 84 kWh per day. At a household rate of about 0.135 euros that comes to roughly 11 euros a day and about 340 euros a month. A WhatsMiner M66 at 5572 W already burns about 134 kWh per day, and the bill grows to 18 euros a day. These figures are worth computing before buying: they depend on neither the coin price nor luck.
Related terms
Where to go next on the site
Hardware
- Antminer S21 tool
- WhatsMiner M66 tool
Numbers
Guides
- ASIC Miner knowledge base
Questions and answers
Should I add a margin to the rated watts when computing the bill
For Bitmain and MicroBT, no, their rating is already at the wall. The margin belongs to wiring and the breaker: continuous load is a harsh regime, and sizing components with no headroom is not an option.
Can an apartment handle an ASIC
Electrically, one mid-range ASIC fits into a household grid but takes up nearly the whole contracted limit, and noise-wise an air-cooled asic in a living room is unbearable. Noise usually becomes the problem before watts do.
Why did consumption grow without overclocking
Most often heat or clogged heatsinks: fans spin up to maximum, chips run hotter. Check the room temperature and how clean the asic is.
Do fewer watts mean better
Not by itself. Look at J/TH: an asic with high draw and low joules per terahash earns more than a frugal but inefficient one.
How the terms connect
Every link in the chain is clickable. Orange marks where you are now.
Looking for an ASIC miner
The catalog holds 212 models. You can compare them by hashrate and by joules per terahash, then plug your own rate into the calculator and see what stays in your pocket.
Page written and checked by Denys Klimchuk. Updated .