A Beginner’s Guide to Mean Well Power Supplies for Bitcoin Home Mining

This guide will walk beginners through the safe setup of Mean Well LRS power supplies for Bitcoin home mining devices like Bitaxe and NerdQaxe.

We will focus on these models that Solo Satoshi currently carries.

• Mean Well LRS-50-5
• Mean Well LRS-350-5
• Mean Well LRS-600-12

Read This First Safety Matters

Working with power supplies means working near or with live voltage. Live voltage can shock, injure, or kill if handled incorrectly. Take this section seriously!

• If you are not comfortable or confident working with electrical wiring, contact a licensed electrician.
• Always verify there is now power before touching any wiring.
• Never work on a live circuit.
• Do not open the metal case of the Mean Well supply.
• Use properly grounded three prong outlets and plugs only.
• Keep liquids, pets, and kids away from your setup.
• Do not place the power supply on flammable surfaces such as carpet, cardboard, or bedding.

Solo Satoshi cannot see your setup or verify your wiring in person. This guide is for educational and illustrative purposes only. This guide does not replace local electrical codes, the Mean Well datasheet, or professional advice. When in doubt, stop and ask for help. YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!

What a Mean Well LRS Power Supply Does

In simple terms:

• The wall gives you AC power.
• Your miner needs DC power at a specific voltage.
• The Mean Well LRS power supply converts AC to DC in a safe and controlled way.

Typical uses in a Bitcoin home mining setup:

• LRS-600-12 powers 12-volt miners such as the Bitaxe GT or the NerdQaxe++.
• LRS-50-5 powers a 5-volt miner such as the Bitaxe Gamma.
• LRS-350-5 can power multiple 5-volt miners such as the Bitaxe Gamma.
• *Always match the power supply voltage to to the input voltage of your device. Not doing so will result in your device being permanently damaged.

For every device, you must match two things:

1. Voltage must be correct.
2. Power (watts) must be higher than what the device needs.

• If the voltage is wrong, you can damage the device.
• If the wattage of the miner or miners is too large, the power supply can overload, overheat, or shut down, which can pose potential fire risks.

Sign up for our VIP subscriber list and receive newsletters, discounts, giveaways, and the best deals on Bitcoin home miners!

Getting to Know the Terminals and Parts

On the top of a typical LRS power supply you will see:

AC Input Side

Usually labeled:

• L for Line or Hot.
• N for Neutral.
• A ground symbol for Safety Earth.

DC Output Side

Usually labeled:

• V plus (V+) for positive output.
• V minus (V-) for negative return.

Other Things You Might See

• A small adjustment screw labeled V ADJ to fine tune output voltage slightly.
• A small LED that indicates the supply is on.
• An AC input voltage selector switch labeled 115V and 230V on some models (usually located on the right side of the power supply).
• Vent holes and a fan on larger models such as the LRS-600-12 and LRS-350-5.

Plan Before You Wire Anything

Before you start tightening screws, take a few minutes to plan.

1. Identify what each power supply will run.
   • Example 1 one LRS-600-12 dedicated to a group of 12-volt miners.
   • Example 2 one LRS-50-5 powering a 5-volt miner.
2. Check device labels or documentation.
   • Voltage needed.
   • Wattage needed.
3. Make sure the power supply is big enough.
   • The total watts of the devices should not exceed the safe continuous power of the Mean Well.
   • This is where the 80% rule comes in. We will cover that in detail below.
4. Check your wall circuit.
   • Know whether this is a 15 amp or 20 amp circuit.
   • Make sure you are not running electric heaters, hair dryers, and miners all on the same outlet strip or circuit.
5. Plan your cable path.
   • Keep cables neat and supported.
   • Avoid running low voltage miner cables right next to high voltage AC where possible.
   • Keep everything away from sharp metal edges and hot exhaust air.

Tools and Materials You Should Have

• Insulated screwdriver that fits the terminal screws.
• Wire strippers and wire cutters.
• Premade AC power cord for the AC input.
• Correct connectors and wires for your miners.
• A basic digital multi-meter.
• Cable ties for strain relief and cable management.
• Ring lugs to make good connections from your AC input and DC output wires to the Mean Well terminals.

If you are unsure about wire gauge, it is always safer to choose a thicker wire with a higher amp rating, as long as it fits the terminals securely.

Wiring the AC Input Side

The AC side is the most dangerous part of the process! If you are not experienced, do not experiment here.

The safest approach:

• Use a quality three prong AC cord.
• Line (usually black in North America) goes to L.
• Neutral (usually white) goes to N.
• Ground (usually green or green with yellow stripe) goes to the ground symbol terminal.

Important safety notes

• Unplug the AC cord while you are working on the terminals.
• Strip only enough insulation for the wire to be crimped in the ring lug with no bare copper showing.
• Tighten the terminal screws firmly, then gently tug the wire to confirm a snug connection.
• The ground wire is not optional! This is what keeps the metal case safe if something fails inside.
• Do not leave any single strands of copper sticking out that could touch another terminal or create an electrical hazard.

If you ever feel unsure about which conductor is which, stop and consult an electrician.

Wiring the DC Output Side

Now you will connect the power supply to your Bitcoin home miner or accessory.

1. Attach the DC wires to the Mean Well power supply.

• V+ (red) goes to the positive terminal of your Mean Well.
• V- (black) goes to the negative terminal of your Mean Well.
• Strip the wires back just enough to get a good crimp in a ring lug.
• Tighten firmly to the Mean Well terminals and tug test.
• The above configuration is very important. Reversing polarity will damage your mining device!

2. Support the cables.

• • Use cable ties to remove strain from the terminals.
  • Avoid relying on terminal screws to support hanging cables.

First Power Up Testing with a Meter

Before you connect the miner, you should confirm that the power supply is outputting the correct voltage.

1. Leave the miner disconnected.
2. Select the correct input voltage on the Mean Well selector, switch if applicable. This varies from model to model, but is often located on the right side of the device in a recessed area.
3. Plug in the AC cord and switch on power if your cord or circuit has a switch.
4. The LED on the power supply should illuminate.
5. Set you multimeter to measure DC voltage. Never touch the AC input side with your meter set to measure DC voltage!
6. Place the meter’s black probe on V-
   1. Place the meter’s red probe on V+
   2. Confirm the reading is close to the expected voltage.

Light adjustments with the V ADJ screw are possible. If you do adjust it, move very slowly, and always stay within the manufacturer recommended range.

Once you confirm voltage, unplug the power supply, connect the miner, and then plug back in.

The 80% Rule Explained Simply

The 80% rule is all about not running things at their absolute limit continuously. Running too close to the maximum rating creates more heat, more stress, and a shorter equipment life.

Think of it as a comfortable safety margin.

1. 80% Rule for Power Supplies

If a power supply is rated for a certain maximum wattage, you should not run it at that number continuously. Instead, plan for about 80% of that rating.

Example for an LRS-600-12:

• Rated power 600 watts.
• 80% of 600 watts is 480 watts.

That means

• It is smart to keep your continuous load at or below about 480 watts.
• Short spikes are usually fine, but a continuous load at 600 watts is not ideal or safe.

If each miner pulls about 80 watts:

• 480 watts divided by 80 watts equals 6 miners on paper.
• In practice, you might choose to run 5 miners so you have margin for startup surges, cable losses, and future firmware updates that might increase power draw.
• Overclocking devices will cause your miners to pull more wattage. Keep this in mind!

Example for an LRS-50-5:

• Rated power 50 watts.
• 80% of 50 watts is 40 watts.
• If your device needs 30 watts, you are comfortably inside that margin.

2. 80 Percent Rule for Circuits in Your Home

Wall circuits also have ratings.

• A 15 amp breaker should not be loaded more than about 12 amps continuously.
• A 20 amp breaker should not be loaded more than about 16 amps continuously.

Your miners, power supplies, lights, and anything else on that same circuit all add together. That is why it is important not to stack space heaters, dryers, and miners on the same outlet, circuit, or cheap power strip.

3. 80 Percent Rule for Wires and Connectors

Wires and connectors have amp ratings too.

• If a wire is rated for 10 amps, try to keep continuous current around 8 amps.
• This keeps the wire cooler and reduces voltage drop and connector stress.

For Bitcoin home mining this means:

• Do not try to push every last amp through a tiny connector.
• Always follow the connector manufacturer rating.
• Keep wire runs short when carrying higher current.

Overall the 80% rule is simple:

• Use the power supply, wires, and circuit below their maximum ratings.
• Leave breathing room so everything runs cooler and lasts much longer.

Never plan your setup right at the edge. Aim for about 80% of any rating as your normal continuous load. Your equipment will thank you!

Heat Management and Ventilation

Power supplies turn some energy into heat. If they cannot get rid of that heat, everything runs hotter and less safely.

• Mount the power supply in an open, well ventilated area.
• Do not cover the vent holes or fan openings.
• Do not mount it directly on carpet or soft fabric.
• Keep dust buildup under control with light cleaning when powered off and unplugged.
• Keep miners exhaust air from blowing directly into the power supply intake whenever possible.

Hot, dusty environments shorten the life of both miners and power supplies.

Grounding and Noise Considerations

Grounding is both a safety and noise control topic.

• Always use a three prong grounded AC cord.
• Ensure the outlet you are using is properly grounded.
• The metal case of the Mean Well supply should be bonded to ground through the ground terminal.

This helps:

• Trip the breaker properly if a fault ever occurs.
• Reduce electrical noise that can interfere with sensitive electronics.

Avoid:

• Adapters that remove the ground pin.
• Running your power supply on sketchy or unknown wiring.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Connecting a 5-volt miner to a 12-volt supply or the other way around.
• Putting more than two ring lugs on one Mean Well terminal point.
• Reversing polarity on the DC side.
• Leaving strands of copper wire loose at terminals.
• Overloading a power strip or circuit with multiple high wattage devices.
• Running at full rated power around the clock with no cooling or margin.
• Placing power supplies or miners on flammable surfaces.
• Letting cables hang from terminals with no strain relief.

If something smells like burning plastic, feels excessively hot to the touch, or trips breakers regularly, unplug it immediately and re-evaluate your setup.

Quick Model Reference

Mean Well LRS-50-5

• Compact 5-volt DC power supply
• Great for head room when overclocking one (1) Bitaxe Gamma.

Mean Well LRS-350-5

• Higher power 5-volt power supply for larger 5-volt loads
• Can support six (6) Bitaxe Gammas safely without overloading Mean Well terminals.

Mean Well LRS-600-12

• High power 12-volt DC supply for Bitcoin home miners such as the Bitaxe GT and NerdQaxe++.
• Can power four (4) heavily overclocked NerdQaxe++ models.
• Can power up to six (6) Heavily overclocked Bitaxe GTs,
• Plenty of capacity when you follow the 80% rule and choose proper wiring.

Always double check the label on your specific unit for the output voltage and wattage ratings.

When to Stop and Ask for Help

Stop and get help from a certified electrician or Solo Satoshi support if:

• You are not sure which wire goes to which terminal.
• Your breaker keeps tripping.
• You see sparks, smoke, or melted plastic.
• You measure a voltage that does not match the label.
• You simply feel uncomfortable with the process.

It is always better to slow down and ask than to guess when electricity is involved.