Power-supply budget — watts are drawn, never borrowed
In plain words: the PSU has a watt ceiling and the bot never crosses it — neither during the search nor in normal work.
How it works
What Power Limit (PL) is
PL is the per-card wattage ceiling: the card will not draw more even if it could. Less PL — the hashrate may drop slightly, but power and temperature drop for sure. More PL — more hashrate, more watts and heat as well.
How the bot counts the budget
The install wizard suggests the value itself: the sum of the found cards' PL ceilings with a ~20% reserve. You set the PSU once; from then the bot counts the cards and the system and stays inside the budget.
Where to see the load
Telegram
/psu: how the PSU is loaded right now, the split between cards and the headroom. Changed the PSU or cards — set the new inputs with the same command.Limits are distributed automatically
In hashrate mode the bot may raise one card's PL at the expense of another one that does not need it, find every card's maximum and pick the best distribution:
/balance run. Counting watts by hand is never needed.
Why a beginner benefits
Exceeding the budget "just a bit" is a real risk: breaker trips, protection trips, overheated wiring. The bot simply makes that impossible: every action fits the budget.FAQ
Do I count the budget myself?
You do not: the wizard sums the found cards and adds 20%. New PSU — /psu with the fresh numbers.
Does the budget include the system?
Yes: the motherboard, CPU and fans are estimated by the bot and accounted for in the spread.
A card asks for more PL?
That is the bot's job: it takes watts where a card does not need them and gives them where they produce hashrate. No decision on your side.
Is the limit rig-wide or per-card?
One rig-wide limit (pl_total_max in watts); the distribution across cards is automatic, and per-card overrides exist via /pl.
Bot control is described in the guide; terms and disclaimer — #terms.
Independent project: not affiliated with Hiveon/HiveOS; their names belong to their owners.