Product Overview

The Avalon Nano 3S is a compact, low-noise SHA-256 Bitcoin (BTC) ASIC miner designed specifically for home use. Delivering 6 TH/s at just 140W, it operates more like a household appliance than a traditional mining machine — so quiet that it can run in a living room, bedroom, or home office without causing disruption. This makes it one of the most practical Bitcoin mining options for South African home environments.

The “3S” designation in the Avalon Nano series indicates Canaan’s third-generation compact home miner. Unlike commercial ASIC hardware, the Nano 3S is designed with home users in mind — featuring whisper-quiet operation, a USB-C or standard power connection, and a compact form factor that fits on a desk or shelf. As a secondary benefit, the Nano 3S generates warmth, functioning as a passive heater for the room where it operates — a modest but real secondary function in cooler climates.

For South African Bitcoin enthusiasts who want to participate in Bitcoin mining without the noise, heat, and electrical demands of industrial ASIC hardware, the Avalon Nano 3S represents a practical solution. It can also be thought of as part of the solo mining and lucky miners category — at 6 TH/s it makes a meaningful contribution to pool mining and an aspirational contribution to solo Bitcoin block hunting.

Key Features

• 6 TH/s SHA-256 Hashrate: Low-to-mid range Bitcoin mining hashrate, well-suited for pool participation or solo mining. At 6 TH/s, the Nano 3S contributes proportionally to pool earnings and represents a meaningful entry point for home Bitcoin miners.
• 140W Power Consumption: Extremely low power draw for an ASIC miner. At 140W, the Nano 3S draws less power than most desktop computers or LED televisions — runnable on any standard wall socket without dedicated circuit planning.
• Silent Operation: The Avalon Nano 3S is designed for near-silent home use. Its cooling system operates at very low noise levels — suitable for bedrooms, home offices, and living areas without disrupting daily life.
• Compact Desk/Shelf Form Factor: Designed to sit on a desk or shelf, the Nano 3S is small enough to fit anywhere a household appliance would go. No rack mounting or dedicated mining room required.
• Passive Heating Benefit: The heat generated by the mining process warms the immediate environment, functioning as a secondary space heater — a modest but appreciated benefit in rooms where heating is desired.
• Standard Power Connection: Plugs into a standard wall socket. No dedicated circuit, industrial PSU, or electrical modifications needed.
• Wi-Fi and Ethernet Connectivity: Connects to your home network via Wi-Fi or Ethernet for pool configuration and performance monitoring.

Technical Specifications

• Algorithm: SHA-256
• Supported Coins: Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), and other SHA-256 cryptocurrencies
• Hashrate: 6 TH/s
• Power Consumption: 140W
• Power Efficiency: ~23.3 J/TH
• Cooling: Low-noise passive/active cooling (near-silent)
• Noise Level: Near-silent (home-use design)
• Input Voltage: 100–240V AC, 50/60 Hz (universal)
• Networking: Wi-Fi + 1× RJ45 Ethernet
• Operating Temperature: 0°C to 40°C
• Dimensions: Compact desktop form factor (confirm exact dimensions at time of purchase)
• Power Supply: Included (standard wall plug)

Power & Installation Notes

The Avalon Nano 3S draws just 140W — making it one of the simplest mining units to deploy from an electrical standpoint. In South Africa, no dedicated circuit is required. A standard 15A or 16A household wall socket can handle the Nano 3S alongside other normal household loads without any issues.

South Africa’s 230V / 50Hz supply is within the Nano 3S’s universal 100–240V input range. No transformer is required. Simply plug in, connect to your home Wi-Fi or Ethernet, configure your Bitcoin mining pool, and begin mining. There is no need to involve a registered electrician for Nano 3S installation.

Load shedding resilience is excellent for this unit. At 140W, the Nano 3S can run for many hours on even a basic home UPS or inverter system. A standard 1 kVA UPS with a 100Ah battery can sustain the Nano 3S for approximately 6–8 hours — covering virtually any standard load-shedding schedule. This makes it one of the most load-shedding-resilient Bitcoin mining options available. For home miners with solar panels, the Nano 3S can run comfortably on even a modest solar setup.

Thermal management: the Nano 3S operates at low temperatures relative to industrial ASICs and does not require any special ventilation. Standard room airflow is adequate. In winter months, operators will appreciate its modest warmth contribution to the room.

Electricity Cost Context — South Africa

At Eskom’s approximate residential reference tariff of R2.80/kWh, the monthly electricity operating cost for the Avalon Nano 3S is estimated as follows:

(140 ÷ 1,000) × 24 × 30 × 2.80 = R282.24 per month

This is an operating cost estimate only — not a profitability projection. At approximately R282/month in electricity, the Nano 3S has one of the lowest electricity operating costs of any dedicated Bitcoin miner. While its 6 TH/s hashrate means Bitcoin earnings are modest, the combination of low electricity cost, plug-and-play simplicity, and near-silent operation makes it a practical entry point for South African home Bitcoin miners who want to contribute to the network at minimal running cost.

Ideal Use Cases

• Home Bitcoin mining without infrastructure: The Nano 3S is the ideal first Bitcoin miner for South African home users — no dedicated circuit, no special ventilation, no noise, just plug in and mine.
• Bitcoin education and participation: For enthusiasts who want to actively participate in the Bitcoin network and experience mining firsthand without the cost and complexity of industrial hardware, the Nano 3S delivers that experience accessibly.
• Load-shedding-proof mining: At 140W, the Nano 3S is the most resilient Bitcoin miner for South African load shedding. Run it on a small UPS, a home battery backup, or even solar panels during outages — minimal power requirement means maximum uptime.
• Solo mining aspirants: For Bitcoin enthusiasts who enjoy the lottery-style participation of solo mining, the Nano 3S can be pointed at a solo mining pool where all 6 TH/s contribute to the (admittedly remote) chance of solving a block and claiming the full block reward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Avalon Nano 3S work on South African power?
Yes. The Nano 3S has a universal 100–240V / 50–60Hz power supply, making it fully compatible with South Africa’s 230V / 50Hz grid. No transformer is needed — simply plug into any standard wall socket.

How much Bitcoin can the Nano 3S mine?
At 6 TH/s, the Nano 3S earns a proportional share of pool rewards based on Bitcoin’s current network hashrate and difficulty. Exact earnings depend on Bitcoin price, network difficulty, and pool fees at the time. Use a mining profitability calculator with your specific electricity rate for current estimates.

Is the Nano 3S truly silent?
Yes — the Avalon Nano 3S is designed for near-silent home use. Its noise output is far below industrial ASIC miners and is not disruptive in normal home environments. It is suitable for bedrooms, home offices, and living rooms.

Can the Nano 3S run during load shedding?
Yes — at 140W, the Nano 3S can run for 6–8+ hours on a standard home UPS or battery backup. It is one of the best Bitcoin miners for continuous operation through South African load-shedding schedules.

What pool should I use with the Avalon Nano 3S?
For pool mining, major SHA-256 Bitcoin pools include Foundry USA, AntPool, ViaBTC, and F2Pool. For solo mining, services like CK Pool or Solo.ckpool.org allow you to point the Nano 3S at solo mining infrastructure and earn the full block reward on the rare occasion a block is solved.

What’s Included

• 1× Avalon Nano 3S mining unit
• Power adapter/cable
• Quick-start guide