Fan Bearing Failure in Humid Daegu Summers

Our parts research desk tracks fan replacement orders from Korean mining operators. Between 2023 and 2025, we noticed a sharp seasonal spike in July and August — concentrated in Daegu, Gwangju, and Busan facilities without active dehumidification.

The Data

Across 340 fan replacement events logged by our clients:

Ambient humidity above 75% was present in 82% of July-August failures. The failure mode is almost always bearing seizure — the fan stops spinning, temperature spikes within minutes, and the unit throttles or shuts down.

Replacement Costs

A genuine Antminer fan assembly costs ₩35,000–₩55,000 depending on model. Aftermarket units run ₩18,000–₩28,000 but fail 40% faster in our tracking. For a 50-unit farm, budgeting ₩2.5M annually for fan replacements in a humid Daegu warehouse is realistic.

Practical Steps

  1. Install hygrometers at rack level — not just at the warehouse door.
  2. Run dehumidifiers targeting 60% RH or below in the mining area.
  3. Replace fans proactively at 18 months rather than waiting for failure — a seized fan often damages the hashboard it was cooling.
  4. Stock two spare fans per 10 units during summer months.

We document fan condition in every on-site Power Efficiency Audit. Operators who implement dehumidification typically see fan failure rates drop to winter levels within one season.