Odd 2 Seconds Power Spikes in nRF9160 Custom Board

RE: Odd 2 Seconds Power Spikes in nRF9160 Custom Board

NautDesigner — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 16:29:08 GMT

It does appear this is PSM related based on the SIM.

RE: Odd 2 Seconds Power Spikes in nRF9160 Custom Board

Achim Kraus — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 15:36:07 GMT

Sorry, that trace is too short, it doesn't show the registration nor the sending of the message.

I'm not sure, what you're searching. If the modem gets PSM agreed on the cellular network, it will go to sleep and the power consumption will got down to a few µA. That's my experience with a set of nRF9160 based devices.

If you register for modem events, you will be notified, if the network support PSM and you will get notified, when the device gets sleeping.

The modem uses usually 3 different phases, RRC Active, RRC Idle, and sleeping, see GSMA - Improving Energy Efficiency for Mobile IoT, March 2022.

RE: Odd 2 Seconds Power Spikes in nRF9160 Custom Board

NautDesigner — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 15:28:09 GMT

Switching to a single provider's SIM did eliminate the spikes once but we were still hovering around 1mA. However, subsequent runs show the same behavior.

devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../ppk_2D00_20240130T152239.ppk

devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../1106.modemtraces.bin

RE: Odd 2 Seconds Power Spikes in nRF9160 Custom Board

Achim Kraus — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 11:14:55 GMT

Using LTE-M sometimes ends up in roaming with LTE release 13 without PSM.

See ESM Error Code 50: type ipv4 only allowed (NRF91 Asset Tracker)

or watch IoT Creators Days, at 6:23 for the background.

Some MVNOs have contracts for LTE roaming, which works on base-stations with release 13 also for LTE-M, but it doesn't provide the power-saving features as PSM. If your SIM is not emitted by the MNO, you need to ask the SIM provider about the details for using this SIM with LTE-M and that MNO/roaming.

RE: Odd 2 Seconds Power Spikes in nRF9160 Custom Board

Øyvind — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 10:21:21 GMT

Thanks for sharing both. From the modem trace I can see that you are using a roaming SIM. Does the network you are trying to attach allow PSM for roaming SIM?

CEREG and XMONITOR indicates that you do not have PSM. Please verify spikes with a non roaming SIM.

00:28:33.023827 L23_AT_STRING AT_STRING <= +CEREG: 5,"6F00","01B28602",7,,,"11100000","11100000"

00:28:33.025475 L23_AT_STRING AT_STRING <= %XMONITOR: 5,"","","311480","6F00",7,13,"01B28602",184,5230,68,34,"","11100000","11100000","01001001"

RE: Odd 2 Seconds Power Spikes in nRF9160 Custom Board

NautDesigner — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 10:03:14 GMT

I just took this one. It should be similar to the trace.

devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../ppk_2D00_20240130T100158.ppk

RE: Odd 2 Seconds Power Spikes in nRF9160 Custom Board

Øyvind — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 09:58:47 GMT

Could you also please provide the .ppk file?

RE: Odd 2 Seconds Power Spikes in nRF9160 Custom Board

NautDesigner — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 09:40:47 GMT

Other devices are turned off. No LEDs are being used. We are measuring the whole board and submitted a separate, private ticket with schematic where they didn't see any issues.

devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../modemtraces.bin

RE: Odd 2 Seconds Power Spikes in nRF9160 Custom Board

Øyvind — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 07:24:09 GMT

As this is a custom HW, where to you measure, on the whole board or the device alone? Do you have other devices on the board? Are you using LEDs? Can you please provide a modem trace and logging from the UDP sample (you will need to enable UDP in this case).

Thank you.

Kind regards,
Øyvind

RE: Odd 2 Seconds Power Spikes in nRF9160 Custom Board

NautDesigner — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 19:22:35 GMT

GPS is not being used as the board is nRF9160-SIAA. Also, after review, the spikes are every 1.28s. CEREG does return that the device is in PSM mode. This is tested with a modified UDP sample enabling PSM.

RE: Odd 2 Seconds Power Spikes in nRF9160 Custom Board

Øyvind — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 13:02:54 GMT

Hello,

Yes, what Achim Kraus points out is correct. Are you able to test with AT Client and see what CEREG returns?

Kind regards,
Øyvind

RE: Odd 2 Seconds Power Spikes in nRF9160 Custom Board

Achim Kraus — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 12:38:12 GMT

Every 2s or every 2.56s?

For the later (2.56s) I guess, your network simply doesn't support PSM, therefore it doesn't make a difference, if you try to enable it or not.

Do you use GPS? That also consumes energy, but in my experience, that doesn't cause such 2s peaks.

Are you able to apply that firmware to a nRF9106-DK? That may exclude also you hardware as source of the peaks.