Trouble with nPM1300EK

[Scigrapher]

I recently began testing with the nPM1300EK and it seems like something is wrong with it.  A number of different tasks don't seem to be working correctly:

1. Profiling a battery - About 5 seconds after the profiling starts, the charger seems to turn itself off and the PMIC stops responding. I've tried different options, like lowering the charging current, but it still fails.  I have the fuel gauge board attached, but I haven't even been able to use it.
2. Fuel gauge sample - I've connected an nRF54l15 and used the sample nPM1300 and nPM1304: Fuel gauge.  It takes some fiddling to get it to work (I have to get things working and enabled in PowerUP).  Pretty quickly it fails, though:

   nRF Fuel Gauge version: 1.0.1
   Constant voltage charging
   PMIC device ok
   Constant voltage charging
   V: 4.169, I: 0.083, T: 25.10, SoC: 94.23, TTE: nan, TTF: 1902
   V: 4.165, I: 0.093, T: 25.10, SoC: 94.24, TTE: nan, TTF: 2024
   V: 4.165, I: 0.094, T: 25.10, SoC: 94.25, TTE: nan, TTF: 2033
   V: 4.165, I: 0.094, T: 25.10, SoC: 94.25, TTE: nan, TTF: 2039
   V: 4.165, I: 0.095, T: 25.10, SoC: 94.26, TTE: nan, TTF: 2046
   Error: Could not read from charger device
   Error: Could not read from charger device
   Error: Could not read from charger device

3. Power UP - Sometimes even just manipulating settings in PowerUP causes problems.  For example I turned off buck 1 in PowerUP and the board disconnected:

11:18:25.817 module_pmic: No response from PMIC.

11:18:26.322 module_pmic: No response from PMIC.

11:18:26.820 module_pmic: No response from PMIC.

11:18:27.320 module_pmic: No response from PMIC.

Sometimes I'll see errors logged like "USB buffer too small".  I just reset everything and tried turning buck 1 off again and got:

11:22:54.200 npmx buck status set 0 1 => Error: IO error. Error: unable to set buck status.

11:22:54.220 npmx buck status get 0 => Error: IO error. Error: unable to get buck status.

and now all the controls on PowerUP are disabled.  The LED on the nPM1300EK is still pulsing like it's connected, though.

When it starts having issues like this, the only way to fix it seems to be to remove all power from the board.  Often I need to reset the device with PowerUP and sometimes it connects to the bootloader and requires a firmware update.

[Øyvind]

Hello, I've been assigned your ticket and will have a look at this issue. What version of the nPM1300EK are you using? How are you connecting the nRF54L15?

Kind regards,
Øyvind

[Scigrapher]

I just bought the EK a couple of weeks ago.  It says:

1.3.0
2025.18

I connected it to the nRF54l15 via TWI as per https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ncs-latest/page/nrf/samples/pmic/native/npm13xx_fuel_gauge/README.html.  I originally used different pins and my own code, but that wasn't working as expected, so I completely disconnected everything and started over using the sample connections and code.  As mentioned, it sometimes works briefly, but will eventually stop.

I've been able to connect to Analog's MAX17048 fuel gauge using the same connections and code on the nRF54l15 and it's run for over 24 hours straight, so it's not likely a problem on the controller side. 

Also, there are the issues when using PowerUP.  I've been completely unable to profile my battery.  I don't see how it could be the battery's fault but, if you have a recommendation for a 1500mAh+ LiPo battery of which I can purchase 1 for evaluation, I could try a different one.

If it's relevant, I have a variety of tools to help diagnose this issue, if you have anything you need me to try:

• Multimeter (of course!)
• 4 channel oscilloscope w/ digital logic probes
• nRF54l15DK
• nRF5340DK
• nPM1304EK
• nPM2100EK
• PPK2

When I get some time, I can try the sample with the nPM1304.  It didn't give me problems, but I also didn't get around to trying TWI with it because I needed larger battery support.

I'd love it if I could get the nPM1300 working, because it seems like an almost ideal solution for what I'm trying to do.

[Øyvind]

Hello, thanks for providing more information. 

Power UP - Sometimes even just manipulating settings in PowerUP causes problems.  For example I turned off buck 1 in PowerUP and the board disconnected

Just to verify, please ensure the jumper is on between VOUT2 and VDDIO on P18. and also on the P14 VSET2 and RSET2 jumperd on to make sure BUCK2 is enabled on the EK.
nPM1300EK - Jumpers

Have not got more feedback yet, but hope to have more by end of tomorrow.

Kind regards,
Øyvind

[Scigrapher]

FYI:  I tried with my nPM1304EK and it has a similar problem.  You can see in the output that it runs for a bit, I plug in a battery (the LP181917 that comes with it), and I loose connection with it:

V: 0.717, I: 0.000, T: -88.12, SoC: 0.00, TTE: nan, TTF: nan
V: 0.717, I: 0.000, T: -88.12, SoC: 0.00, TTE: nan, TTF: nan
Constant current charging
V: 4.111, I: 0.015, T: 22.55, SoC: 0.15, TTE: nan, TTF: nan
V: 4.194, I: 0.148, T: 22.65, SoC: 0.31, TTE: nan, TTF: 3774
V: 4.199, I: 0.148, T: 22.76, SoC: 0.47, TTE: nan, TTF: 3494
V: 4.204, I: 0.148, T: 22.86, SoC: 0.62, TTE: nan, TTF: 3410
V: 4.199, I: 0.148, T: 22.86, SoC: 0.75, TTE: nan, TTF: 3380
V: 4.204, I: 0.148, T: 22.86, SoC: 0.88, TTE: nan, TTF: 3370
V: 4.208, I: 0.148, T: 22.86, SoC: 1.01, TTE: nan, TTF: 3369
V: 4.208, I: 0.148, T: 22.86, SoC: 1.12, TTE: nan, TTF: 3375
V: 4.213, I: 0.148, T: 22.86, SoC: 1.23, TTE: nan, TTF: 3382
V: 4.213, I: 0.148, T: 22.96, SoC: 1.34, TTE: nan, TTF: 3392
V: 4.213, I: 0.148, T: 22.86, SoC: 1.44, TTE: nan, TTF: 3403
V: 4.213, I: 0.148, T: 22.86, SoC: 1.54, TTE: nan, TTF: 3415
V: 4.218, I: 0.148, T: 22.86, SoC: 1.63, TTE: nan, TTF: 3427
V: 4.213, I: 0.148, T: 22.86, SoC: 1.72, TTE: nan, TTF: 3439
V: 4.213, I: 0.148, T: 22.86, SoC: 1.81, TTE: nan, TTF: 3451
V: 4.223, I: 0.148, T: 22.86, SoC: 1.89, TTE: nan, TTF: 3463
V: 4.223, I: 0.148, T: 22.86, SoC: 1.98, TTE: nan, TTF: 3476
V: 4.223, I: 0.148, T: 22.86, SoC: 2.06, TTE: nan, TTF: 3488
V: 4.223, I: 0.148, T: 22.86, SoC: 2.14, TTE: nan, TTF: 3500
V: 4.223, I: 0.148, T: 22.86, SoC: 2.21, TTE: nan, TTF: 3512
V: 4.228, I: 0.148, T: 22.86, SoC: 2.29, TTE: nan, TTF: 3523
Error: Could not read from charger device
Error: Could not read from charger device
Error: Could not read from charger device
Error: Could not read from charger device

In this case, I think it happened because I was trying to look at the charging config in PowerUp.  I imagine PowerUp did some sort of operation and the PMIC froze up.  I had to completely disconnect the power and reset the nrf54l15 to get the PMIC to respond again.

Here's a pic of the boards wired together.

Switching back to the nPM1300EK:

Here's a picture of the nPM1300EK.  It's pretty much the same hook up.  I made sure the jumpers are connected as you specified:

I have similar issues... I don't have a battery plugged in, but it suddenly thought that I did?:

V: 0.019, I: 0.000, T: 25.10, SoC: 85.87, TTE: nan, TTF: nan
V: 0.019, I: 0.000, T: 25.00, SoC: 85.75, TTE: nan, TTF: nan
V: 0.019, I: 0.000, T: 25.00, SoC: 85.63, TTE: 410, TTF: nan
V: 0.019, I: 0.000, T: 25.10, SoC: 85.51, TTE: 410, TTF: nan
V: 0.019, I: 0.000, T: 25.00, SoC: 85.39, TTE: 410, TTF: nan
V: 0.019, I: 0.000, T: 25.10, SoC: 85.27, TTE: 410, TTF: nan
V: 0.019, I: 0.000, T: 25.10, SoC: 85.15, TTE: 410, TTF: nan
V: 0.019, I: 0.000, T: 25.10, SoC: 85.04, TTE: 410, TTF: nan
V: 0.019, I: 0.000, T: 25.10, SoC: 84.92, TTE: 411, TTF: nan
V: 0.019, I: 0.000, T: 25.10, SoC: 84.81, TTE: 411, TTF: nan
Error: Could not read from charger device
V: 0.019, I: 0.000, T: 25.10, SoC: 84.70, TTE: 412, TTF: nan
V: 0.019, I: 0.000, T: 25.10, SoC: 84.58, TTE: 412, TTF: nan
V: 0.019, I: 0.000, T: 25.10, SoC: 84.47, TTE: 413, TTF: nan

PowerUp is showing no battery detected, so I don't know where these numbers from the TWI are coming from.

When I plugged in a battery, it took a while to recognize it, then quickly said "charge complete" (even though I don't think the charger was enabled), and then about 30 seconds later I started getting "Error: Could not read from charger device".  It seems like resetting the nrf54l15 is what fixes it rather than cycling the power on the nPM1300.  It takes a few resets (using the button on the DK), but eventually it seems to recognize the nPM1300 again.  I tried looping the code with a delay when any of the devices say they're not ready but that doesn't resolve the issue.

[Øyvind]

Hello, and thanks for providing more information and pictures of your setup. I forwarded to our PMIC team and they point out that it is clear from description (and pictures) that the nPM Controller USB port must be disconnected when using a DK connected to the EK. PowerUP cannot be used at the same time when trying out the samples flashed onto the DK. Hence the errors - the nRF5340 SoC acting as the nPM Controller on the EK will conflict with the DK SoC (nRF54L15 in this case). Communication issues with the PMIC often result from wrong VDDIO supply.

If the buck 1 output is used as VDDIO this is expected. When using a DK the VDDIO must match the VDD on the DK, rather than one of the bucks. But this is described in the sample READMEs

Kind regards,
Øyvind

[Scigrapher]

That explains a lot!  I had thought I read that it was possible to use both at once, but I must be mis-remembering.

I've disconnected everything and it looks like battery profiling is working.  I have no idea how long this will take, but it's running, which is a vast improvement.

Thanks!