How to use the Power Monitor to measure the current of the nRF52832?

[xvhongpeng]

Dear friend,

      To use the Power Monitor for current profile measurement of nRF52832, I prepare the board by doing both of the steps described below:

(1) Short solder bridge SB12 (because i am using Power Monitor as external power supply for the DK) to bypass the protection diode which would otherwise give a voltage drop.

(2) Cut the PCB track shorting solder bridge SB9 to put P22 in series with the load.

(3) Add a jumper to P22. Should i do it?

(3) After programming the nRF52832 device, the USB is disconnected and the development kit is reset.

The Power analyzer measurements are not be described in the nRF52832 Development Kit v1.1.x User Guide. 

As shown in the figure below, are these steps right? I just want to measure the current of the nRF52832 SoC. If i want to split the power domains for the nRF52832 SoC and the rest of the board, what should i do?

thank u.

[Bastien Reynard]

Hello,

First program the nRF with the USB connected and with a jumper on P22.

Then, disconnect USB, and supply the board on P21 with  SB9 cut.

Remove the jumper on P22, and measure current consumption on P22.

If you want to be sure of what you are doing, I suggest you to check the HW files for PCA10040.

[xvhongpeng]

Thank u for your valuable answer. The Power Monitor has red and black terminals, and we have to supply the board and measure the current consumption via the two terminals. So where should i add the red and black terminals?

[Bastien Reynard]

Red on VDD_nRF and black on P21-1. Like on your picture but without the red jumper.

[xvhongpeng]

That's the question. If i remove the red jumper on P22, i cannot mearsure any currents. If i add it, the normal current waves return.

[Bastien Reynard]

What power monitor are you using? Is the nRF doing what it's supposed to do?

[xvhongpeng]

thank u. i think i got the point. it may be because that the nRF is not doing what it's supposed to do.

[xvhongpeng]

My problem remains. As shown in the pic below (from nRF52 DK User Guide), it describes how to prepare the development kit board.

 

"the development kit power cycled to reset the debugger chip before current measurement. " How to do it? I can't quite understand this sentence. thank u.

[Bastien Reynard]

Power cycling means to turn off and then on again the device. Can you measure if you have the right voltage on VDD (should be 0V) and VDD_nRF (3V) with your measurement setup?

[xvhongpeng]

i will have a try,thank u very much.