Any nrf51 sample that consumes less than 0,500 mA?

[Alex Co]

Hi I am trying to optimize my nrf51 app for low power. However I can just reach 0,500mA when just advertising (advertisement only is ok for me). Do you know or do you have any sample that consumes less than that?

Thanks a lot

[noseed]

Use ble_app_pwr_profiling.

[bjorn-spockeli]

Hi Alex, 

I am assuming that you mean below 500uA in average current consumption while the nrf51 is advertising and not the TX peak currents. If you compile the ble_app_beacon example for the nRF51 in SDK v12.3.0 you get a current consumption of about 180uA, see screenshot below

Best regards

Bjørn 

[Alex Co]

Hi

0,500mA => 0.500mA !

Which kind of measurement instrument are you using?

I am using a multimeter. I set select button to 20mA and put is in series between 3.3v and nrf51 vcc input and I see 0.500 on the display (0.500 when sleeping ( sd_app_evt_wait ) and 0.565 when sending)

I am using sdk 7 and SD110...

Which type of power saving are you using: System OFF Mode or Low Power Mode?

(By the way, I am using 29 bytes of the advertisement array)

Thanks

[bjorn-spockeli]

HI Alex, 

I am using the Nordic Power Profiler Kit(PPK) to measure the current consumption of a nRF51 DK, but it also supports measurement of external boards, e.g. custom boards. What kind of dynamic range does your multimeter have? It needs to be accurate from a couple of  uA up to tens of mA. In general we recommend using the PPK or a proper power analyzer.  

The beacon example only goes to the System On: Low Power mode. 

I strongly suggest that you move to the latest SDK that supports the NRF51, which is v12.3.0 and the S130 SoftDevice. 

Best regards
Bjørn 

[Alex Co]

I tried already to move to s130 and v12 but then the compiled app does not run anymore and I can not figure out why (no nice debug (st-link based))

Can number of bytes beeing advertised influence the current consumption too much?