How to measure current on board PCA10056

[Beike]

Board：PCA10056 （0.9.3）

SDK：15.2

Softdevice：S140

Example：ble_app_blinky

Today，I follow this page Using an ampere-meter for current measurement to measure the current,

And follow this page Preparing the development kit board to prepare the board,

And follow this page nRF52840 direct supply to support external power.
so, the connection mode is this:

1. External 3.3V power connected to P21

2.Connect an ampere-meter between the pins of connector P22
3.SW10 is on; SW8 is VDD; SW6 is nRF ONLY

4.SB40 has been cutted

Now, I can scan its adv by my Nordic connect app.but, the current is 7.x mA, it's so high, can you tell me why?my connection mode is wrong?

[Andreas]

Hi,

 

You are comparing apples and bananas. Your ampere-meter is measuring total average current (not similar to idle current) but comparing with idle current (not similar to average current).

Idle current is the instantaneous current consumption (sleep current) when the SoC is asleep between the advertising events, while average current is the average current consumption over the advertising event and the idle period before the next advertising event (1s). As the current consumption during the advertising event is higher than the sleep current, the total average current will be different and higher than the sleep current.

 

Best regards,

Andreas

[Beike]

OK，I see what you mean。I may need to change my measurement Tool.

Thanks.