nrf9160DK PCA 10090 v 0.9.0 consuming extra current

[Adeel]

Hi Dev Team,

I am trying to measure the low power performance of the nrf9160.

For this, I tried to use the "system_off" example in the folder : C:\Users\adeel\ncs\v1.4.0\zephyr\samples\boards\nrf\system_off.

I am using a nrf9160DK v 0.9.0 and using Joulescope for my power measurement. 

While running the program, I observe that the Active mode consumes 15.3 mA of current,

then reduces to 13.7 mA in sleep mode

and then finally to 13.0 in the deep sleep mode.

The current never reduces less than 13 mA which is quite strange. I did not expect any of these values so I wanted to know what could be wrong with this ?

I was expecting Active mode current to be around 2.3 mA, sleep mode to be around 700 uA and deep sleep around 30-40 uA.

Regards,

Adeel. 

[Martin Lesund]

Hi Adeel,

Please flash the default UDP sample, put the VDD_IO switch to 3V and take the measurements.

You should be able to see the Modem going into PSM mode after the Network release the device from RRC Connected mode.
(This can take either a couple of seconds or e.g. 1 minute depending on the RRC inactivity timer that the network has set)

Here you can see from my testing the UDP sample:

 

Notice the RRC Inactivity timer of 1 minute before going into PSM.
Which has an avg. 2.7uA, since I am using the GEN2 version of nRF9160 SIP.

Best regards,
Martin L.

[Adeel]

Hi Martin, 

I tried to run the udp_with_psm_new example as well. 

In any of the examples I run, the current never goes less than 13 mA. 

I ran the MQTT_simple example as well. The modem_configure() took 50 mA of current which is fine , but the current only came back down after that to nearly 13 mA. This is relatively very high current.

I normally was hoping to have current values like you do but the current does not drop. My code runs but the least current value I get in PSM or deep sleep mode is 13-13.6 mA. This value is quite high and quite strange and I have no idea where it could come from.

Can you let me know what could be the causes for it.

Regards,

Adeel.

[Martin Lesund]

Please try my suggestion.
UDP sample from NCS 1.4.0

Also you need to run the latest modem firmware.

Let's get a correct base before looking into other issues.

[Adeel]

Hi Martin,

Okay, I will try it and let you know as soon as possible :).

Regards,

Adeel.