Replace revision 1 nrf51822 with revision 3 nrf51422

[muhkuhns]

Hello,

I ordered some modules and expected them to be based on revision 2 nRF51822.. But they use Revision 1. Now I am struggling getting my Code from the nRF51-DK to work on them. (See this Post.)

So I was asking myself, maybe I could desolder the chip on the module and replace it with the chips that came with the DK...

Looking as a novice at the schematics of my module and the nrf51422 reference layouts I would say it could work.. But before I garbage the chip I would like to hear some opinions from you.

The pulldowns on the SWD pins shouldn't be a problem, or?

BLE Micro Schematic.pdf - Wiki

nrf51x22_qfac_dcdc_reference_schematic.pdf

[RK]

Whether or not the chips are pin-compatible and require the same external components exactly you could determine reading the specs, you might get away with it, or ask Seeed micro whether or not they had to change the board for the Rev 3 chips.

That's hardly the point however. Desoldering and re-soldering a QFN48 package by hand is incredibly hard, doing it without wrecking the board is even harder. You need a hot air gun, a jig, preferably some kind of magnification, solder, flux, a temperature probe and a steadier hand than a brain surgeon. Unless this is a skill you already have, and you may, it's going to be next to impossible.

You should really go give seeed a hard time about this whole thing and try to get them to ship you some rev 3 boards, or find another board out there, although I would expect many are still rev 2. Or use the SDK which works with rev 1 boards. What is in the latest SDK you absolutely must have for the project, people quite successfully shipped products based on rev 1 chips and the 6.x SDK, nrf51 series was successful long before rev 3, or even rev 2.

[Janek Mann]

And indeed the chips will work just fine with the same external components.