nPM1100 - heavy-duty load in parallel to battery

[Dom O]

I want to use the nPM1100 to battery manage, and supply power to the nRF52xxx - along with a heavy duty load ***directly across the battery***, so that full battery voltage and current is available (to drive high-power RGB LED's).

Is this extra load, ***in parallel to the nPM1100***, likely to cause the nPM1100 to detect an error, or in some other way disrupt normal operation?

(I can't see that it would - but I don't know exactly how the nPM1100's error detection circuitry works - the documentation only describes charging faults)

[ketiljo]

The nPM1100 is not designed to handle the load in parallel with the battery.
The reason this is not allowed is that the battery charger is self-checking during the charge cycle and will produce an internal error if the battery voltage is dropping. (See section 6.2.8)
If you know for sure that the load will not be switched ON/OFF on during the charging cycle, then you can connect it directly to the battery

We recommend the load to be connected to VSYS, keeping in mind there is a limitation of max 600 mA from the battery

[Dom O]

Thank you! Exactly the advice I needed.

BTW - I can't see the 600mA VSYS value in the documentation.

[ketiljo]

This will be IBAT_LIM: https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/topic/ps_npm1100/chapters/charger.html#electrical_param