nRF52832 current consumption in sleep mode

[Stanley]

Hi,

I am using the PCA10040 DK (v1.1.1) to measure the current consumption in sleep mode and the current is about 200 uA. (3V, DCDC Enable)

Following is the code, it's really simple. For current leakage, I set some pin to low, but I am not sure if it is useful.

Could you give me some advice? I am grateful for your help. Thanks!!

int main(void)
{	
    nrf_gpio_cfg_output(5);
    nrf_gpio_cfg_output(6);
    nrf_gpio_cfg_output(7);
    nrf_gpio_cfg_output(8);
    nrf_gpio_cfg_output(18);
    nrf_gpio_cfg_output(21);

    nrf_gpio_pin_clear(5);
    nrf_gpio_pin_clear(6);
    nrf_gpio_pin_clear(7);
    nrf_gpio_pin_clear(8);
    nrf_gpio_pin_clear(18);
    nrf_gpio_pin_clear(21);

    timers_init();
    ble_stack_init();

    sd_power_dcdc_mode_set(NRF_POWER_DCDC_ENABLE);
    sd_ble_gap_tx_power_set(0);


    gap_params_init();
    advertising_init();
    services_init();
    conn_params_init();
    advertising_start();

    // Enter main loop.
    for (;;)
    {
       power_manage();
    }
}

[Sigurd]

Hi,

There is 2 types of sleep modes, SystemON sleep and SystemOFF sleep, you can read more about this here. If you are advertising or in a BLE connection with a central, you will be in SystemON mode between the BLE activity. We have a nRF52 Online Power Profiler here you should check out. Note that the current consumption is very influenced by the advertising/connection interval you have.

[Stanley]

Hi Sigurd,

Thanks for your information.

I mean the SystemOn sleep.

The current 200 uA is the consumption of "SystemOn sleep", NOT including advertising current.

I have checked the "nRF52 Online Power Profiler", the "System On IDLE" is 1.9uA.

So, in normal case, the power consumption in SystemOn sleep is 1.9uA?

is there some leackage on the DK?

Thanks

[Sigurd]

Yes, System On IDLE is 1.9 uA, but that is without any BLE activity. In the code you posted you are advertising, so this will increase the current and that's probably why you get 200 uA. There should be minimal with leakage on the DK.

[Stanley]

Hi Sigurd,

Could you please tell me the current in the circle of the following image?

We get 200 uA, is the value normal? (PA10040, 3V, DCDC Enable, Advertising 300 ms, Tx power 0dBm)

Thank you so much!

[Sigurd]

Hi Stanley,

No, 200 µA seems too high for regular advertising with 300 ms interval. Is this measurement done with the code you posted in the question? Are you using logging over uart ? Have you connected something else to the nRF52-DK? This is APP_ADV_INTERVAL set to 480(=300ms) ?