MCT8329A: Custom board could not be connected to GUI

HI Volkan,

1. MCxEVM_MSP430FR2355_Firmware.out is the right binary to use with the MCT8329 GUI. 

2. what is the status of I2C SDA and SCL lines? are both pulled high (3.3V)?

Thanks,

Dhinesh

Hi Dhinesh,

Thank you for your reply.

1) Yes, we uploaded MCxEVM_MSP430FR2355_Firmware.out. 

2) Yes, SDA and SCL are pulled high (3.3V)

Hi Volkan,

Also, Please confirm the MCF8329A;'s speed pin pulled high.

Just want to double confirm that there are no I2C packet communication even during the find address operation?

can you share the board schematic for the review?

Thanks,

Dhinesh

Hi Dhinesh,

Thank you for your quick reply.

Update: SPEED/WAKE pin is pulled low, showing 0V. I've noticed we placed 100k ohm pull-down resistor on SPEED/WAKE trace, we removed 100k Ohm resistor on the board and it's still showing 0V. We tried to spin motor and it spined well at the SPEED/WAKE pin is pulled high but it still could not be connected via I2C to GUI

I've attached the MCT8329A schematic, you can check it. You confirmed this schematic one month ago. Ref: Schematic Review

When I click "find i2c address" button, it replaces as 0x00 directly. There is no any I2C communication. I tried on GUI desktop and GUI web application with all versions. I uploaded a video. 

Additionally, I've tried it with another same board and MSP-EXP430FR2355 LaunchPad but same result.

Can you check the screenshot of MCx83xxEVM_MSP430FR2355_GUI_Firmware files I've attached? There are only MCx8315EVM_MSP430FR2355_Firmware.out, MCF8317FEVM_MSP430FR2355_Firmware.out. is these correct files? maybe these files are not compatible with MCT8329

SCHEMATIC:
0434.CB-schematic.pdf

Hi Volkan,

Just to narrow down the issue, could you please try communicating with your custom board using the MCF8329 EVM?  In the meantime, I will review the schematic and share my observations.

Thanks,

Dhinesh

Hi Dhinesh,

We do not have EVM board, if we order one, the package will be delayed to arrive our country, that's why we will late for investor presentation, we have to complete tunning process this week. 

I can provide these information to narrow down the issue;

1) Motor is running/spinning when we applied 3.3V to SPEED/WAKE pinout.

2) MCT8329A detects whether the battery is removed

3) FGOUT is 3.3V - DACOUT: 1.43V

4) AVDD: 3.3V - DVDD: 1.5V

5) SDA-SCL are high always

6) NFault is high, no error appears.

7) I2C cables are working well

We tried to communicate when the motor stops or is running

Thanks,

Volkan

Hi Volkan,

Upon clicking the "Find Address" button in the GUI, MSP430FR2355 controller has to send out burst of I2C packets to MCT8329 to find the address. if you are sure that there are no I2C packets on the I2C bus then it can be a fault on the MSP430 controller. could you please check and confirm this? 

I don't find the 4Mhz oscillator connected to the MSP430 clock input? is this component missing on you board? 

Thanks,

Dhinesh

Hi Dhinesh,

Thank you for your reply.

Dhinesh said:

Upon clicking the "Find Address" button in the GUI, MSP430FR2355 controller has to send out burst of I2C packets to MCT8329 to find the address. if you are sure that there are no I2C packets on the I2C bus then it can be a fault on the MSP430 controller. could you please check and confirm this? 

Yes, you are right but MSP430 could not scan i2C register address via GUI.

I am sure that there are no I2C packages on the I2C bus. (Both our board and Launchpad)

I've tried to scan with MSP-EXP430FR2355;

I disconnected MSP430 between MCT8329 on our board.

MCT8329 on our board is connected to the MSP430 on Lanuchpad but still same issue is contiuning.

Dhinesh said:

I don't find the 4Mhz oscillator connected to the MSP430 clock input? is this component missing on you board? 

Yes 4MHz is missing, we decided internal oscillator, our board does not includes 4Mhz external oscillator because we noticed that in the datasheet that there was no need for an external oscillator, so we did not add it, but Launchpad has an external oscillator(not 4MHz, datasheet showing 32.768kHz), and even when we tested it on Launchpad, the result did not change.

is MCT8329 needs 4 MHz osciliator to I2C connection? 

Thank you,

Volkan

Hi Volkan,

MSP430 program is configured to use 4MHz external clock. so, we need to have external clock source connected to it. 

MSP430FR launchpad comes with a 32.738kHz crystal which is not configured in the GUI communication program. Unfortunately, this option also will not work.

Thanks,

Dhinesh

Hi Dhinesh,

Thank you for clarifying

I will order a 4MHz external oscilator. I will notify you when we applied it.

Thank you,

Volkan

Hi Dhinesh, 

Thank you for your information, I2C is working now. I've replaced the 32.738kHz crystal + 2x 12pF caps with 4000MHz AS-4.000-16(16pF) + 2x 33pF caps. At least I2C address finder button is working and I can control motor speed via I2C sometimes but upon clicking the "read all register" button, the GUI getting 5-10 register usually, sometimes +10 registers and sometimes 1 reg, however it could not read all register and after that MSP connection is lost everytime.

I2C Address found.

Thank you,

Volkan

Hi Volkan,

Please check the MSP430 clock accuracy by monitoring the uart Tx packet from MSP430 during GUI communication.

Also, what is the status of I2C lines, are both SDA and SCL are high?

Thanks,

Dhinesh

Hi Dhinesh,

I've added logic analyzer capture files in zip, please check it. 

SDA and SCL remain high even when the MSP430 is disconnected

By the way we replaced first crystal with CSTCR4M00G55B-R0 4MHz (same with MCT8329EVM resanator) but we could not detect any change. 

Baud Rate:9600 - Logic Analyzer Speed: 1MS/s

I've measured MCU supply, it's 3.3V when try to "read all registers" 

mct8329-msp430fr2355-logic-analyzer.zip

Thank you,

Volkan

Hi Volkan,

I2C packets are looking fine and I2C bus is in idle state at the end. so, no issues on the I2C side.

UART stopped polling the data from MSP430, which could happen due to incorrect clock or supply.

Thanks,

Dhinesh

Hi Dhinesh,

Thank you for your reply.

1) as I said we added CSTCR4M00G55B-R0 4MHz (same with MCT8329EVM resanator), that's why I don't think its about incorrect clock.

2) We added a 1uF capacitor near the MCU on the Launchpad and on our board but we could not detect any change. Our board tested it with battery and power supply 

Everything seems to be working fine, the only issue is the connection to the GUI.

There's a very weak connection.

When reading single data, the connection to the MCU is lost after about 10 data points, sometimes in the 3rd register, sometimes in the 12th register.

"Read All Registers" displays a portion of the register, and the connection to the MCU is lost.

The necessary capacitors for the MCU have been added: 0.1uF + 1uF + 10uF.

When I use the "read register" button quickly on the GUI, the connection is broken.

We tried GUI on other PC

I know it's a very complex, simple yet difficult problem, but is there any advice you can give us to use GUI?

By the way we've ordered MCT8329EVM kit from an external supplier to test the motor.

Thank you,

Volkan

Hi Volkan,

Thanks for the update!

Hope you connected the 4Mhz resonator with the shortest wire, otherwise it can affect the clock performance.

once you receive the MCT8329EVM, please try connecting EVM MSP430 I2C signals to your custom board for GUI communication. 

Thanks,

Dhinesh

Hi Dhinesh,

Thank you for your reply.

Dhinesh said:

Hope you connected the 4Mhz resonator with the shortest wire, otherwise it can affect the clock performance.

We tried to communication by both board. 

Launchpad's wire 3-4mm 

Custom board's wire 2-3mm

It looks near the EVM's tracks.

Dhinesh said:

please try connecting EVM MSP430 I2C signals to your custom board for GUI communication. 

Thanks,

I will notify you when we receive the EVM.

Kind Regards,

Volkan

Hi Volkan,

Thanks for the update. 

Regards,

Dhinesh