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DRV8703D-Q1EVM: Evaluation module not working

Part Number: DRV8703D-Q1EVM
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: DRV8703-Q1EVM

I have recently purchased a DRV8703-Q1EVM kit to validate the DR8703 mosfet driver for a motor driver design. However I am unable to get the device running.

The most recent software is installed, I select the right COM port, and it seems to be writing/reading some registers. However the lower left pane of the EVM software says:

Connected - Device - Not found:

When I try to control registers or the motor, the system gives more warnings, see attached a piece of the communication logs:

23-Aug-201916:07:14oneui: server: mdbuSerialEvm: pingTarget: Timeout occured before the command completes
23-Aug-201916:07:13oneui: server: mdbuSerialEvm: pingTarget: Timeout occured before the command completes
23-Aug-201916:07:12oneui: server: mdbuSerialEvm: pingTarget: Timeout occured before the command completes
23-Aug-201916:07:11oneui: server: mdbuSerialEvm: pingTarget: Timeout occured before the command completes
23-Aug-201916:07:09oneui: server: mdbuSerialEvm: pingTarget: Timeout occured before the command completes
23-Aug-201916:07:07oneui: server: mdbuSerialEvm: pingTarget: Timeout occured before the command completes
23-Aug-201916:07:05oneui: server: mdbuSerialEvm: pingTarget: Timeout occured before the command completes
23-Aug-201916:07:03oneui: server: mdbuSerialEvm: pingTarget: Timeout occured before the command completes
23-Aug-201916:07:01oneui: server: hwcomm: regread: [CONFIG @ 0x05] <= 1 (1566569220246)
23-Aug-201916:07:01oneui: server: hwcomm: regread: [VDS @ 0x04] <= 112 (1566569220246)
23-Aug-201916:07:01oneui: server: hwcomm: regread: [IDRIVE_&_WD @ 0x03] <= 7 (1566569220246)
23-Aug-201916:07:01oneui: server: hwcomm: regread: [MAIN @ 0x02] <= 24 (1566569220246)
23-Aug-201916:07:01oneui: server: hwcomm: regread: [VDS_&_GDF @ 0x01] <= 0 (1566569220246)
23-Aug-201916:07:01oneui: server: hwcomm: regread: [FAULT @ 0x00] <= 0 (1566569220246)
23-Aug-201916:07:01oneui: server: mdbuSerialEvm: pingTarget: Timeout occured before the command completes
23-Aug-201916:06:41oneui: server: hwcomm: Device connect
23-Aug-201916:06:28oneui: server: mdbuSerialEvm: pingTarget: Error: ti-serialport: Not opened

I tried it on two PC`s (Win7), disabled my dummy load, exchanged my heavy PSU to a linear PSU (which generates not so much noise), but it stays unfonctional.

What can I do to get this working?

  • Hi E. Jongerius,

    Is the provided correct operation voltage between 5.9 V and 45 V?

    Can you probe U3 (LM9036QMX-3.3/NOPB) output or the 3.3V pin voltage of value 3.3V?

    Is the voltage across both pins on D1 3.3V when the USB is connected?

    Can you try a different USB cable?

    Are there any other COM ports open due to other USB cables connected to the computers?

    Can you verify in the Device Manager -> COM Port section that, when you disconnect/connect the EVM to PC via USB, a COM port disappears/appears and write down the COM port name?

    When you have that COM port name, please verify it is the same name that appears on the COM Port Status page on the GUI and that the Baud Rate on that page is 9600.

  • - Operating voltage is 12 V nominal now, so should be valid

    - 3.3V is available on the board and approx 3.29 V so perfect

    - Tried 2 different USB cables, 2 PC`s,

    - COM port number is correct

    - COM port settings will be verified

    - There is no voltage across D1 when USB is connector is attached, both A and C are at 3v3

    I Can see some activity on the SPI port on the pin headers. nCS SCK, SDO and SDI are doing something when I shuffle the registers.

    That means that the connectivity to the PC is OK (FTDI and MSP430). Also the DRV8703 is answering, however every time up to the point that the device should do something this SPI communication locks up, and there is no more SPI connectivity.

    I found that disabling nSleep does shutdown the DRV8703, but that doesn't function anymore when everything has locked up.

    Probing the TXD and RXD lines on the FT232 I can see that about every second one character is send (both ways). But the program says it didnt function.

    What to do? Is it possible that I did lock the software up manually? By setting certain registers or so? I tried quite a lot, and once got to the point that there was actual some current through the device, however I couldnt control the PWM setting in the menu (didnt have a reaction).

  • Hi E. Jongerius

    I will be taking over this thread from Hector. I will discuss this internally and you should expect an answer by the end of this week.

  • Hi E. Jongerius,

    Any update on your end debugging the issue? I am taking over the thread from Pablo.

  • Hi Hector,

    No new updates from my side. Tried all I could do to get this devkit working in the way it is supposed to. Actually I'm looking into alternative parts. That might be the pin configured part (DRV8702) or another device. Probably the problem is related to the USB-UART-SPI bridge (MSP430), however I don`t feel like building my own to get the devkit working. Not sure if I'm confident to use the part in my design without the test results I've planned to do with the kit.

  • Hi E Jongerius,

    Is it possible for you to order a second EVM? I do not know how you lock the software in the way the EVM is configured, but if it is possible then a second board should work. I am having no issues running this EVM on my end.

  • Hi E Jongerius,

    Do you have an update to share? Thanks.

  • Hi Hector,

    With the help of Mouser I'm getting a new dev board delivered today or tomorrow. I'll test it ASAP.

  • I have received the new board, and I can get it to work on a win10 laptop. I think my problem might be solved now, I didn't face communication issues during testing (~10min).