BQ Evaluation Software : Modifying Data Flash using GUI

Abhay

I verified that I can update the Device Name following your procedure, so there must be a configuration problem on your EVM. There is not enough data shown to diagnose the problem, but it does show that you have the pack configured for one series cell and I doubt that the pack has been calibrated based on the Pack Configuration register setting. The Flash Update OK Voltage is set to 2800 mV, so the cell voltage will have to be above this limit to update the data flash. Do you have any error flags set?

Regards

Tom

Hi ,

I had changed the bqchip on the evm because of applying reverse polarity ,my evm was working with the evaluation software perfectly before ,i am trying to make the settings as before but cant update the flash contents , the following jumper settings have been applied ,I'm using a 15V 13.6 AH battery 

J1-  Shorted for I2C

J2 - 16 V 

J3 - A

J4 - open

J5 - Both Multicell are shorted

J6 _ A,B,C,D are shorted 

J7 - connected to EVM2300 I2C port

The same settings were used previously , find below the screenshot of the dataRam screen for the errors

Regards

Abhay

Abhay

That is the same configuration that I have been using. Can you reload the senc file to make sure that the firmware is okay? If that does not help, then I would try configuring the EVM for single cell until you can get access to the data flash and calibrate the device. You should also check the signals at the device pins to make sure that the reverse voltage did not damage something else on the EVM.

Tom

Tom,

Could you let me know how to reload the senc file and give me a list of signals to check for board integrity which could help me furnish data back to you immediately

Abhay

Hi Tom,

I cant see the senc file attached please re attach  , I have checked the following signals on the chip

CE & REGIN : 3.8 V

REG25 : 2.523V

Since the device is communicating with the GUI and i'm able to use Control() on the Data RAM screen to place the device in sealed mode and unseal it back using the control i guess the I2C is fine , I have another question 

The BQ goes into sealed mode bits FAS and SS are set each time the device gets reset after sealing the device once, note that i did not reset the device when it was sealed the first time ,rather i unsealed it and then tried a reset,why does this happen and is there any way to prevent this.

Regards

Abhay

Abhay, 

The senc file did not get attached, so here it is.

Regards

Tom

Tom, 

Thanks for the file , I was able to load in successfully onto the chip and am able now to modify the DF section using the GUI , could you elaborate more on the reason why this happens ,ans as for my query on the BQ sealing on reset ,should i post it as a new post ??

Best Regards

Abhay

Abhay,

 If your device was sealed, then you cannot update the data flash until you unseal it. Also, if the device has ever been sealed, then it will automatically reseal itself whenever a reset occurs. If your device was not sealed and you could not update the data flash, then the BAT+ voltage may not have been high enough or the program flash was corrupted. Reloading the senc file would have corrected this.

Please let me know if it happens again.

Regards
Tom

I tried using the process mentioned on this thread but have not been able to modify the data flash. 

I am using a single cell configuration

J1-  Shorted for I2C

J2 - open

J3 - A

J4 - open

J5 - Both single cell are shorted

J6 _ A,B,C,D are shorted 

J7 - connected to EVM2300 I2C port

I have attached a few screen shots. I tried using the unsealing and full access process based on the datasheet but could not change the control Status. I am attaching a  few screenshots. I have checked everything mentioned on this post already I believe I am not following the process to unseal correctly but I have not been able to figure out what I should be doing.

The data provided indicates that the device is not sealed, so you do not have to sed the unseal and full access codes. The program recognized the device, so that is good. (assuming that you are using a bq34z100) Have you calibrated the device yet?

Also, you should not short all of the jumpers on J6. Only short the one needed for your LED configuration. You can leave it unpopulated, since you are not using the LEDs. You can leave J1 open as well, sunce you are not using LEDs.

Removed the jumpers and calibrated. All that works. But my battery capacity is always 1000mAh in configuration and I cannot change it. The fuel gauge reading has started going down though.

Should I not be worried about configuration at all?

Rishabh,

You should be able to type in a new number for the Design Capacity and press the Enter button to update the parameter. Cam you update other parameters in the data flash? 

I also noticed that Impedance Track is not enabled on the pack. You can enter am IT Enable command 21 to turn it.

Tom

Thanks Thomas. Everything seems to be working fine now with the single cell configuration. I am now trying a 4S configuration. Changed the jumpers on J5 and also added a 16V jumper on J2. Started with the calibration but the measured voltage reads 723mV I tried to change the number of series of cells but could not, the cell that I change turns red. 

Is there a step I am missing in between? How can I run the same cell but in 4S configuration?

You will need to change the number of series cells parameter to 4 to run a 4S configuration. The firmware must be in a bad state, if you cannot change the parameter. I would suggest reloading the senc file to initialize it to a known good state. I attached the default senc file for the device.

Thanks changing the Senc file allowed me to make those changes. 

I was following the steps from the datasheet page 29 and I checked that the number of cells is configured, VOLSEL bit is set and then I tried to change the voltage divider value to 16000 but it gives me a red cell with 5000

Here are the screen shots.

The coltage measured in the calibrations is below 1V for some reason.

Tom,

Did you get a chance to look at this? Any ideas why it would not be measuring the 4 cell voltage correctly?

Your screen shot shows that IT is enabled. You should not enable IT until the parameters have been configured and the pack has been calibrated. I have seen this cause the device not allow data flash changes.

Hi Thomas,

I've just received the bq34z100 evaluation kit with the EV2300 interface. I've configured the board for my 6 cells battery as mentioned in the data sheet 8and in the previous posts). The software can read the status correctly, communication is OK.

But now I can't do anything but reading the chip. Every time I change a value (even leaving the same value) I have a pop-up window like this:

and no value is changed. I've followed the steps mentioned at page 29 of the data sheet.

I've also tried to reload (successfully) the senc files you mentioned in a previous post with no change.

Please help...

Tom,

Disabled the impedance track and tried changing things. Still no success. The steps I am folloing to hcange for switching to 4S are 

1. Change jumpers

2. Connect cells

3. Change number of cells, VOLSEL and change voltage divider in software

4 The plan was to calibrate after this

As I am unable to change the voltage divider and the calibration measured voltage reading is below 1V, I am unable to calibrate and get 0% battery all the time. The pictures above have all the information (IT not enabled)

Anything wrong with the steps I am following? Any other hardware changes required except the change in jumpers?

Rishabh

Your process looks okay. Don't worry about setting the voltage divider parameter. Also, make sure that you press the <enter> key on the computer after you change each parameter. The value should get saved into flash at that point. If you cannot change parameters after reloading the senc file and changing the # of cells and VOLSEL, then something must now be working right in your bqEVSW or the device is damaged.

Tom

I have two devices and both give the same result. I am able to change all other parameters but have trouble changing the voltage divider. 

Even if I don't change the voltage divider there is no way I can calibrate as I am seeing 923mV in the measured voltage on the calibration screen and without calibration I see 0% battery remaining all the time.

Can you provide a picture of your setup? Maybe I can see something setup incorrectly. What voltage do you have applied to BAT+? Do you have two EVMs exhibiting the same issue or did you just replace the device on the EVM? I thought that maybe another component on the EVM is defective.

Can you export a gg file while it is still configured for 1S, change the parameters and import the changes back into the device? You will have to press the Write All button after importing the file.

Hi Thomas,

Did you have time to look at my post from 23.5.14? I can't change any value, so the other posts are not useful for me...

Thanks.

Gabriel,

That is not an error that you should receive, so the bqEVSW that you are using my have a bug. Did you download it from the TI website? Please provide an email address and I will send you a link to download a new setup file.

Tom

Dear Thomas,

Yes, I've downloaded it recently from TI website. Version is 0.9.90. I've just downloaded it right now to be sure and the same error appears. I've tried on a old PC with windows XP and another one with Windows 7 with the same error.

The evaluation board is new and no bad manipulation has been made.

Please send the right version to info(at)gxe.ch. Hope it will fix the problem...

Thanks.

Dear Thomas,

Thanks for the software, but the problem remains. I've tried on another PC (XP), but it is always the same error and I can't change any value.
For example, when I want to change the cell # I do the following steps:

type 6 <enter> -> error window -> write class or write all -> read all -> number of cells is back to 1!

Isn't it a problem with the values initially written in the bq34z100?
Thanks in advance for your help as we are in a hurry with this project and I've already designed the PCB for it!!!

Best regards.

We are probably going to have to setup a WebEX session, so that I can review your setup.

Dear Gabriel,

I had the exact same error yesterday and this is due to your regionals parameters in windows OS configuration. You have to change your regionals parameters to English(United States). But i expect you already found what to do ;-)

Best regards.