BQ34Z100-G1: bqStudio calibration failures

Peter Upczak

Part Number: BQ34Z100-G1
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: BQSTUDIO, EV2400

Hello -- I am not sure this is the right forum for this. I've been working on an integration effort with BQ34Z100-G1 on the EVM for quite some time, I have 4 EVMs.

But my problem is not there, it's with bqStudio (at least I think that's where it is)

Referening this post:

https://e2e.ti.com/support/power_management/battery_management/f/180/t/472485

I am having this exact issue with bqStudio status bar "Calibration - Client waited more than 30 seconds for pipe"

I have tried the proverbial "everything" to solve this short of another computer because I can't get one.

Is there a "real" answer to why this happens?

The EVMs I'm working with now have brand-new BQ34's in them. I set VOLSEL and #series cell = 8. That part works fine. But when I go to calibrate for 26500 (actual pack voltage) I get this error. Everytime, all day.

It is not only in Calibration though. On my other EVMs, I cannot reprogram the default .srec image -- which I've done many times. Only there, the "row counter" never increments off 0 and bqStudio HANGS FOREVER so I have to kill it with Task Manager.

With all these EVMs, it's reasonable to think the remaining culprit must be the host software.

bqStudio version: 1.3.54 just downloaded & clean installed today

BQ firmware 0100_0_16.

BQ I^C address = 0xAA. Reset, Data Reset, all memory Reads and most Writes I apply as tests seem to go ok.

Windows 7. EVM doing I^C via EV2300. -- ever here of this type of problem caused by the I/O box?

Please provide some guidance on what I can do to solve this. I am going nuts :-(

Thanks! -pete u.

over 8 years ago

0 Peter Upczak over 8 years ago

Intellectual 965 points

Hello, here is an update about what I've learned:

1. It's possibly an issue with the EV2300 HID-Compliant driver OR the EV2300 USB-input device driver OR both.

I was loaned a brand new Windows 7 machine and did the full install of everything from scratch, and with a little bit of legwork was able to calibrate the full-pack voltage AND 2 different discharge currents without bqStudio nagging about "the pipe."

That would explain why a computer change "works" to solve the basic problem.

2. In my effort, I came across this:

https://e2e.ti.com/support/power_management/battery_management/m/videos__files/458983

which according to what it says, leaves me in limbo-land for the duration until I upgrade my EV2300 to EV2400.

But before I consider that:

QUESTION: has this problem cleared up by using the EV2400 / Windows USB adapter?

3. In my "brand new Windows box" experiment, I attempted a 3rd re-cal of CC & board offset while charging at +2.8A (+2800mA input to bqStudio) and that resulted in the old behavior based on brain-dead pipe comms.

Data that would be useful to TI as input about what I am doing w/ BQ34Z100G1-EVM:

point 1: driving the EVM input with an instrument amplifier equivalent of 1.5mOHM sense resistor

point 2: EVM 10mOHM resistor is removed from the boards

point 3: EVM sense resistor location has a 100ohm terminating resistor for instrument-amp output stablization when the amp is not powered on.

point 4: the BQ34Z100G1 chips in the EVM I am using have all been replaced with production chips purchased from Digi-Key as a troubleshooting step to this problem. No change in behavior. Brand new chips can't be readily programmed OR calibrated.

QUESTION: what in the above points can or would influence the BQ34Z100G1 on the EVM through the EV2300 to not be able to reliably complete calibration or perform firmware re-programming using bqStudio?

I have plenty of challenges on my plate to resolve here without the product at face value blocking my progress, so please help me understand the best course of action to keep moving forward.

thanks, -pete u.

0 ThomasCosby over 8 years ago in reply to Peter Upczak

TI__Guru 73830 points

Peter,

We have found that some computers do not work properly with the EV2300. In most cases, the 64-bit drivers fixed the problem. It also helps to upgrade your EV2300 to v3.1m or v3.1r. Units with v3.1c firmware do have some issues using the I2C interface. The EV2400 uses Windows drivers, so you should not have problems when using it.

You can also try using the attached bqz. There was a calibration problem with an older version. Place it into this directory. C:\ti\BatteryManagementStudio\config

I have had a few users replace the sense resistor with a Hall sensor device for high current applications. Just make sure the the voltage across the SRN / SRP interface does not exceed +/-125mV.

Tom