MPM3610 Buck Converter Defective

General project help for Adafruit customers

Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit

Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
User avatar
Spitfire2865
 
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2022 5:19 pm

MPM3610 Buck Converter Defective

Post by Spitfire2865 »

Hello
Ive now bought two of this board and both have been defective.
The first, wired correctly, gives ~1V output for 12V input.
The second, wired on a breadboard for clearer planning, gives ~9V output for 12V input.
This is intended to power a 5V servo trigger, so 5V is critical.

Im using a basic 12V 2A transformer.
On both boards, I was getting 12V on the input but very much not 5V on the output.

Whats wrong here?

User avatar
adafruit_support_carter
 
Posts: 29056
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2016 2:45 pm

Re: MPM3610 Buck Converter Defective

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

Can you post a photo of your setup showing how everything is connected so we can check for any obvious hardware issues.

User avatar
Spitfire2865
 
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2022 5:19 pm

Re: MPM3610 Buck Converter Defective

Post by Spitfire2865 »

Ok its a bit hard to see because I was trying to go compact.
20220929_145419.jpg
20220929_145419.jpg (835.55 KiB) Viewed 166 times
+ and - are 12V and ground respectively.
I have a jumper wire from - to J1, a jumper from + to J3, and my output is on J2 and -.
The buck converter is fully isolated from the board and is only connected via pins on I1-I4.
When I feed 12V into it, its giving me 9V out.
The first buck Ive since desoldered as it was done in place on the control board rather than a separate breadboard.
And heres a backside pic showing that Im not bridging any contacts that shouldnt be.
20220929_150253.jpg
20220929_150253.jpg (687.74 KiB) Viewed 166 times

User avatar
adafruit_support_carter
 
Posts: 29056
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2016 2:45 pm

Re: MPM3610 Buck Converter Defective

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

Thanks. That looks generally OK.

And just to verify what you're seeing. If you power up the setup shown and measure the voltage on the headers pins directly on the MPM3610 breakout - you see the expected 12V on the Vin pin, but 9V on the 5V pin?

User avatar
Spitfire2865
 
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2022 5:19 pm

Re: MPM3610 Buck Converter Defective

Post by Spitfire2865 »

That is correct.

User avatar
adafruit_support_carter
 
Posts: 29056
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2016 2:45 pm

Re: MPM3610 Buck Converter Defective

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

Double check the soldering on these pins:
pins.jpg
pins.jpg (75.12 KiB) Viewed 161 times
There's a fair amount of the pad visible. Can't tell from the photo angle. Make sure the soldering is good on both the pin and the pad (wetted out adequately).

Also, the other board gave very different output:
The first, wired correctly, gives ~1V output for 12V input.
How was that one being used?

User avatar
Spitfire2865
 
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2022 5:19 pm

Re: MPM3610 Buck Converter Defective

Post by Spitfire2865 »

I know the soldering on the board is sufficient as Ive traced all continuity paths before I even plugged it in. And a dry joint wouldnt result in 4V over what is expected. I had continuity everywhere I expected it and nowhere I didnt want it.

The first board was soldered with the ground and 5V pins directly to the power input of a control board using header pins, with power coming in from wires soldered to Vin and the exposed Gnd pin above the board.
After disassembling that, I tried the buck without the control board and was only getting a max of about 1V out of it.

User avatar
adafruit2
 
Posts: 22111
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2005 7:36 pm

Re: MPM3610 Buck Converter Defective

Post by adafruit2 »

can you tell us how you are measuring, is it with a scope or multimeter and if its a meter is it handheld? the resistor values are correct and we do test the voltage out - it makes us think that something else is weird with your setup.

User avatar
Spitfire2865
 
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2022 5:19 pm

Re: MPM3610 Buck Converter Defective

Post by Spitfire2865 »

Im measuring it with a portable multimeter on the output. This meter has been accurate before. It gives me a clean 12V reading on the input side and a clean 9V reading on the output.
I dont know what else it could be since its simply a one input one output circuit.

User avatar
adafruit2
 
Posts: 22111
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2005 7:36 pm

Re: MPM3610 Buck Converter Defective

Post by adafruit2 »

yeah like you said theres... just not a lot that can go wrong here. what is the power supply providing 12V?
we can replace these two BUT when you get the replacements, test them in isolation, not soldered into your circuit. a solderless breadboard is best.

User avatar
Spitfire2865
 
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2022 5:19 pm

Re: MPM3610 Buck Converter Defective

Post by Spitfire2865 »

Its just a 12V 2A power pack Ive used before for projects. Your standard US outlet mounted brick with a DC barrel jack output.
Id gladly test replacements in isolation.
.

User avatar
Spitfire2865
 
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2022 5:19 pm

Re: MPM3610 Buck Converter Defective

Post by Spitfire2865 »

Ok this is so strange. I just plugged it back in as it was and now the output is 12V. That makes no sense.

User avatar
Spitfire2865
 
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2022 5:19 pm

Re: MPM3610 Buck Converter Defective

Post by Spitfire2865 »

Ok who can I contact regarding replacements?

User avatar
adafruit2
 
Posts: 22111
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2005 7:36 pm

Re: MPM3610 Buck Converter Defective

Post by adafruit2 »

you can email support@adafruit for 2 pcs replacement

User avatar
Spitfire2865
 
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2022 5:19 pm

Re: MPM3610 Buck Converter Defective

Post by Spitfire2865 »

Well. Ive received the replacements and...
Still getting inconsistent results.
20221017_110833.jpg
20221017_110833.jpg (851.69 KiB) Viewed 89 times
Ive simplified my board wiring this time to guarantee things dont go wrong.
20221017_110844.jpg
20221017_110844.jpg (569.09 KiB) Viewed 89 times
With buck pressed onto pins temporarily.
20221017_110918.jpg
20221017_110918.jpg (978.17 KiB) Viewed 89 times
The voltage jumps around a lot. Usually sits between 5-10V but sometimes I get nothing out of it.

Im lost and about to go with a different buck alltogether because this is tiring.

Locked
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.

Return to “General Project help”