ESP32-CAM only works while GND jumper is being pulled out

[kaijif]

I've been struggling for quite some time with a very strange problem. My ESP32-CAMs (bought from 3 different suppliers) only work momentarily when the GND jumper is being pulled out.

Video: https://youtube.com/shorts/S1KD0uW7rJw?feature=share

I can upload a wiring schematic, but I don't think that's the problem; The "est" that you see is the beginning of the ESP32-CAM bootup, so I'm pretty sure the wiring's not the problem. The issue persists when I wire it directly to the FTDI programmer too. I've tested the programmer with a multimeter and it's reading the 5 volts that I'm expecting. This has been very frustrating and any help would be greatly appreciated.

[apf1979]

Have you tested it with nothing hooked up but power and ground or using a usb cable?

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[kaijif]

I've tried with a usb cable. I'm not sure how to tell if a board is working if I don't have serial I/O connected.

[apf1979]

Could you do serial echo using a USB cable?

[kaijif]

I'm not entirely sure what you mean. I should clarify, I got the same behavior using a USB cable. A serial echo on my FTDI programmer (i.e. shorting TXD and RXD) works fine, but I can't power the board long enough to upload the code so I can run a serial echo.

[apf1979]

Did you try powering the board with ONLY a USB cable and NOTHING else attached?

[kaijif]

Yep, nothing.

[apf1979]

It's not an OTG cable is it? Have you tested any other cables or tried using a different system?

[srnet]

@kaijif

I've tested the programmer with a multimeter and it's reading the 5 volts that I'm expecting.

Are you using a 5V logic FTDI to program a 3.3V logic level ESP32CAM ?

[srnet]

And please appreciate the people you are asking for help on this forum are volunteers who may not all have the time to download and watch videos.

I started watching the video, which took a long time to download, and gave up.

If you have a problem, describing and displaying the problem bits directly on the forum will get you better answers.

[noobmastha]

GND pin below GPIO1 is not GND, don`t use it.

[apf1979]

That's odd. Is it an isolated ground for some special purpose, misnamed, etc.?

[noobmastha]

I dont know, I think its a design error. I lost whole day with this cam module before I read about it somewhere and checked with a multimeter...