What the onboard RGB light indicates.

Hardware Nano Family Nano 33 BLE Sense
#1

I have Arduino Nano BLEs sense. After few days use it stopped working. If I give power to it using USB the "Power LED" is not glowing, it is getting HOT after sometimes, Laptop can't discover it on USB port and green light is glowing.

I have checked the power supply section all supply pin getting correct voltage and their no shorting on power supply output. IDK the reason behind it. I think board is okay the problem with BLOX-NinaB3 module or bootloader.

I have couple of question regarding this. 1. Why is it getting HOT despite of power supply good.? 2. Why this greens light glowing? 3. Why it is not working?

Thanks for advanced.

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#2

Try double click on the reset button and program a simple example.

The Arduino Nano 33 BLE uses a native USB which means if you do something wrong you can make it stop working. Double click on reset will force bootloader mode which should enable USB.

The RGB LED is I/O driven so likely your sketch is driving it.

The PWR LED is also I/O driven and therefore might stop working if your sketch changes the I/O.

What part is getting hot (WiFi module, power converter ..)?

#3

Thanks Klaus _K,

Actually there no firmware is running within this module it is hardware problem. I have double clicked on the reset button but it is not responding, the green light is still glowing.

The NINA-B306 BLE module getting hot.

#4

papuxtream: Actually there no firmware is running within this module it is hardware problem.

There is always some firmware running unless you keep the reset button pushed or the device is broken.

What happens to the LED when you keep the reset button pressed? If it is still on, there is a short somewhere. The RGB LEDs are active low. If it is off, something is configuring that I/O pin to output after reset.

#5

There is always some firmware running unless you keep the reset button pushed or the device is broken.

What happens to the LED when you keep the reset button pressed? If it is still on, there is a short somewhere. The RGB LEDs are active low. If it is off, something is configuring that I/O pin to output after reset.

Nothing is running within this module and neither broken anything nor it is responding when I pressing button. This same problem happening on three board not in one only. May be this RGB lights are active low, somehow it is getting triggered by hardware. I didn't find the reason. Can you tell me why this module getting HOT while I power it although there's no shorting in power supply and other components.????

#6

papuxtream: This same problem happening on three board not in one only.

Mmmm... Did you use any additional hardware with the boards? Any chance you used some wrong settings (e.g. other device) in the Arduino IDE?

papuxtream: Can you tell me why this module getting HOT while I power it although there's no shorting in power supply and other components.????

This is not a good sign. The module should not be able to get hot under normal operation. The same module casing is using for other designs (e.g. NINA with WiFi) which can draw a lot more power.

#7

Mmmm... Did you use any additional hardware with the boards? Any chance you used some wrong settings (e.g. other device) in the Arduino IDE?

No, I am using any other hardware with it. It's clear from the previous picture shown in the first post.

This is not a good sign. The module should not be able to get hot under normal operation. The same module casing is using for other designs (e.g. NINA with WiFi) which can draw a lot more power.

Currently it is no functional mode. Neither it accepting any sketch from Arduino nor running any sketch within it. PC also unable to discover it USB port.

#8

papuxtream:
Currently it is no functional mode. Neither it accepting any sketch from Arduino nor running any sketch within it. PC also unable to discover it USB port.

I am afraid, without a debugger you are out of options to solve this yourself. There are pads at the bottom of the PCB where you could connect an in-circuit debugger.