Overheating ‘CH340G’ USB chip!

#1

A few months ago I bought a additional Orion board for my XY Plotter. This board had a serious issue.
When the board was connected via the serial board and was monitored with the Arduino GUI and you pressed the reset button the CH340G chip over heated within a second!!
A few days ago a replacement for the faulty board. But this one has exactly the same problem. I also have an other Orion board which does not have the same problem.

Looks to me there is perhaps a problem in a certain production series?

To the Makeblock team, please advice.

#2

Hi Klaas
We will arrange a test and let you know later.

#3

A bit more background information. I have uploaded the following sketch and then when you start the serial monitor and press the reset button the board CH340G overheads (very very quickly… ). Warning, you will burn your fingers.

The sketch:

Orion Problem - 0.png924x742 35 KB

The faulty board:

Orion Problem - 2.jpg1684x1334 577 KB

Perhaps there is a marker to identity the series.

My original board with the Makeblock XY Plotter does not have this problem.

#4

Hi Klass,

Here we tested with several Orion boards. The ch340g chip won’t overheat very quickly. After a while of drive a motor, the driver chip is hotter than the CH340G chip. If it overheat very quickly, maybe there is some kind of shorted in this chip.

May we know where did you buy the previous Oion board? Did you get the replacement Orion board from the same shop? Is there any barcode on the bottom of the box for previous Orion board and the replaced Orion board?

#5

The board works perfectly as long as I do not press the reset button during usage (and with the serial monitor active).
Did you check this also? Did you perform the reset as well?

#6

The barcode of the board:

This board was bought at: https://www.kiwi-electronics.nl/

The confirmed that the first board I ordered from then had indeed a defect (was overheating when the reset was pressed during usage).

There is no visible damage to the board and again works fine as long as you do not press the reset button.

#7

Hi Klass,

Yes, I have done the same thing, use the serial monitor and press reset button.

Thanks for your info, we will provide feedback to our engineers and do further test. Could you please help checking following info:

  1. Connect the Orion board to computer with USB cable, then connect serial port on Arduino software.
    Touch the CH340G chip and see if it is hot?

  2. You mentioned that the chip overheat when use serial monitor and press the reset button.
    Is it hot (not overheat) at the same application without pressing the reset button?

  3. Since you have another Orion board which doesn’t have this issue. Could you please take pictures for the two Orion boards (the issue one and the one works). Please refer to the following angle to take the pictures.

    blob.jpg1244x1018 390 KB

As for the issued board, please still contact local re seller if they can replace another one for you to have a check.

#8

Hello Tec_Support,

Your questions:

You mentioned that the chip overheat when use serial monitor and press the reset button.
Is it hot (not overheat) at the same application without pressing the reset button?

Correct, when I use the board and do not press the reset button it runs normally. No issues at all.

Since you have another Orion board which doesn’t have this issue. Could you please take pictures for the two Orion boards (the issue one and the one works). Please refer to the following angle to take the pictures.

Picture 1 of the faulty board:

Orion Board - Faulthy.jpg1958x1915 887 KB

Picture 2 of the good board:

Orion Board - Good.jpg1566x1660 743 KB

If the pictures are not good enough let me know. Then I will use a better camera to take pictures.

#9

Hi Klass,

Thanks for the info and feedback.
Our engineer will do further analyze, will inform you if there is update.

#10

Hello Tec_Support,
It has been a while. Was the engineer able to discover the issue?

#11

Hi Klaas,

Our engineers have tested several Orion boards which purchased from our supplier on the same date, but still can’t reproduce the problem. At present we judge this problem is accidental.
For the issued board, please still contact local re seller if they can replace another one for you. Thanks!

#12

Klaas
I think you and I have similar problems.

if you still have the faulty board could you tell me if the capacitors have faint crosses of the tops because for me its the TB624A2 chip that overheated

#13

On the big capacitors there are faint crosses (like it should). But if you have a different chip overheating I would guess you have a different problem.
Mine works well as long as I do not press the reset button. Also then it does not overheat.

#14

thanks

#15

Hi, i know i’m reviving a dead thread but i too have the same issues with overheating of TB624A2 chip.
Is this a known issue? I couldn’t find someone else that was complaining about this…

Is there a known cause or a way to fix it?

Thanks!

#16

Hi fuzzypizza,

You must mean the TB6612 chip, it is the motor driver chip.
Normally, this chip will get overheat easily when it control the motors since it need high power for the motors.
On your Orion board, will the TB6612 chip get overheat even without connecting any motor?

#17

Hi, yep. It overheats even without anything connected to it. It reaches ~100 degrees C and then it starts functioning intermittently. Do you have any idea what can be done?

Thanks!

#18

Hi fuzzypizza,

In this case, I suspect the TB6612 was burned. Where did you buy the Orion board? If it was bought from local reseller, you can contact the re seller to check the warranty.
If it was bought from makeblock official website, please kindly send receipt to email address daisy@makeblock.com

#19