Help with SMPS - Atmel TINY13A

Thread Starter

bwilliams60

Joined Nov 18, 2012
1,442
Good evening. So I am working on this little SMPS/smart charger and I came across this ATMEL TINY13A controller. A couple of questions since I know absolutely nothing about them. I believe this to be a PLC of sorts and I would like to know how it is used in this charger and how can I tell if it is working or not? Is there a reader/programmer to look at the programming? Any help is beneficial. Thanks in advance.
 

ISB123

Joined May 21, 2014
1,236
It's a microcontroller and can be programed with USBasp.To control the charging you will have to learn programming or find a pre written code.
 

Thread Starter

bwilliams60

Joined Nov 18, 2012
1,442
Right now it is not charging at all. Trying to figure out where it is dropping out and just wondering what the chances are that it might be here. I see what looks to be a crack in the chip but it may just be manufacturing. No schematic for it so working in the dark.
 

Attachments

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,165
A PLC -- I don't think so, at least not as I understand the term based on a long career in industrial control and automation.

I would start with the datasheet.
http://www.atmel.com/images/doc8126.pdf

I'm just spitballing here but I guess it is using the Compare/Capture module to do the PWM for a switch/inductor/diode combination which is part of an SMPS. It is also probably using the A/D input to monitor the output voltage and adjust the PWM accordingly.

To check it's operation you need to probe each pin with an oscilloscope to determine if there is any activity.
 
Last edited:

NCSailor

Joined Jun 15, 2013
33
There is a chance that that ATTiny is counterfeit so that may well be a crack.
I just had a bad EEPROM in a Chinese Logic Analyzer(the write protect pin doesn't write protect)
It had similar ATMEL marking but the data sheet shows that it should be ATML followed by the mfr date
Your data sheet indicates the 1st line should be T13 (Presumably preceded by ATML.)

If the chip is bad, you have almost no chance of "fixing" it. Replacing he chip is dirt cheap but you would need the code to flash the replacement.

If this is a Chinese product, there is a possibility that it is an open source project that they began to manufacture. It is worth hunting around the net for a similar project.
 

Thread Starter

bwilliams60

Joined Nov 18, 2012
1,442
This is a Chinese manufactured SMART Charger for an alignment machine. Not sure what my readings should be but at the MOSFET I have 6.1 VDC on the gate, 168VDC on the Source and 0.00 VDC on the drain. I think I have that right. Doesn't sound right to me?
Anyways, no output. Not even sure if PLC comes into play.
 

NCSailor

Joined Jun 15, 2013
33
You need to develop some kind of logical approach to troubleshooting this circuit and that probably requires some understanding of how it is supposed to work. Papabravo pointed you in the right direction. IF the ATTiny13A is the brains of this circuit, it should be fairly simple to figure out if it is doing something. There are only 5 (possibly 6) I/O pins. If it is doing something, it could well be OK.
For anyone here to help, you will have to provide a whole lot more information.
And to repeat another post. the ATTiny is NOT a PLC.
 
Top