Noob question - The chip enable pin of a SRAM is drawing 1.2A

Thread Starter

Angel RF

Joined Jul 14, 2019
3
I have a AM9101 Static RAM chip, and I want to use it with Arduino.
My setup is in a breadboard, and I'm only connecting VCC and GND, but when I connect CE (Chip enable, active low) to ground, the current from CE pin and ground is 1.2A.
I figurate that this is not normal, but it does the same with a second AM9101 chip.
Am I doing something badly? Maybe I can't connect CE directly to ground, but with other chips I can do it directly.
Please help, thanks for your time.
 

KeithWalker

Joined Jul 10, 2017
3,063
I have a AM9101 Static RAM chip, and I want to use it with Arduino.
My setup is in a breadboard, and I'm only connecting VCC and GND, but when I connect CE (Chip enable, active low) to ground, the current from CE pin and ground is 1.2A.
I figurate that this is not normal, but it does the same with a second AM9101 chip.
Am I doing something badly? Maybe I can't connect CE directly to ground, but with other chips I can do it directly.
Please help, thanks for your time.
You either have the chip connected wrongly or your measuring instrument is faulty. Can you show a diagram of how you have it connected? What are you using to measure the current?
 

Alec_t

Joined Sep 17, 2013
14,280
Welcome to AAC!
I'm only connecting VCC and GND
If you have input pins floating that can generally have weird effects, including excessive current draw. I don't know if that applies to your particular IC though.
I would expect 1.2A through the CE input to have caused IC damage.
 

BobTPH

Joined Jun 5, 2013
8,804
If the chip was not smoking, it is doubtful that it is drawing 1.2A.

Are you sure there is not a little m in front of A?

And do show us how you measured, i.e. how you placed the probes of your multimeter.

Bob
 

Thread Starter

Angel RF

Joined Jul 14, 2019
3
Thanks for the replies,
I made a little diagram "diag.png" in paint.

I'm sure that the meter shows "A" in current mode

You either have the chip connected wrongly or your measuring instrument is faulty. Can you show a diagram of how you have it connected? What are you using to measure the current?
I'm sure too, that I connected it properly.

Welcome to AAC!

If you have input pins floating that can generally have weird effects, including excessive current draw. I don't know if that applies to your particular IC though.
I would expect 1.2A through the CE input to have caused IC damage.
Maybe, but before, I had it with almost all pins in a determined logic level with arduino, and the same result.

A other thing, there are two CE pins, one active low, and the oher active high, but all of them draws 1.2A. (One to GND and the other to VCC).

Thanks for your help, any idea?
 

Attachments

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
When I search on the old AM9101, this is the pinout that I find:

upload_2019-7-14_17-50-19.png

Please show the "real" pins that you are using and a link to its datasheet. It's like we know you think it is connected properly, but that current you are getting is way wrong.
 

Thread Starter

Angel RF

Joined Jul 14, 2019
3
Ok, here I attached some pictures, and the datasheet that i'm using:
20190715_114051.jpg 20190715_114154.jpg
As you can see, I have +5V in the pin 22, VCC in the datasheet, GND in pin 8, VSS in datasheet, and GND thru the meter in pin 19, CE1 (active low) in datasheet.
 

Attachments

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
Presumably, the alligator clips are your power supply. Show how your meter is attached. If those clips are your meter, where is your power supply? Moreover, they are not connected correctly to measure current through the chip.
 

KeithWalker

Joined Jul 10, 2017
3,063
Ok, here I attached some pictures, and the datasheet that i'm using:
View attachment 181701 View attachment 181702
As you can see, I have +5V in the pin 22, VCC in the datasheet, GND in pin 8, VSS in datasheet, and GND thru the meter in pin 19, CE1 (active low) in datasheet.
From what I can see in your picture, you have your ammeter connected between + and - of your 5 volt supply, shorting it out. What your meter is displaying is the limiting current of your power supply.
Try connecting it as you show in your diagram. You will measure a much smaller current.
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,976
Ok, here I attached some pictures, and the datasheet that i'm using:
View attachment 181701 View attachment 181702
As you can see, I have +5V in the pin 22, VCC in the datasheet, GND in pin 8, VSS in datasheet, and GND thru the meter in pin 19, CE1 (active low) in datasheet.
As has been stated previously (and clearly ignored) do NOT leave inputs unconnected (unless the data sheet specifically states that this is acceptable).

You are NOT measuring the current through the chip enable pin, you appear to be shorting out your power supply and reading its short-circuit output current.
 
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