BUCK 13 CLICK
PID: MIKROE-3651 Weight: 22 g
Buck 13 Click is a high-efficiency step-down converter which provides a highly regulated output
voltage derived from the connected power source, rated from 4.5V to 5.5V. The regulated output
voltage is 3.3V, the most common choise for various embeded applications. Buck 13 click is based
around an integrated DC-DC converter, labeled as MPM3530. Due to its high efficiency, MPM3530
allows the Click board™ to easily deliver up to 3A of current. The MPM3530 is very reliable, offering
over-current and over-voltage protection, as well as a thermal shutdown.
Buck 13 click is supported by a mikroSDK compliant library, which includes functions that simplify
software development. This Click board™ comes as a fully tested product, ready to be used on a
system equipped with the mikroBUS™ socket.
Equipped with a number of different protection features such as the overload protection,
thermal protection, soft startup, this step-down converter offers a very secure and
convenient way of reducing the input voltage from a VIN terminal. It provides a clean,
low noise and reliable power source. It can be used for different types of power
supplies, regulation of the wall transformers output, single board applications powered
by high voltage, and for any application that requires clean and efficient step-down
voltage conversion.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The step down DC-DC regulator used on this click board™ is the MPM3530, a 55V 3A
ultra-low profile DC-to-DC power module by Monolithic Power Systems (MPS). This IC is
a valley current mode controlled power module, meaning that it has a faster response
than the traditional peak current mode control, thus better response to transients. This
IC requires a minimal number of external components, which makes the whole device
pretty robust and easy to work with.
The output voltage is determined by the feedback voltage on the FB pin. Therefore,
Buck 13 click is equipped with a fixed voltage divider calculated to ensure stable, the
most frequently used, 3.3V output. The MPM3530 operates at very high switching
frequency of 520 kHz, which allows a good compromise between the efficiency and the
size of the device with no external coil needed and minimal number of other external
components.
Click board™ uses the MCP3001, a 10-bit A/D converter (ADC) which uses the SPI
interface, from Microchip. It allows monitoring the output voltage over the SPI interface.
This ADC is powered from the +5V mikroBUS™ power rail. The same voltage is used to
supply the MCP1541 voltage reference, as well. That way, the stable 4.096V rference
voltage is obtained in order to ensure precise measurement of the output voltage. The
Click board™ itself requires an external power supply to be connected at the input
terminal, labeled as VIN. The VOUT terminal provides the connected load with the
regulated 3.3V voltage.
The over-current protection is based on cycle-by-cycle limiting of the inductor current. If
the output voltage starts to drop during the current limiting interval, causing the FB
voltage to drop under 50% of the internal reference, the device enters the hiccup mode,
shutting down the output. After a fixed period, the device will try to re-enable the output.
If the short-circuit condition still exists, it will shut down the output again, repeating the
whole process, until the short-circuit condition disappears. The hiccup mode greatly
reduces the short-circuit current, protecting the device when the output is shorted to
ground.
Thanks to its ability to work with the high duty cycle of the internal switching PWM
signal, the MPM3530 requires the input voltage to be only about 0.7V above the output
voltage, in order to maintain the regulation. However, if the input voltage drops under
3.5V, the device will not be able to operate properly. Therefore, the under-voltage
protection shuts down the device, as a protection measure. The under-voltage
protection is disabled once the input voltage exceeds 3.9V. This small hysteresis of
0.4V prevents erratic behavior in border-cases.
As mentioned before, the voltage of the power supply at the input terminal should stay
within the range between 4V and 55V. However, the voltage at the input is desirable to
be approximately 5.7V to 6V at least, in order to provide a good regulation at the output.
SPECIFICATIONS
Type
Buck
Applications
A perfect choice for step-down applications for embedded
electronic devices, servers, routers, data storage devices, low
power ICs, etc
On-board
modules
MPM3530, 3A ultra-low profile DC-to-DC power module by
Monolithic Power Systems (MPS) MCP3001, a 10-bit A/D
converter (ADC) which uses the SPI interface, from Microchip.
Key Features
Buck 13 click features a wide range of input voltages, pin
configurable working parameters, internal soft start, thermal
shutdown, hiccup mode short-circuit protection and high switching
efficiency
Interface
GPIO
Click board
size
L (57.15 x 25.4 mm)
Input Voltage
5V
PINOUT DIAGRAM
This table shows how the pinout on Buck 13 click corresponds to the pinout on the
mikroBUS™ socket (the latter shown in the two middle columns).
Notes
Pin
Pin
EN
1
AN
PWM
16
NC
NC
2
RST
INT
15
NC
CS
3
CS
RX
14
NC
SPI Clock
SCK
4
SCK
TX
13
NC
SPI Data Out
SDO
5
MISO
SCL
12
NC
NC
6
MOSI
SDA
11
NC
NC
7
3.3V
5V
10
5V
GND
8
GND
GND
9
GND
Enable Input
Chip Select
Ground
Notes
Power supply
Ground
ONBOARD SETTINGS AND INDICATORS
Label
Name
Default
Description
LD1
PWR
-
Power LED Indicator
TB1
VIN-EXT
-
Screw terminal for connecting an external voltage
source
TB2
VOUT
-
Screw terminal for connecting the load
BUCK 13 CLICK ELECTRICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Description
Min
Typ
Max
Unit
4.5
5
55
V
Output voltage range
-
3.3
-
V
Output current
0
-
3
A
Input voltage range
SOFTWARE SUPPORT
We provide a library for the Buck 13 click on our LibStock page, as well as a demo
application (example), developed using MikroElektronika compilers. The demo can run
on all the main MikroElektronika development boards.
Library Description
This library performs a control of the Buck 13 click board, which is used to convert the
input DC voltage, in the range from 6.5V to 50V, to output DC voltage of 3.3V, with
maximal current of 3A. Library uses SPI serial interface to allow the ADC output reading
from the Buck 13. For more details check documentation.
Key functions:
•
void buck13_spiDriverInit( T_BUCK13_P gpioObj, T_BUCK13_P spiObj ) - This function initializes
SPI serial interface.
•
•
void buck13_enable( T_BUCK13_STATE pwr_state ) - This function allows user to perform a control
of the Buck 13 output.
uint16_t buck13_getVoltage( void ) - This function returns the output voltage value calculated to
millivolts.
Examples description
The application is composed of three sections :
•
System Initialization - Initializes peripherals and pins.
•
Application Initialization - Initializes SPI serial interface and turns OFF the Buck 13 output as default
state. Also writes possible commands to the uart terminal.
•
Application Task - (code snippet) - Checks the command entered by user and executes the
operation determined by selected command. If entered command was invalid sends a report to the
uart terminal. Also the report will be sent to the uart terminal after each entered command and
executed operation. Note: Input voltage range is from 6.5V to 50V Output voltage is about 3.3V
Current limit is 3A.
void applicationTask()
{
rx_dat = UART_Rdy_Ptr();
if (rx_dat != 0)
{
rx_dat = UART_Rd_Ptr();
switch (rx_dat)
{
case 'e' :
{
if (out_state == _BUCK13_DISABLE)
{
buck13_enable( _BUCK13_ENABLE );
out_state = _BUCK13_ENABLE;
mikrobus_logWrite( "** Buck 13 output is enabled now.", _LOG_LINE );
}
else
{
mikrobus_logWrite( "** Buck 13 output is already enabled.", _LOG_LINE );
}
break;
}
case 'd' :
{
if (out_state == _BUCK13_ENABLE)
{
buck13_enable( _BUCK13_DISABLE );
out_state = _BUCK13_DISABLE;
mikrobus_logWrite( "** Buck 13 output is disabled now.", _LOG_LINE );
}
else
{
mikrobus_logWrite( "** Buck 13 output is already disabled.", _LOG_LINE );
}
break;
}
case 'v' :
{
out_voltage = buck13_getVoltage();
WordToStr( out_voltage, text );
Ltrim( text );
mikrobus_logWrite( "** VOUT = ", _LOG_TEXT );
mikrobus_logWrite( text, _LOG_TEXT );
mikrobus_logWrite( " mV.", _LOG_LINE );
break;
}
case 'c' :
{
writeCmd();
break;
}
default :
{
mikrobus_logWrite( "*****
Invalid command.
*****", _LOG_LINE );
writeCmd();
break;
}
}
}
}
Additional Functions :
•
writeCmd - Writes possible commands for the user to the uart terminal.
The full application code, and ready to use projects can be found on our LibStock page.
Other mikroE Libraries used in the example:
•
Conversions
•
C_String
•
SPI
•
UART
Additional notes and informations
Depending on the development board you are using, you may need USB UART
click, USB UART 2 click or RS232 click to connect to your PC, for development systems
with no UART to USB interface available on the board. The terminal available in all
MikroElektronika compilers, or any other terminal application of your choice, can be
used to read the message.
MIKROSDK
This Click board™ is supported with mikroSDK - MikroElektronika Software
Development Kit. To ensure proper operation of mikroSDK compliant Click board™
demo applications, mikroSDK should be downloaded from the LibStock and installed for
the compiler you are using.
For more information about mikroSDK, visit the official page.
RESOURCES
mikroBUS™ Standard specification
LibStock: mikroSDK
Click board catalog
DOWNLOAD
Buck 13 click example on Libstock
Buck 13 click 2D and 3D files
MPM3530 datasheet
Buck 13 click schematic
https://www.mikroe.com/buck-13-click/7-29-19