Measuring Current Consumption on STM32 Nucleo-64: JP6 Jumper Behavior and Ammeter Use
Hi guys, how can I properly measure the current consumption of the microcontroller on my STM32 Nucleo-64 evaluation board (NUCLEO-L073RZ)?
The manual instructs me to remove the JP6/IDD jumper and connect an ammeter in series between the pins to measure the current.
However, when I remove the JP6 jumper without connecting the ammeter, the microcontroller continues to operate, allowing me to debug and communicate via I2C. I expected that removing the JP6 jumper would cut the power to the microcontroller, making it inaccessible unless an external power supply was used.
Can someone explain where I might be wrong? Additionally, if I measured any current using the ammeter, I’d like to understand if the observed values align with expectations.
For reference, here is the link to the STM32 Nucleo-64 manual, specifically page 23:
STM32 Nucleo-64 Manual
The manual instructs me to remove the JP6/IDD jumper and connect an ammeter in series between the pins to measure the current.
However, when I remove the JP6 jumper without connecting the ammeter, the microcontroller continues to operate, allowing me to debug and communicate via I2C. I expected that removing the JP6 jumper would cut the power to the microcontroller, making it inaccessible unless an external power supply was used.
Can someone explain where I might be wrong? Additionally, if I measured any current using the ammeter, I’d like to understand if the observed values align with expectations.
For reference, here is the link to the STM32 Nucleo-64 manual, specifically page 23:
STM32 Nucleo-64 Manual
Solution
Connect the ammeter in series between the two pins of JP6. This allows you to measure the current flowing directly into the MCU's VDD line, which represents the power consumed by the MCU and any connected peripherals powered from VDD.
