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I'm using a Microchip PIC24FJ1024GA606.

I have two versions of my PCB and I am using a pin to identify the hardware revisions. On Version 1, the pin is unused and on version 2, the pin is connected to a 4k7 pull-up to 3v3.

In the code itself, I am using IOCPDGbits.IOCPDG8 = 1; to set the port as a pull down. This allows me to identify version 1 boards as having that pin low, and version 2 boards as having the pin pulled high.

Everything was working for a week or so and then it stopped working -- my version 2 board started to register the pin as low. I replaced the resistor and once again it was reading low. I then replaced it with a 2k ohm resistor and now the pin is reading high.

My questions are:

  1. Am I doing something obviously wrong?
  2. What are the chances the MCU is damaged?
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    \$\begingroup\$ Did you measure the voltage at the pin in both cases? \$\endgroup\$ Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 17:53
  • \$\begingroup\$ 1.8v with the 4k7 and 2.7v with the 2k @Bryan \$\endgroup\$ Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 17:56
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    \$\begingroup\$ The resistance value of the internal pulldown has a wide tolerance and isn't super low, so a 4.7K is too weak to ensure a high. So your solution is the right direction. You may even have to go lower to guarantee a valid high. Either consult the datasheet for a min pulldown value spec and calculate a safe value, or just make it 0-100 ohm and be done with it. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 18:03

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Your pull up resistor was too weak, and the resulting voltage was in the gap between logic high and logic low, refer to the snip from thei pic24 datasheet below:

[1]: https://i.sstatic.net/r0Rlx.png

It is very unlikely you damaged the pin with the weak pull up. You can use a stronger pull up to get a voltage within spec of the pin's high level.

The 2k you have is currently running at 81% vdd, however if another chip has a higher sink current you’ll be back in the danger zone. A 1k pull up would be more adequate (0.5V drop at 500uA - 2.8V at the io pin = 84%)

(snip from datasheet @ https://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/aemDocuments/documents/MCU16/ProductDocuments/DataSheets/PIC24FJ1024GA610-GB610-Family-Data-Sheet-DS30010074G.pdf)

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Never mind, I see your edit. Thank you! ~Not to be spoon-fed too much, but when I originally went over this table, I understood that I needed a minimum of 0.8v to register the pin as high. 4k7 with 400uA of pull is around 1.8v, which I thought was enough. How should I calculate a better value? I am tempted to throw 100ohms at it, but would like to use a real calculation.~ \$\endgroup\$ Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 18:20
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    \$\begingroup\$ @t3ddftw there’s the problem, it’s not 0.8V, it’s 0.8*Vdd, as in 80% of the supply voltage. This is different from other logic families that can have logic thresholds independent of Vdd (families I am unable to name off the top of my head mind you, but I’ve seen them before) \$\endgroup\$ Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 18:22
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    \$\begingroup\$ Aha! That's what I was missing. Thank you so much! \$\endgroup\$ Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 18:26
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    \$\begingroup\$ @t3ddftw anytime. Also do make sure you see my edit to the answer near the bottom where I calculate that your 2k resistor probably won’t hold up under tolerances. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 18:29

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