Troubleshooting

STATUS LED is off

Check input voltage

Measure voltage at the terminal block. It should be between 6V and 18V.
Below 6V, the battery may be discharged or the input wiring may have excessive resistance.
Above 18V, disconnect power immediately.

Verify polarity

Red wire should connect to BATT+.
Black wire should connect to GND.
Reverse-polarity protection prevents normal operation when the input is reversed.

Inspect wiring

Confirm that the wires are fully inserted into the terminal block.
Check for loose or corroded connections at the PDH.
Verify that the breaker is not tripped.

Power cycle

Disconnect input power for 30 seconds.
Reconnect power and observe the STATUS LED.

USB device does not boot or charge

Check the cable

Try another USB-C cable rated for at least 3A.
Measure voltage at the device end; it should remain above 4.75V under load.
Long or thin cables can create excessive voltage drop.

Check the load

Keep the combined USB-C and auxiliary load within 5–6A for normal continuous operation.
Do not exceed 7A continuously without adequate active cooling.
Limit 8–10A loads to a few seconds unless adequate user-supplied active heatsinking and cooling are installed.
Some devices have a brief inrush-current spike during startup.

Check compatibility

Confirm that the device accepts a fixed 5V input.
Devices requiring 9V, 12V, or 20V USB Power Delivery negotiation are not compatible.

Module feels hot

The regulator and MOSFETs generate heat at high current, and the enclosure helps dissipate that heat.

Take corrective action when:

The STATUS LED turns off, indicating a possible thermal shutdown.
The enclosure becomes too hot to touch safely.

To reduce temperature:

Reduce the total output current to 5–6A or less.
Move the module to a location with better airflow.
Add a small 5V fan powered by the auxiliary output.
Avoid mounting the module inside an unventilated enclosure.

Co-processor reboots during a brownout

Measure the voltage at the co-processor end of the USB-C cable while the robot is under load.
Replace long, thin, or damaged cables.
Verify that the input voltage at Marigold-5 does not fall below 6V.
Inspect the PDH connection, breaker, terminal block, and wire gauge for excessive resistance.
Confirm that the combined output load remains within the 5–6A recommended continuous range.

If the problem continues, email [email protected] with the measured input and output voltages, connected load, and a photo of the wiring.