Hi!

[hun1]

Hi everyone!

I just started playing with the arduino a few months ago and stumbled on this website! i love the minimalist arduino!!!
Although I got a question for you guys. I was using the ftdi 232r cable and accidentally switched the plug to my breadboard around which cause my PC to say that there was a USB surge overload. After switching the cable around to the proper position, my arduino starts to get hot after a few seconds, plus I can't program to it anymore. Since I used the ftdi cable, i already checked the use RTS on close in the COM port properties.

I'm wondering if the ftdi board is fried, or if my arduino is fried. Any ideas guys?

[hun1]

Never mind lol. I put the arduino back into my deciemela and it programmed like normal. My ftdi cable is blown. Gonna check to see if it's a blown surface mount component, but I dont have my multimeter lol

[Deven]

Good luck. I have accidentally hooked my FTDI(s) up backwards on many occasions, but I haven't ever had one fry. Let us know if you figure out what went wrong.

[hun1]

I think I was wrong. My atmega328 may be dead lol. Upon removing the chip from the demo board, I checked vcc and gnd with my multimeter and have continuity. So, after hooking up your FTDI cable backwards, did you notice anything happen out of the ordinary?

[Deven]

Nope. I flipped it around each time and they just kept on truckin'. The 328s are pretty robust also, I think we have only killed 1-2 for far.

If you can still program it in another board, I would suspect your demo board might be bad. Maybe a bad Voltage Regulator, or a Reversed Voltage Regulator or something? Also if you are using a Voltage Regulator, you won't want to power the 328 with both a external and a USB power source. If you have a jumper for an external power source, I would try changing it over to USB.

One last note, we did have some problems with the Diavolino boards causing our 328s to get HOT. We got lazy and never tracked down the source of that problem, though 2-3 different people with different boards had the same problem.. Then Gordon came out with the Gorduino, and the rest of the Diavolinos just sit in a corner now.

[kiyoshigawa]

I know I have personally only fried one 328. It happened when I accidentally hit one of the digital pins with +12V on a breadboard. It made a very distinct 'click' sound, and that single pin doesn't work, though the other 19 are still fine. The 328s are very robust and pretty much any 5V signal to any pin isn't enough to break it permanently.

Also, when we hooked up the diavolino it was the FTDI chip that got hot, not the 328. I think Deven may be right about hooking up USB power and a voltage regulator simultaneously being your problem, though. Based on your symptoms it seems likely.

[Deven]

Tim is totally right. I am sorry. It WAS the FTDI chips that got hot. Like burn your fingers hot.