New uConsole (CM4 Lite) – power LED only flickers briefly, never goes solid green

uConsole
1

Hi all,

Just assembled a new uConsole and it won’t power on. Hoping someone recognizes this.

Setup:

  • uConsole kit, “no core” WiFi + 4G variant, bought from a reseller
  • Raspberry Pi CM4104000 (Lite, 4GB, wireless) bought separately, on the ClockworkPi CM4 adapter
  • 2x new Samsung 30Q 18650 flat-top cells, polarity checked (flat end on the springs)
  • 4G module (SIM7600G-H) installed
  • SD card flashed with Raspberry Pi Imager

Symptom:
Holding the power button 3–5 seconds gives only a brief dim flash of the power LED (the one next to the “+”, D102 on the mainboard), then nothing. It never goes solid green, the screen never lights, and there is no amber charging LED. Same result every time.

What I’ve tried, all with the same result:

  • Official Raspberry Pi USB-C supply and a fast charger, including charging overnight
  • With batteries and without batteries (USB-C only)
  • Without the SD card
  • With the 4G board removed
  • Reseated the CM4 on the adapter and the adapter in the SODIMM slot
  • Checked the battery board connectors (J1/J2) to the mainboard
  • Batteries out for a minute to reset, then retried
  • With the CM4 adapter removed entirely (mainboard + battery board only): [FILL IN: still just a flash / solid green]

Since the D102 LED sits on SYS_3V3, it looks like the PMIC powers up and immediately shuts back down. Is this a known mainboard (AXP228) fault, or is there something else I should test before contacting the reseller?

Thanks,
Sameer

2

have you tried to connect hdmi display?

did you apply any custom settings during sd card flashing?

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3

also what image are you using? you need a custom image to work with the uconsole, you can’t use a normal rpi image. i have images for the uconsole available here.

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4

So i have green light steady no screen not booting wich sd card to use and i used rabserry pi imager to flash image not right?

5

I did ssh in file but nothing came up

6

you can use any on cm4, don’t worry

it’s a tool/program to flash image, you need to use proper custom image.

default raspberry os doesn’t have drivers, get trixie image from there https://ak-rex.com

it may boot, but doesn’t have display drivers. can you try to use external display via hdmi? it may help with diagnostics

not sure what does it mean

7

I connected external display and nothing. Green steady light is on. Even the firmware made for clockwork but nothing is my clockwork board faulty i just got it through a reseller. I have no luck its disappointing and thing is not cheap.

8

I used rasberry pi imager to flash custom rom.

9

can you post a pic of the inside of the back to make sure everything is connected right

10

It all worked i removed antenna cabl for 4g and wifi and evrything booted. But on board wifi is really weak im right in front of router getting 1 band and wifi keeps turning off and asking for password again and again.

11

cm4 board wifi uses internal antenna which is in metal case so miracle that it worked at all

you need to connect wifi antenna to connector on cm4 and glue given wifi antenna to case via some a-few-mm spacer

12

rex’s images all default to the external antenna afaik

But you need to connect the sticker antenna to the correct antenna plug, the one on the CM4 and not the mainboard one, and have the antenna as far away from the case as practical with some non conductive material

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