All Vcc connections in the ZIF socket are 3.3V but the CH341A is powered at 5V.
So all I2C and SPI signals are 5V while the external memory is powered at 3.3V.
There are no limiting series resistors on those signals.
One simple solution to fix this issue is to simply bypass the 1117-3.3V regulator.
I can use the hot air station to remove the 1117 and then short-circuit the input with the output.
My question is, is it safe to just do the short-circuit without removing the 1117 linear regulator?
Hi,
The trick is, that you miss 2
nd LDO, that is inside CH341A chip.
Check
datasheet.
At end of chapter 5.2 硬件说明 (Hardware description) is stated:
CH341芯片支持5V电源电压或者3.3V 电源电压。当使用5V 工作电压时,CH341 芯片的VCC 引脚 输入外部5V 电源,并且V3 引脚应该外接容量为0.01uF~0.1uF 的电源退耦电容。当使用3.3V 工作
电压时,CH341 芯片的V3引脚应该与VCC引脚相连接,同时输入外部的3.3V电源,并且与CH341芯
片相连接的其它电路的工作电压不能超过3.3V。
It can be translated:
The CH341 chip supports a 5V supply voltage or a 3.3V supply voltage. When using a 5V supply voltage, the VCC pin of the CH341 chip inputs an external 5V power supply, and the V3 pin should be externally connected with a power supply decoupling capacitor of 0.01uF to 0.1uF. When working with 3.3V voltage, the V3 pin of the CH341 chip should be connected to the VCC pin, and an external 3.3V power supply is input, and the CH341 core is connected.
The operating voltage of other circuits connected to the chip cannot exceed 3.3V.
As far as I understand, that mean, that chip have internal 3.3V regulator and IO pins are
NOT 5V tolerant. It mean, it always use 3V3 for communication with eeprom.