Controlling an MCP41HV31 Digital Potentiometer

Question

I need to control a 10kOhm digital potentiometer in rheostat mode in 256 steps. I found an Arduino tutorial, which works with an MCP41010 (I added a viper resistance according to the datasheet). This works fine - I can send values from 0 to 255 to the CS pin an the resistance between output pin A and B changes from 0 to 10kOhm. The problem is, that my application requires 16V to go through this resistance, which the MCP41010 can't handle.

I tried to go with a MCP41HVX1 high voltage digital potentiometer (which I soldered on a TSSOP-to-DIP Breakout board) and assumed it would work the same way. Turns out it doesn't... My connections are:

Arduino nano -> MCP41HVX1

• 10 -> CS
• 11 -> SDI
• 13 -> SCK
• 5V -> VL
• GND -> DGND

With the MCP41010 I connect a 115Ohm viper resistor between output pin A and wiper terminal and measure resistance between output pin A and B (pink connectors). I noticed, that the MCP41HVX1 has a different description for the rheostat modus but I can't get that to work either.

This is my circuit that works with the MCP41010

And here is the respective code (which sets the MCP41010 to 255 i.e. 10kOhm)

#include <SPI.h>
byte address = 0x11;
int CS= 10;

void setup()
{
  pinMode (CS, OUTPUT);
  SPI.begin();
}

void loop()
{
  digitalPotWrite(255, CS);

}

int digitalPotWrite(int value, char Port)
{
  digitalWrite(Port, LOW);
  SPI.transfer(address);
  SPI.transfer(value);
  digitalWrite(Port, HIGH);
}

Has anyone ever done this or has a clue what's going on?

Answer 1

I realize that this thread is old. I am providing an answer for anyone else who may end up here like I did a while back looking to solve this.

I have created an Arduino library on Github (https://github.com/gregsrabian/MCP41HVX1) which allows for control of this family of chips. The README.md within the github project documents all of the APIs and also provides the wiring diagram. There are also example sketches included.

I have created an article on Instructables (https://www.instructables.com/id/MCP41HVX1-Digital-Potentiometer-for-Arduino/) that provides a step by step on how to control this family of chips. There is also an explanation on how to solder the TSSOP chip.

Answer 2

One thing I discovered, after coming back to the internet multiple times for clues, is that that SHDN pin on the MCP41HVX1 has to be tied HIGH.

If not, you can try incrementing, decrementing, or writing values to your heart's content and the thing is not going to budge.

I tied SHDN to the VL level via a 10k resistor and I can write and increment without problems.

I think it should have been flagged in the datasheet though, in the Pinout Description table.