Arduino Nano Overheating Problem & Solutions

bybushan • • 2 min read
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Lately, my working Arduino Nano started to overheat, and the ICs on it became very hot when connected via USB. I don’t know the reason. In fact, I now have two Arduino Nanos that are not working anymore. The other one does not have the overheating problem, but it simply will not connect.

My first guess was that the voltage regulator AMS1117 was the problem. I unplugged it from the USB and checked it with a multimeter in continuity mode. There was a continuity beep between pin 1, which is the ground pin, and the middle pin 2, which is the output pin. This means that the AMS1117 IC was shorted. I removed it by desoldering it from the Arduino Nano PCB, since the Arduino Nano can also work without the voltage regulator when powered via USB or by applying 5V to the +5V pin.


After removing and reinserting the USB, the problem was not resolved — it still became hot. I was afraid that the PCB USB port might get damaged, so I unplugged it immediately. Then I inserted the Arduino into a breadboard and applied +5V to the +5V pin. I touched the chips on the Arduino to check whether they were heating up or not, and they weren’t. But soon afterward, I realized that the breadboard power supply voltage regulator LM7805 was heating up. As you perhaps know the LM7805 is a linear voltage regulator which heats up quickly.

At this point, I now have to check the other ICs as well, which is difficult. Even if I check and confirm that the ATmega328P or another IC is the problem, I have no replacement IC. Though I could desolder the same IC from another Arduino Nano that is also not working, this will take time.

So I started to look for solution on the internet. I found many reports of overheating problem with Arduino nano but no one actually solved or repaired it. 

Here’s a consolidated summary of how the Arduino Nano overheating problems started across all the forum and help pages I reviewed:

🔥 Arduino nano Overheating Causes Reported

  1. Arduino Forum (Nano overheats on USB)

    • Board became very hot immediately when connected via USB.

    • Likely cause: damaged ATmega328P microcontroller or shorted voltage regulator.

    • Resolution: not repaired, replacement chip suggested.

  2. Reddit Discussion (Nano overheats, LEDs all on)

    • User powered Nano with both USB and ~12 V battery pack simultaneously.

    • Result: regulator and microcontroller fried.

    • Resolution: consensus was the board was dead, no repair.

  3. Electronics Stack Exchange (Nano overheats after spark)

    • Spark occurred while connecting motor driver; Nano overheated even with Blink sketch.

    • Cause: suspected overvoltage damage.

    • Resolution: not solved, advice was to discard and replace.

  4. Electronics Forum (Uno overheats with motor shield)

    • Uno overheated when powered with 12 V and motor shield attached.

    • Cause: regulator overstressed, unclear shield wiring.

    • Resolution: thread ended unresolved.

  5. Adafruit Forum (Uno R3 overheats)

    • Uno’s ATmega328P DIP chip reached ~170°F even with simple sketches.

    • Cause: defective chip and regulator heating from 12 V input.

    • Resolution: Adafruit replaced the board, not repaired.

  6. Arduino Forum (Nano clone overheats only on USB)

    • Nano clone overheated when powered via USB, but worked with external 5 V.

    • Cause: USB interface or regulator failure.

    • Resolution: not solved, board remained unusable.

  7. General Guide Article (“10 Fixes for Overheating”)

    • Listed common causes: excessive current draw, short circuits, wrong supply voltage, poor heat dissipation, faulty regulators, etc.

    • Resolution: general advice only, no specific case solved.

✅ Overall Pattern

  • Most overheating started from power supply issues: using USB + external power simultaneously, applying 12 V to VIN, or faulty regulators.

  • Regulators (AMS1117, LM7805) and ATmega328P chips were the common failure points.

  • Few cases were actually repaired — most ended with replacement boards or advice to discard.

4.94 / 169 rates

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