Fully Integrated 12V Power Breaker Adds Safety and Simplifies Design

STMicroelectronics’ STPW12 programmable electronic power breaker provides a convenient, integrated solution for quickly and safely disconnecting a faulty load from a 12V bus.

Inserted between the power rail and the load, the STPW12 contains a low-resistance (50mΩ) power switch and precision circuitry for sensing the load power. If the user-programmed limit is exceeded, the switch turns off and a signal on the dedicated monitor/fault pin informs the host system. In normal operation, this output presents an analog voltage proportional to the load power to permit continuous monitoring.

Also featuring built-in auto-restart after a user-adjustable delay, and programmable PWM masking time to prevent protection triggering by inrush current, the STPW12 simplifies design for safety and eases certification to standards such as the UL 60730 specifications for abnormal operation. This integrated solution effectively replaces discrete circuitry or a combination of ICs such as a current-sense amplifier or a hot-swap controller plus MOSFET switches, by offering improved accuracy and saving board space and bill of materials for each load protected (more info).