Low-side current, voltage and power-monitoring IC

The Maxim Integrated MAX44298 low-side current-, voltage- and power-monitoring IC is now available from Mouser stock. The MAX44298 offers power, current, and voltage monitoring plus reference with precise measurement and programmable current-sensing of full-scale voltages of 5mV, 10mV and 20mV. With its wide single supply voltage range from 3V to 5.5V, the MAX44298 allows simple sharing of supplies with either an ADC or a microcontroller, and is an ideal solution to improve measurement quality while saving cost and space in a variety of power monitoring applications. The MAX44298 offers instantaneous power with accurate power measurement of less than 1.1 percent of reading total error. The MAX44298 features three outputs, all of which are scaled to a full-scale current of either 100µA or 50µA, with the full-scale current option set through a simple pin-strap. The device’s reference output allows an additional output current of either 100µA or 50µA, and this current can be used to create a reference voltage for the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) being used to measure power, voltage, and current signals. Having the MAX44298 use currents rather than voltage to convey the measured signals to the ADC also avoids any errors caused by voltage drops across the parasitic resistance of the PCB - a significant factor for high-current systems. The 16-bump, 2.4 mm × 2.4 mm MAX44298 IC is specified at a temperature range from 0C to +85C, and is seen as ideal for many power monitoring applications, including power monitoring and management data centre and telecom systems, renewable energy systems and smart battery packs and chargers. The MAX4429 is also supported by the MAX44298EVKIT# evaluation kit, also available from Mouser stock.