Current Monitor Handles Short-Circuits

With its wide common-mode sense range of 0 V to within 2 V of the supply voltage applied, the ZXCT1051 current monitor from Zetex enables true short circuit current monitoring. Powered via a dedicated supply pin, the device can operate on both high and low sides of the load and is ideally suited to power bricks.

The current monitor translates the voltage across a low-cost external sense resistor into an accurate proportional output voltage. The device’s very low offset voltage means it provides a measurement accuracy better than 3% at 25 ºC and a sense voltage of 30 mV. Quiescent current is less than 50 µA, and the supply voltage ranges from 2.7 to 20 V.

By offering a fixed gain of 10, the ZXCT1051 removes the need for an additional external resistor, and packaged in the miniature SOT23-5 outline, it enables a highly compact and cost effective current-monitoring solution. The device is priced at $0.40 in 10,000-piece quantities.