60-V battery controller drives typical converters

60-V battery controller drives typical converters

The LTC4000 high-voltage controller and power manager converts any externally compensated dc/dc power supply into a full-featured battery charger. It can drive typical dc/dc converter topologies, including buck, boost, buck-boost, SEPIC and flyback. The device offers input and charge current regulation and operates from 3 to 60-V input and output voltage range, and is compatible with a variety of different input voltage sources, battery stacks and chemistries. Typical applications include high-power battery charger systems, high performance portable instruments, battery backup systems, industrial battery-equipped devices, and notebook and subnotebook computers.

The battery controller features the intelligent PowerPath topology that provides power preferentially to the system load when input power is limited. The device controls external PFETs to provide reverse-current protection, charging and discharging of the battery, and instant-on operation to ensure that system power is available at plug-in even with a dead or deeply discharged battery. The controller charges lithium-ion/polymer/phosphate, sealed lead acid (SLA), and nickel-based batteries. The device also provides charge status indicators through its FLT and CHRG pins. (From $3.95 ea/1,000 — available now.)

By Paul O’Shea

Linear Technology , Milpitas , CA
Sales Office 408-428-2050
www.linear.com