Microchip Technology has launched the PAC1761 and PAC1861 digital power monitors, designed for 48 V power architectures. These devices track both instantaneous voltage and current, while also accumulating power measurements over time to monitor energy usage patterns. The monitors are suitable for automotive, data center, server, networking, industrial, and telecom applications.
The PAC1761 features 12-bit resolution, while the PAC1861 offers 16-bit resolution. Both families support bus voltages up to 65 V with 75 V spike protection. They function as single-channel, bidirectional monitors for high-side or low-side sensing. The hardware provides 1% power measurement accuracy and includes a coulomb-counting mode for battery state-of-charge estimation.
The devices support SMBus 3.1 and I2C interfaces with speeds up to 3.4 Mbps. Programmable alerts and step-limit detection allow systems to respond to voltage, current, and power excursions. The monitors are available in VDFN-8, VDFN-10, and MSOP-10 packages, with pin-compatible options to facilitate design flexibility and shorter qualification cycles.
Development support includes the EV12R33A evaluation board, priced at $49, along with Python and C libraries and Linux drivers. The components are available through Microchip and its distributors. Pricing for the PAC1761T-3E/E3 and PAC1861T-1E/3P models starts at $0.56 per unit when purchased in quantities of 10 000.
