The device efficiently transfers power from various input sources, such as an AC adapter and solar panels, to a Li-Ion/polymer, LiFePO4, or lead-acid battery bank and a system load of up to 35V. It provides advanced system monitoring and management, including a battery coulomb counter and health monitoring. While a microcontroller is required to access the LTC4015's more advanced functions, the use of an I2C port is optional. The product's main charging functions can be adjusted using pin configurations and programmable resistors.
The device offers charging current regulation with an accuracy of ±5% up to 20A, charging voltage regulation of ±0.5%, and operation over an input voltage range of 4.5V to 35V. Applications include portable medical instruments, military equipment, backup battery applications, portable industrial equipment, industrial lighting, rugged laptops and tablets, and remotely powered communication and telemetry systems.
The LTC4015 integrates a precision 14-bit A/D converter and a high-precision coulomb counter. The A/D converter continuously monitors numerous system parameters, including input voltage, input current, battery voltage, and battery current, and displays battery temperature and battery series resistance (BSR) upon request. By monitoring these parameters, the LTC4015 can indicate battery health and charging status. All system parameters can be monitored via a
2-wire I2C interface, while programmable and maskable alerts ensure that only relevant information triggers an interruption.
The LTC4015's built-in charging profiles are optimized for each battery chemical within a wide range, including Li-Ion/polymer, LiFePO4, and lead-acid. The configuration pins allow the user to select from several predefined charging algorithms for each battery chemistry, as well as several algorithms whose parameters can be adjusted via I2C. The charging voltage and current can be automatically adjusted based on the battery temperature to meet JEITA guidelines or custom settings.
The LTC4015 is supplied in a 5mm x 7mm QFN package with an exposed metal solder area for excellent thermal performance. Grade E and I devices are guaranteed to operate between -40°C and 125°C.
