Low-Cost, SOT23, Voltage-Output,
High-Side Current-Sense Amplifier
Table 1. Recommended Component Values
FULL-SCALE LOAD CURRENT
ILOAD (A)
CURRENT-SENSE RESISTOR
RSENSE (mΩ)
0.1
1000
1
100
5
20
10
10
GAIN
20
50
100
20
50
100
20
50
100
20
50
100
FULL-SCALE OUTPUT VOLTAGE
(FULL-SCALE VSENSE = 100mV)
VOUT (V)
2.0
5.0
10.0
2.0
5.0
10.0
2.0
5.0
10.0
2.0
5.0
10.0
INPUT
0.3 in. COPPER
RSENSE
+ 0.1 in. COPPER _
VSENSE
RS+
RS-
VCC
LOAD/BATTERY
0.3 in. COPPER
+3V TO +28V
0.1µF
MAX4173T
OUT
GND
VIN LOW-COST 0 TO +28V
SWITCHING
REGULATOR
VSENSE
RSENSE
+3V TO +28V RS+
RS-
VCC
0.1µF
ILOAD
MAX4173
OUT
GND
LOAD/
BATTERY
Figure 2. MAX4173 Connections Showing Use of PC Board
Figure 3. Current Source
amp’s supply voltage range should be at least as high
as any voltage the system may encounter.
The percent error introduced by output loading is
determined with the following formula:
⎛
%ERROR = 100 ⎜
RLOAD
⎞
− 1⎟
⎝ 12kΩ + RLOAD ⎠
where RLOAD is the external load applied to OUT.
Current Source Circuit
Figure 3 shows a block diagram using the MAX4173
with a switching regulator to make a current source.
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