SparkFun
Ideal Diode Breakout
· MPN: COM-27925
Keep your project powered through power-supply hot swaps with this compact ideal diode breakout from SparkFun. It provides reliable one-way voltage control f...
Keep your project powered through power-supply hot swaps with this compact ideal diode breakout from SparkFun. It provides reliable one-way voltage control for dynamic power selection and switchover, over-voltage protection, and designs that need a stable power input.
The board breaks out four channels plus ground connections in a small 15.2mm x 12.7mm footprint. Ideal diodes help minimise forward voltage drop, internal power dissipation, and reverse DC leakage current compared with a standard diode arrangement.
Supporting documentation includes the schematic, KiCad files, board dimensions, ideal diode characteristics, STEP file, and GitHub hardware repo.
Features:
- Hot-swap support: Helps keep projects powered during power supply changes.
- Four channels: Includes four ideal diode channels.
- Ground connections: Ground connections are broken out on the board.
- One-way voltage control: Provides reliable one-way voltage control.
- Efficient power delivery: Minimises forward voltage drop and internal power dissipation.
- Low leakage: Minimises reverse DC leakage current.
- Power selection: Suitable for dynamic power selection and switchover.
- Protection use: Suitable for over-voltage protection projects.
Specifications:
- Board Measurements: 15.2mm x 12.7mm
- Typical Forward Voltage Drop: 8mV (I=0.1A, VIN=20V)
- Typical Forward Voltage Drop: 12mV (I=0.1A, VIN=5V)
- Typical Forward Voltage Drop: 26mV (I=0.1A, VIN=1.8V)
- Typical Forward Voltage Drop: 62mV (I=1A, VIN=20V)
- Typical Forward Voltage Drop: 79mV (I=1A, VIN=5V)
- Typical Forward Voltage Drop: 120mV (I=1A, VIN=1.8V)
- Typical Forward Voltage Drop: 275mV (I=4A, VIN=20V)
- Typical Forward Voltage Drop: 350mV (I=4A, VIN=5V)
- Typical Forward Voltage Drop: 350mV (I=4A, VIN=1.8V)
- Typical On Resistance: 69mΩ (VIN=20V, I=4A)
- Typical On Resistance: 62mΩ (VIN=20V, I=1A)
- Typical On Resistance: 78mΩ (VIN=20V, I=0.1A)
- Typical On Resistance: 88mΩ (VIN=5V, I=4A)
- Typical On Resistance: 79mΩ (VIN=5V, I=1A)
- Typical On Resistance: 120mΩ (VIN=5V, I=0.1A)
- Typical On Resistance: 160mΩ (VIN=1.8V, I=4A)
- Typical On Resistance: 120mΩ (VIN=1.8V, I=1A)
- Typical On Resistance: 260mΩ (VIN=1.8V, I=0.1A)
- Typical Reverse Leakage Current: -50μA (VIN=1.8V, V_fwd=-1V)
- Typical Reverse Leakage Current: -190μA (VIN=1.8V, V_fwd=-8V)
- Typical Reverse Leakage Current: -110μA (VIN=5V, V_fwd=-1V)
- Typical Reverse Leakage Current: -260μA (VIN=5V, V_fwd=-8V)
- Typical Reverse Leakage Current: -420μA (VIN=20V, V_fwd=-1V)
- Typical Reverse Leakage Current: -560μA (VIN=20V, V_fwd=-8V)
A handy power-path building block for projects that need efficient source selection, reverse blocking, or cleaner supply switchover behaviour.
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- breakout
- A breakout is a small circuit board that makes a tiny or hard-to-solder component easier to connect to with standard pins. It matters because this OLED module can be wired into a microcontroller project without needing to solder directly to the display’s fine contacts.
- Forward voltage drop
- Forward voltage drop is the small amount of voltage lost across a diode or diode-like circuit when current flows through it. A lower drop is important because it wastes less power and helps keep the rest of the project supplied with enough voltage.
- Hot-swap
- Hot-swap means changing or connecting a power source while the circuit is still running. It matters when you want a project to keep operating during battery changes, supply swaps, or plug-in power transitions.
- Ideal diode
- An ideal diode circuit lets current flow one way like a normal diode, but with much less voltage loss. This matters in power-selection or backup-power projects because less voltage is wasted as heat and more reaches your device.
- Leakage current
- Leakage current is a small unwanted current that flows through insulation, components, or semiconductor inputs even when ideally no current should flow. Very high-value resistors can be used to detect or limit these tiny currents in sensitive circuits.
- On resistance
- On resistance is the effective resistance of a switch or diode-like circuit when it is turned on. Lower on resistance means less voltage drop and less heating when powering higher-current loads.
- over-voltage protection
- Over-voltage protection is a safety feature that shuts down or limits the circuit if the input or output voltage becomes too high. It matters because excessive voltage can damage both the power supply and the device being tested.
- Power dissipation
- Power dissipation is electrical energy being turned into heat inside a component. It matters because too much heat can reduce efficiency, affect reliability, or require a larger component or better cooling.
- Reverse blocking
- Reverse blocking is the ability to stop current flowing backwards from a load or one power source into another. It matters in systems with multiple supplies because it helps prevent backfeeding, battery drain, or damage during switchover.
- Reverse leakage current
- Reverse leakage current is the small unwanted current that flows backwards through a diode or switch when it is meant to be blocking. Lower leakage is useful for battery-powered and power-selection circuits because it reduces wasted energy and helps stop one supply feeding back into another.
Find this product in
Ideal Diode Breakout Schematic
Schematic · 110.8 KB · Click any page to view full size
Ideal Diode Breakout Board Dimensions
Mechanical Drawings · 18.9 KB · Click any page to view full size
Ideal Diode Characteristics Graphs
Document · 705.8 KB · Click any page to view full size
Supplier page — sparkfun.com
Supplier Description · 736.0 KB · Click any page to view full size
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