Availability of Current sensing ICs

[jst3712]

Hi all. Why is it so difficult to track down current sensing IC's (through-hole) for online purchase! I've spent hours online looking, and all I can find is pages and pages of datasheets, but no online stores to purchase them. Anyone else been having this issue? I'm looking for high-side, low voltage (10-16V but can be higher), through-hole type. I've been looking up MAX4080 and LTC6101 with no luck. Happy to purchase worldwide if I have to. I'm based in Australia.
Thanks in advance... Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[MikeMl]

I have used the **broken link removed**, but had to put them on a header.

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

Newark, arrow, element14, Farnell for the LTC part.

Digikey, element14, Mouser, Avnet, farnel, Newark for the MAX part,

 

[jst3712]

Thank you guys! I'll see how I go

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

I added more.

 

[jst3712]

I added more.

Oh ok, thanks. This is why I love these forums! People who can help.
It appears they mostly manufacture SMD packages in these. I have no experience with SMD, arrghh!
Also, if I was to decide what one to go with (if it has to be SMD, then so be it), would you be able to assist with resistor values based on my application? I don't understand the formulas.

 

[MikeMl]

... I don't understand the formulas.

Did you go through the tutorial I linked to?

I used a ZXCT1009 to measure the current delivered by my aircraft's alternator. Rsense is 1mΩ. So I get a 50mV drop across Rsense with 50A flowing. The ZXCT1009 converts that voltage drop (between pins 2 and 3) to a 500uA current that flows out of pin 1 to ground. If I put a 10K resistor between pin 1 and GND, the voltage across that resistor is IE= 500uA*10000Ω = 5V, or 5V out per 50A of current out of the alternator....

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

We can try. I'm somewhat intererested in the IC's too.

If digi-key has the part, you can use http://www.proto-advantage.com/store/ and buy them mounted to a DIP breakout board.

Yep, SMD is the way of the future. BGA drives me nuts. The solder mask is the key.

If you can get the breakout boards with the solder mask, soldering may or may not be easy. A TSSOP package would be. You can tack the corner and then take 63/37 solder (lead based) and just drag the solder across the pins. Can't use 60/40. It's even easier, if you solder upside down.

Some of the other packages would require the stencils and solder paste and hot air or a possibly modified toaster oven

 

[jst3712]

Yeah I did, but at the moment I am seeing what other alternatives there are, as I really want a through-hole IC if I can get one.
With all the company names you provided me with, there's a bit of research for me to do now (I'm definitely not complaining )

Although I haven't researched many as yet, I'm considering one like this from newark.com: https://www.newark.com/allegro-micr...rent Sensors&MER=PPSO_N_P_CurrentSensors_None

 

[jst3712]

Did you go through the tutorial I linked to?

I used a ZXCT1009 to measure the current delivered by my aircraft's alternator. Rsense is 1mΩ. So I get a 50mV drop across Rsense with 50A flowing. The ZXCT1009 converts that voltage drop (between pins 2 and 3) to a 500uA current that flows out of pin 1 to ground. If I put a 10K resistor between pin 1 and GND, the voltage across that resistor is IE= 500uA*10000Ω = 5V, or 5V out per 50A of current out of the alternator....

Yeah cool. My problem is the Rsense. At the moment I have a current limiting resistor in series with a battery (resistor is 2.7 ohms) so I would have to be able to use that resistor value as Rsense (I may not be able to with that particular chip?), OR add an additional resistor in series, so then I have one for current limiting, and one for current sensing (Rsense) - but having 2 resistors in series may slow the charging process down? Not sure. Maybe for my application I would be better off with a hall-effect type of chip like the one I posted above.

 

[MikeMl]

My problem is the Rsense. At the moment I have a current limiting resistor in series with a battery (resistor is 2.7 ohms) so I would have to be able to use that resistor value as Rsense (I may not be able to with that particular chip?)...

You will have a huge voltage drop across 2.7Ω with even a tiny current. Why not just measure the voltage drop, and compute the current?

I = E/R = (Vbat - Vr)/2.7. You can do this using an opamp configured as a diff amp, or doing two voltage measurements with an ADC, subtacting, and dividing...