Current monitor, Zetex, ZXCT1080

Current monitor simplifies high voltage circuit protection

News Release from: Zetex Semiconductors Plc
10/12/2007

With its extended common-mode sensing voltage range of 3V to 60V, the ZXCT1080 current monitor from Zetex Semiconductors provides a simple solution for high side current sensing in a wide range of high voltage circuit protection duties in automotive, industrial motor control and power supply applications.

By integrating a gain setting resistor, providing a fixed voltage gain of 10, the current monitor also reduces the number of external resistors needed to measure current to just one. The reduction in circuit complexity, combined with the monitor’s SOT23-5 package, means savings in solution cost and footprint can be achieved.

Working off a separate 4.5V to 12V supply voltage, the ZXCT1080 current monitor enables its ground referred output voltage to be closely matched with A-D converters and microcontrollers and to be protected against harmful over-voltage conditions.

This device is also characterised by a low quiescent current – typically 80µA - which serves to reduce the error incurred in translating the actual current being measured into the input sense current required and the overall power consumption.