Transform a DC/DC Converter into a High Performance, Full-Featured Battery Charger

David Burgoon - Applications Engineer Oct 27th 2011

Portable electronic devices, powered by batteries, require battery chargers. In higher powered applications, efficiency and thermal management requirements lead to solutions using DC/DC converters. DC/DC converter controllers do not have the accuracy and features required for advanced battery charging and PowerPath™ management. Linear Technology’s LTC®4000 has the accuracy and features required to turn a DC/DC converter into a high performance battery charger with features such as charge current and input current regulation, charge voltage and system voltage regulation, C/X or timer termination, trickle charge, temperature qualified charging, instant on and ideal diode/ PowerPath control. It handles a wide variety of applications with input and output voltages from 3V to 60V. The LTC®4000 easily adds these capabilities to a typical DC/DC converter.