Monolithic Power Systems Inc. EV2481-H-00A

Overview

EV2481-H-00A from Monolithic Power Systems is a buck-mode evaluation board for the MP2481 1.2A, 36V white LED driver IC, designed to replace halogen lamps in general illumination systems. It supports 6–36V input, delivers up to 1A LED current at up to 87% efficiency, and integrates analog/PWM dimming on a single EN/DIM pin for direct control of high-power 5W white LEDs.

For engineers reviewing the EV2481-H-00A datasheet, EV2481-H-00A pinout, EV2481-H-00A application, or EV2481-H-00A equivalent, this board enables rapid validation of MP2481-based LED driver designs with configurable buck topology, OVP adjustment via R2, current sensing via R6 (0.2Ω), and jumper-selectable operation mode (JP1 shorted, JP2 open).

Technical Context

The EV2481-H-00A implements a current-mode synchronous buck converter using the MP2481DH-LF-Z IC in an MSOP-8EP package. It operates at 1.4MHz switching frequency, supports DC and PWM dimming on the EN/DIM pin, and features cycle-by-cycle overcurrent protection, thermal shutdown, open-LED detection, and input overvoltage protection.

Board-level design includes a 4.7µH power inductor (TOKO D63LCB-#A921CY-4R7M), 1µF/50V input capacitor (TDK C3216X7R1H105K), and 2.2µF/25V output capacitor (Murata GRM31MR71E225KA93L). Jumper JP1 configures buck mode; JP2 remains open per revision 1.01.

Key Specifications

Availability

EV2481-H-00A is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for LED lighting development, halogen lamp replacement validation, and high-efficiency DC-DC converter prototyping requiring stable component supply and documented reference design support.

Supply support for EV2481-H-00A includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

Monolithic Power Systems (MPS) is a fabless semiconductor company specializing in high-performance analog and power ICs, with core expertise in DC-DC conversion, LED drivers, and motor control solutions.

The MP2481 product line targets cost-sensitive, high-reliability LED illumination applications requiring wide-input buck or inverting buck-boost topologies with integrated protection and dual dimming capability.

FAQ

What is the default operating mode of the EV2481-H-00A?

The board is configured for buck mode by default: JP1 is shorted and JP2 is open. This enables step-down operation where input voltage exceeds LED forward voltage, delivering up to 1A LED current with high efficiency across 6–36V input range.

How do I adjust the LED current on this evaluation board?

LED current is set by the total resistance of the current-sense network (R4, R5, R6). With R6 = 0.2Ω installed and R4/R5 open, I_LED ≈ 0.200 / R_SENSE = 1A. To change current, install parallel resistors per the formula in the Quick Start Guide.

Can the EV2481-H-00A drive multiple LEDs in series?

No - the board is optimized for a single 5W white LED (typically ~3.2–3.6V V_F). Driving higher-voltage strings would exceed the MP2481's 36V absolute maximum VIN-to-VSS rating and require redesign of feedback and OVP networks.

What dimming methods does the EV2481-H-00A support?

It supports both analog dimming (0.7–1.4V DC on EN/DIM) and PWM dimming (<1kHz, logic-high >1.4V, logic-low <0.5V). Both methods use the same pin and are mutually exclusive; no hardware modification is needed to switch between them.

Is thermal management provided on the evaluation board?

Yes - the MP2481DH-LF-Z is mounted on an MSOP-8EP package with exposed thermal pad soldered to a dedicated copper pour on the bottom layer. The board layout includes thermal vias under U1 to enhance heat dissipation during 1A continuous operation.

Does the board include output short-circuit protection?

Yes - the underlying MP2481 IC provides output short-circuit protection via cycle-by-cycle current limiting and thermal shutdown. When LED+ and LED− are shorted, the IC disables switching and enters hiccup mode until fault clears.