Monolithic Power Systems Inc. EV2797-0002-FP-00B

Overview

EV2797-0002-FP-00B from Monolithic Power Systems is a production-ready evaluation board for the MP2797DFP-0002 analog front-end IC, designed to validate 7–16-cell lithium-ion battery pack monitoring and protection in high-accuracy energy storage systems. It integrates the MP2797 with power MOSFETs, a 5mΩ current-sense resistor, and NTC thermistor interfaces, supporting up to 70A continuous charge/discharge current and configurable SPI communication.

For engineers reviewing the EV2797-0002-FP-00B datasheet, EV2797-0002-FP-00B pinout, EV2797-0002-FP-00B application, or EV2797-0002-FP-00B equivalent, this board enables rapid validation of cell voltage accuracy (±1.5mV), Coulomb counting, internal/external balancing (58mA/130mA), soft-start discharge control, and multi-level protection thresholds (OVP/UVP/OC/SC/NTC) under real-world pack conditions.

Technical Context

The EV2797-0002-FP-00B implements the MP2797's full 16S AFE functionality with hardware-configured SPI interface (slave address 01h, 00h–7Fh range), enabling register-level control of protection thresholds, FET timing (DSCHG turn-on slope: 0.1–1.6V/ms), and ADC scan parameters (active-mode VADC refresh: 135ms/254ms). It supports both internal passive balancing (58mA at 4V) and external transistor-driven balancing (130mA with 30Ω RBAL).

Board-level design includes dedicated USB-to-SPI interface (EVKT-USBSPI-00), 4-channel NTC thermistor inputs with programmable pull-down, GPIOHV1-controlled bypass P-FET for low-power safe-mode operation, and open-wire detection with user-configurable pull-up/down timing (1–16ms) and threshold (39–625mV).

Key Specifications

Availability

EV2797-0002-FP-00B is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for battery management system (BMS) development, energy storage system (ESS) prototyping, and e-mobility pack validation requiring stable component supply, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle continuity.

Supply support for EV2797-0002-FP-00B 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 power management ICs, with expertise in battery AFEs, DC/DC converters, and motor drivers for industrial, automotive, and computing applications.

The MP2797 product line delivers high-accuracy, multi-cell battery monitoring and protection for demanding applications including grid-scale ESS, UPS, and electric utility vehicles-designed to replace discrete sensing/protection solutions with integrated, configurable AFEs.

FAQ

What communication interface does EV2797-0002-FP-00B support?

This board uses the MP2797DFP-0002 IC variant and supports SPI only-no I2C capability. It requires the EVKT-USBSPI-00 USB-to-SPI communication kit for PC connection. The default slave address is 01h, but it is configurable from 00h to 7Fh via GUI or register write.

How is cell count configured on this evaluation board?

Cell count is set physically by shorting unused cell-sensing channels (e.g., C10–C16 for a 10S pack) using 0Ω resistors at R54–R59. The GUI automatically detects the number of active cells (7–16) and adjusts ADC scanning and protection logic accordingly-no firmware reflash required.

Does EV2797-0002-FP-00B include protection features beyond voltage monitoring?

Yes-it implements full-stack protection: over-current (OC) and short-circuit (SC) detection on charge/discharge paths with deglitching (0.1–2520.1ms), configurable UVP/OVP per cell (0–4980.15mV), thermal protection via four NTC inputs, open-wire detection, and mismatched-cell alerts-all with user-defined thresholds and recovery behavior.

Can this board operate without a real battery pack during initial testing?

Yes-using the cell simulator shunt (short CN7 and enable SW1/SW2), the board can be powered by a 60V/1A DC supply to verify GUI connectivity, register configuration, and basic AFE functionality before connecting live cells. However, open-wire and balancing functions require actual battery connections for validation.

What is the role of GPIOHV1 on this evaluation board?

GPIOHV1 controls the bypass P-channel MOSFET for low-power safe-mode operation. When set to Hi-Z, the P-FET turns off; when driven low, it enables bypass current (≈1A above VTOP − 2V). This function isolates PACK+ from BATT+ during fault conditions while maintaining minimal system power.

Is external balancing hardware required to achieve 130mA balancing current?

Yes-130mA external balancing requires installing external N-channel MOSFETs and 30Ω balancing resistors (RBAL) in the designated footprints. The board includes placeholders and routing for this upgrade; internal balancing remains limited to 58mA without external components.