Monolithic Power Systems Inc. EVKT-MP2797-0002

Overview

EVKT-MP2797-0002 from Monolithic Power Systems is a complete evaluation kit for the MP2797 battery management AFE, configured with SPI interface support and designed to validate 7–16-cell Li-ion/Li-polymer battery pack monitoring, protection, and cell balancing in industrial and energy storage applications.

For engineers reviewing the EVKT-MP2797-0002 datasheet, EVKT-MP2797-0002 hardware setup, EVKT-MP2797-0002 GUI configuration, or EVKT-MP2797-0002 SPI communication interface compatibility, this kit provides validated test infrastructure for MP2797 register-level control, real-time cell voltage/current measurement, and configurable fault response under 18–75.2V pack voltage conditions.

Technical Context

The EVKT-MP2797-0002 integrates the EV2797-0002-FP-00B evaluation board with the EVKT-USBSPI-00 USB-to-SPI adapter, enabling full register access to the MP2797's 15-bit cell voltage ADC (<5mV error), 16-bit current sensing (<±0.5% error), and programmable protection logic via SPI with 8-bit CRC. It supports synchronized multi-cell voltage sampling and coulomb counting at up to 16 cells.

Hardware-level features include high-side MOSFET driver control (up to 70A DC with parallel N-FETs), passive cell balancing (58mA/cell), integrated 3.3V/5V LDOs, thermistor inputs, open-wire detection, and lockable MTP memory for persistent threshold storage - all accessible through the MPS GUI v1.1.0.3 on Windows 7+.

Key Specifications

Availability

EVKT-MP2797-0002 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for battery management system development, energy storage system validation, and industrial UPS design requiring stable component supply and repeatable test platform deployment.

Supply support for EVKT-MP2797-0002 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 DC/DC converters, battery management, motor drivers, and LED drivers for industrial, automotive, and computing markets.

The MP2797 product line delivers integrated analog front-end solutions for high-cell-count battery packs, targeting applications demanding precision cell monitoring, robust fault protection, and flexible communication in space-constrained ESS and portable power systems.

FAQ

What is the difference between EVKT-MP2797-0000 and EVKT-MP2797-0002?

EVKT-MP2797-0000 uses the EVKT-USBI2C-02 interface for I2C communication with the MP2797, while EVKT-MP2797-0002 uses the EVKT-USBSPI-00 interface for SPI communication. Both share identical EV2797-FP-00B board hardware but differ in firmware initialization, register access timing, and CRC implementation - SPI offers higher throughput and deterministic latency for time-critical BMS validation.

Does the EVKT-MP2797-0002 retain configuration after power cycle?

No. All register configurations written via SPI are volatile and reset to default values upon shutdown. Persistent settings - such as protection thresholds and MTP-locked parameters - must be programmed into the MP2797's multiple-time programmable memory using the GUI's "MTP Write" function, which survives power loss and requires explicit write enable.

Can the EVKT-MP2797-0002 evaluate fewer than 7 cells?

No. The MP2797 IC and its evaluation board are designed for minimum 7-cell operation. Configuring fewer than 7 cells violates the device's internal cell channel mapping and triggers invalid measurement states. Hardware jumpering or resistor termination is required only for unused channels above the selected cell count (e.g., 10-cell pack requires shorting channels 11–16).

What software is required to operate the EVKT-MP2797-0002?

The official MPS GUI v1.1.0.3 is mandatory, distributed as "Programming tool MP2797 V1.1.0.3" and compatible with Windows 7 or later. It requires .NET Framework 4.0, ≥25.6MB free disk space, and the correct USBXpress driver v4.0.0.0 - older Windows-installed drivers are incompatible and must be manually replaced.

How is thermal protection implemented on the EVKT-MP2797-0002?

The MP2797 monitors die temperature internally and triggers automatic shutdown if it exceeds the thermal protection threshold. Recovery occurs only after die temperature falls below the hysteresis threshold - no external reset is needed. This behavior is verified on the EV2797-0002-FP-00B board using onboard thermal sensors and reflected in GUI-reported die temperature readings.

Is open-wire detection supported on all cell channels?

Yes. Open-wire detection is implemented across all 16 cell input channels (VC1–VC16) and is enabled by default in the GUI. It identifies broken or disconnected sense lines by comparing differential voltage patterns and reports faults via dedicated interrupt flags - critical for field-reliable BMS deployment in EV and ESS applications.