Texas Instruments LM26EVAL-TPA

Overview

LM26EVAL-TPA from Texas Instruments is a dedicated evaluation board for the LM26CIM5-TPA SOT-23 thermostat IC, providing immediate hardware validation of its 85°C overtemperature shutdown function, ±3°C trip accuracy, 2.7–5.5 V supply operation, and open-drain OS output. It enables rapid verification of thermal protection in microprocessor power rails, fan control circuits, and industrial embedded systems.

For engineers reviewing the LM26EVAL-TPA datasheet, LM26EVAL-TPA pinout, LM26EVAL-TPA application, or LM26EVAL-TPA equivalent, this board delivers factory-configured thermal trip testing with on-board VTEMP monitoring, HYST-selectable hysteresis (2°C/10°C), and direct connection to host MCU interrupt lines - critical for thermal safety certification and production BOM validation.

Technical Context

The LM26EVAL-TPA implements the full functional interface of the LM26CIM5-TPA IC: it routes all five pins (V+, GND, HYST, VTEMP, OS) to accessible test points and headers, supports both 2°C (HYST = V+) and 10°C (HYST = GND) hysteresis modes via jumper selection, and includes a 0.1 µF bypass capacitor at V+ and a 10 kΩ pull-up resistor on the open-drain OS output.

It exposes the analog VTEMP output for real-time temperature readback using an external ADC, replicates the IC's thermal coupling path through direct lead-frame grounding, and maintains TI-recommended layout practices including minimal trace length, ground plane access, and isolation from noisy switching nodes - ensuring measurement integrity during thermal transient testing.

Key Specifications

Availability

LM26EVAL-TPA is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for thermal safety validation, fan speed control prototyping, microprocessor thermal management qualification, and industrial system-level burn-in testing requiring stable component supply and documented reference behavior.

Supply support for LM26EVAL-TPA 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

Texas Instruments is a global semiconductor company delivering analog, embedded processing, and connectivity solutions with leadership in precision analog and industrial-grade ICs.

The LM26EVAL-TPA belongs to TI's thermal sensing evaluation platform family, designed specifically to accelerate qualification of factory-preset thermostats in safety-critical thermal shutdown applications across computing, industrial, and automotive subsystems.

FAQ

What is the primary purpose of the LM26EVAL-TPA evaluation board?

The LM26EVAL-TPA is a dedicated hardware platform for evaluating the LM26CIM5-TPA thermostat IC. It provides immediate electrical and thermal validation of the IC's 85°C trip point, ±3°C accuracy, open-drain OS output behavior, and VTEMP analog interface - eliminating custom PCB design for early-stage thermal protection testing. The LM26EVAL-TPA includes all necessary passives and routing per TI's recommended layout.

Does the LM26EVAL-TPA support both hysteresis options specified for the LM26CIM5-TPA?

Yes, the LM26EVAL-TPA supports both hysteresis modes defined in the LM26CIM5-TPA datasheet: 2°C (when HYST is jumpered to V+) and 10°C (when HYST is jumpered to GND). The board includes clearly labeled jumpers and silkscreen indicators for each configuration, enabling direct verification of hysteresis-dependent system stability without modifying firmware or external logic.

Can the LM26EVAL-TPA be used to verify after-assembly PCB functionality as described in the LM26CIM5-TPA datasheet?

Yes, the LM26EVAL-TPA enables full implementation of the "After Assembly PCB Testing" procedure outlined for the LM26CIM5-TPA. Its accessible VTEMP test point allows forced voltage injection to trigger OS state transitions, while the exposed OS output and HYST control let engineers confirm comparator response, hysteresis lock-in, and digital output drive strength - validating solder joint integrity and thermal sensor functionality post-reflow.

Is the LM26EVAL-TPA compatible with other LM26 variants like LM26CIM5-RPA or LM26CIM5-SHA?

No - the LM26EVAL-TPA is specifically configured for the LM26CIM5-TPA (85°C trip point). While the physical SOT-23 footprint and pinout are identical across LM26 variants, the board's calibration, labeling, and default jumper settings reflect the TPA variant's characteristics. Using it with other trip-point variants requires independent verification of trip accuracy and hysteresis behavior against their respective datasheet specs.

What thermal mounting methods does the LM26EVAL-TPA support for accurate temperature correlation?

The LM26EVAL-TPA follows TI's thermal layout guidance: its LM26CIM5-TPA IC is mounted with GND (pin 2) thermally coupled to the board's internal ground plane via multiple vias, and the board includes designated mounting holes and thermal pad clearance to allow direct attachment to heatsinks, metal enclosures, or thermal test blocks. This ensures measured VTEMP and OS trip behavior correlates within ±0.06°C of the surface temperature to which the leads are attached.