High-side switch for 12V and 24V industrial loads
The L6370D is a single-channel N-channel high-side power switch from STMicroelectronics, designed to drive resistive, inductive, and capacitive loads on 12V and 24V industrial rails.
2.5A continuous output and fault protection set
Rated for 2.5A continuous output current, the L6370D can drive a single medium-power load such as a 24V solenoid pulling 2A or a 12V fan drawing 1.5A. The current limiting is fixed, so the switch self-protects without external sense resistors — the limit threshold is set internally and the output folds back under overload. Fault protection includes open-load detection, overtemperature shutdown, and undervoltage lockout (UVLO). The open-load detect is particularly useful in remote I/O applications: when the output is off and the load disconnects, the status flag signals the fault back to the controller, allowing the system to report a broken wire without a separate sense line.
PowerSO-20 package and thermal management
Housed in a 20-SOIC with an exposed pad, also designated PowerSO-20, the L6370D relies on the pad soldered to a copper plane on the PCB to pull heat out of the die. The On/Off interface accepts a differential input, which means the control signal can be referenced to a different ground potential than the load return — useful in systems where the logic controller and the power stage share a noisy ground plane.