BQ296212DSGT — overvoltage watchdog for 2-4 cell Li-ion packs
The Texas Instruments BQ296212DSGT is a dedicated battery protection IC for 2-4 series lithium-ion cells. Its single job is overvoltage fault protection — it monitors each cell and triggers an output when any cell exceeds the overvoltage threshold. There is no undervoltage or overcurrent detection on this device; the BQ296212DSGT is a secondary protector designed to back up the primary fuel gauge or charger IC. The part lives in an 8-WSON (2x2 mm) package, small enough for tight battery-pack layouts. Operating temperature spans -40°C to 110°C, so it handles the warm interior of a sealed pack during charge and discharge cycles, but not the under-hood extremes of an automotive traction battery.
The 2-4 cell range is the first fit check: this part works with 2S, 3S, or 4S Li-ion packs. If your design uses a 1S or 5S+ stack, this is not the part. The overvoltage-only protection means you still need a primary protector or fuel gauge that handles undervoltage, overcurrent, and short-circuit — the BQ296212DSGT is a second layer of safety, not the sole protector. The -40°C to 110°C temperature grade covers most portable and industrial battery applications. For a pack that sees sustained 110°C internal temperature, verify the derating on the overvoltage threshold — the datasheet's electrical characteristics table shows the threshold drift over temperature.