Overvoltage protection for 2-4 series Li-ion packs
The Texas Instruments BQ296234DSGR is a dedicated overvoltage protection IC for 2 to 4 series lithium-ion battery packs. It monitors each cell voltage and triggers a fault output when any cell exceeds the overvoltage threshold, providing a hardware-level safety shutdown independent of the host microcontroller. This part is designed for space-constrained battery assemblies — the 8-WSON (2x2 mm) package fits inside a pack's protection PCB alongside the cell stack.
The 2-4 cell range covers the common 7.4 V (2S), 11.1 V (3S), and 14.8 V (4S) Li-ion configurations used in power tools, portable medical devices, and backup battery packs. Overvoltage-only protection means this IC handles the cell-level overcharge shutdown; your BOM still needs a separate fuel gauge, cell-balancing circuit, and undervoltage/overcurrent protection (typically a separate protector or a combined analog-front-end IC). The -40°C to 110°C operating temperature range suits outdoor telecom cabinets and engine-bay battery packs, though it is not AEC-Q100 qualified — for automotive-grade, look at the BQ79612 series.
Without those vias, the junction temperature rises quickly above 110°C at continuous fault current. The small footprint means the passives (sense resistors, filter caps) must sit close to the IC to keep the sense traces short and noise-free. Tape & Reel and Cut Tape options are available for prototyping or production reels.
No last-time-buy or obsolescence risk. RoHS3 compliant.