LM2596S-12/NOPB
Texas Instruments
MOQ 1 · Tube · RoHS · EIA-481 · DAP/DDP · T/T
Technical specifications
| Parameter / Attribute | Specification / Value |
|---|---|
| Series | SIMPLE SWITCHER® |
| Output type | Fixed |
| Mounting | Surface Mount |
| Voltage - input | 4.5V |
| Voltage - output (Min (Fixed)) | 12V |
| Output current | 3A |
| Frequency - switching | 150kHz |
| I/O channels | 1 |
| Operating temperature | -40°C~125°C(TJ) |
| Package | Tube |
| Function | Step-Down |
| Topology | Buck |
| Case | TO-263-6, D²Pak (5 Leads + Tab), TO-263BA |
| Output configuration | Positive |
| Synchronous rectifier | No |
Need Stock or a Drop-in Second-Source for LM2596S-12/NOPB?
Package: TO-263 / TO-220-5 · Pin-compatible replacements with immediate Shenzhen spot stock
The LM2596 is the adjustable 3A step-down of a million blue modules and a generation of industrial boards - 4.5V to 40V in, 1.23V to 37V out, and 150kHz switching that lets it use the small inductor, which is exactly where the markets best-documented fake story lives: module batches whose LM2596-marked chips behave like LM2576-class parts (about 50kHz) while the passives around them were picked from 2596 tables. The chip inside a cheap module is often not what the laser etch claims, and both the frequency and the physical inductor tell you which way the substitution went. Around the genuine part the family ladder (fixed and adjustable grades) and the modern MP1584/XL4015 alternatives complete the selection map.
Verified Pin-Compatible Replacements (4 verified alternatives)
The 52kHz Ancestor - Closer Than the Name Suggests
Shenzhen Spot Stock (24-48h Dispatch)
The same 3A step-down topology and pinout at 52kHz instead of 150kHz: a valid substitute electrically, with one system-level consequence - the datasheet tables ask for a fundamentally larger inductor (about 100uH for the 52kHz part against 33uH for the 2596) or the ripple and efficiency change.
Same input family; HV variants of the 2576 extend the input ceiling where the standard parts stop.
The Chinese Direct Equivalent
Shenzhen Spot Stock (24-48h Dispatch)
The XLSEMI drop-in for the LM2596 socket: same pinout, same adjustment behavior, produced in volume for exactly the module and repair trade.
Same functional envelope; validate per-lot switching behavior rather than trusting the family name.
The Modern Small Upgrade
Shenzhen Spot Stock (24-48h Dispatch)
A different-generation buck: 4.5V to 28V input, about 3A, switching from several hundred kHz to 1.5MHz - small magnetics footprint and lower output ripple than the 2596.
Lower input ceiling (28V class) than the LM2596 40V family.
The 5A Step Up in Current
Shenzhen Spot Stock (24-48h Dispatch)
The higher-current XLSEMI buck: up to 5A class with a cleaner output than the old 2596 design, in its own pinout.
Input from about 8V to 36V class depending on the datasheet revision - check the specific grade.
Buyer & Quality Checklist for Sourcing Alternatives
- Frequency is the design: LM2596 runs at 150kHz with a 33uH-class inductor; the LM2576 class runs at 52kHz and its datasheet tables ask for about 100uH. Any substitution across that line must carry the right magnetics or ripple, efficiency and stability all move.
- The documented fake-module tell: an LM2596-marked module that switches near 50kHz and carries a 330-470uH inductor contains a 2576-class die. Scope the switch node and read the inductor code before trusting the marking.
- The adjustable and fixed grades (ADJ / 3.3 / 5 / 12) are not interchangeable by part number: the fixed versions internally set the divider. In repair, match the grade; do not convert an ADJ socket by fitting a fixed part.
- Feedback divider values are tuned to the specific output: changing grades or substituting regulators with different reference voltages silently shifts the rail - check the output under load, not just the marking.
- Input above the 40V family ceiling: the 2596 class ends there; designs above it need the HV variants or a different family entirely.
- In modules that died young, suspect the output capacitor and the inductor saturation first: the regulators in this trade are often paired with marginal passives, and the survival of a replacement part depends on them.
Frequently Asked Technical Questions
Q: What is the difference between LM2596 and LM2576?
A: Mainly switching frequency: 150kHz against 52kHz, with the same 3A step-down topology. The 2596 uses a much smaller inductor. They can substitute only together with the matching magnetics - and a fake 2596 module is exactly a 2576 die wearing the wrong marking.
Q: How do I spot a fake LM2596 module?
A: Two physical tells: switching frequency around 50kHz instead of 150 (scope the switch node), and a 330-470uH inductor where a genuine 2596 design uses about 33uH. The fakes regulate poorly at low output voltages and run noisier.
Q: Can I replace an LM2596 with MP1584 or XL4015?
A: As a function, yes - both are modern bucks with better ripple characteristics. As a socket, no: different pinouts and passives. They are redesign choices; where the board must stay, substitute within the 2596 family.