The LM385Z-2.5/LFT7 is a 2.5 V fixed-output shunt voltage reference from Texas Instruments, in a TO-92-3 through-hole package. It provides a stable 2.5 V rail for biasing ADCs, comparators, or low-dropout regulators in designs where a precision bandgap reference is overkill. Rated for 20 mA output current with a 20 µA minimum cathode current to maintain regulation, it covers the typical load of a single ADC reference input or a comparator threshold divider.
±3% tolerance — the accuracy trade-off
The ±3% initial tolerance means the output can sit anywhere from 2.425 V to 2.575 V at 25 °C. That is loose enough that you budget for it in the downstream circuit — a 10-bit ADC with a 2.5 V reference loses about 1 LSB of absolute accuracy from the reference alone. For a 0.1% precision measurement chain, this part is not the right fit; for a power-supply monitor or a comparator threshold, it works fine. That compounds with the initial tolerance — worst-case total spread is about ±3.5% across temperature.
No stock-holding claim — every lot is verified before shipment.
TO-92-3 package — rework and board-fit note
The TO-92-3 through-hole package is about as rework-friendly as it gets — three leads, 0.100-inch pitch, easy to hand-solder or hot-air remove without lifting a pad. The flat face of the package has a chamfered edge that marks pin 1; the pinout is standard (adj/gnd/out for the LM385 family). No thermal pad, no exposed die — just three leads through the board.