Backplane insertion control for 3-13V rails
The TPS2330IPW is a single-channel hot swap controller from Texas Instruments designed to manage inrush current and protect against faults when boards are inserted into a live backplane. The controller does not integrate a power switch — it drives an external N-channel MOSFET as the pass element. This lets the designer size the FET for the load current, thermal budget, and package constraints of the specific board.
Programmable fault handling with UVLO
Three programmable features — circuit breaker threshold, fault timeout, and slew rate — give the designer control over the insertion profile. The circuit breaker trips when the current exceeds the set threshold for longer than the timeout period, protecting the board and backplane from short circuits or excessive load steps. Undervoltage lockout (UVLO) prevents the MOSFET from turning on until the input rail is stable above the UVLO threshold. This avoids partial turn-on where the FET operates in its linear region and dissipates excessive power. The latched fault response means that after a fault event, the controller shuts off and stays off until the input power is cycled or the enable signal is toggled. This is the safer behavior for backplanes where an automatic retry could cause repeated stress on the connector and board.
14-TSSOP package and board integration
For boards that see sustained 85°C ambient, the external MOSFET's junction temperature — not the controller's — will be the thermal limit.
Active production and compliance
The controller is supplied in tube packaging. For volume requirements, verify the preferred packing option with your TI distributor at quote time.