Hot Swap Controllers
Hot Swap controllers manage the safe insertion and removal of circuit boards in live backplanes, preventing power glitches and inrush current.
- Function: Control power sequencing, limit inrush current, provide overcurrent/overvoltage protection.
- Typical Use: Servers, telecom systems, industrial backplanes.
- Key Features:
- Inrush current limiting (via MOSFET slew rate control)
- Fault protection (OVP, OCP, UVLO)
- Presence detection (insertion/removal sensing)
- Power-good signaling
- Common ICs:
- TI: TPS235x, TPS24xx
- Analog Devices: LTC42xx
- Maxim: MAX160xx, MAX59xx
- Interface: Often includes I²C or SMBus for telemetry (voltage, current, temperature).
Always include proper decoupling, sense resistors, and FET selection based on load capacitance and hold-up time.