Microchip Released High-Voltage Power Monitors
The new PAC1761 and PAC1861 monitors support 48V power architectures with high-transient spike protection.
Updated on Sept. 25, 2026 in Semiconductors
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Microchip Technology has launched the PAC1761 and PAC1861 digital power monitor families, designed for systems migrating to 48V architectures. These devices offer 65V of measurement headroom and 75V of transient spike protection to improve real-time energy management.
Why it matters
As industries shift toward 48V power architectures to boost overall efficiency, designers require specialized hardware that tracks accumulated energy data to trigger faster system responses. These monitors enable more precise control over energy usage dynamics in modern high-power electronics.
The PAC1761 provides 12-bit resolution while the PAC1861 offers 16-bit resolution, with both supporting 65V measurement headroom. They are available in VDFN-8, VDFN-10, and MSOP-10 packages, priced starting at $0.56 per unit in 10,000-unit quantities.
The players
Microchip Technology
A provider of microcontroller, mixed-signal, analog, and Flash-IP solutions that focuses on embedded control and power management integration.
The details
The devices use internal registers to monitor and accumulate power data, which allows for real-time reactions to energy usage fluctuations. Designers can configure accumulated-energy thresholds that trigger alerts for voltage, current, or power excursions, ensuring system management is based on long-term power behavior rather than instantaneous spikes.
Timeline
Microchip announced the new power monitor families on September 25, 2026.
The Tech Race
The development of these monitors aligns with the broader industry transition toward 48V power architectures to improve energy efficiency in high-density computing. These devices follow a sequence of component updates aimed at providing the granular energy telemetry required by modern power-management integrated circuits.
Engineers and hardware designers can currently access the EV12R33A evaluation board for $49.00 to begin integrating these monitors into their system designs. The components are intended for use in high-efficiency industrial power systems where monitoring energy accumulation is a prerequisite for stability.
The takeaway
These monitors provide a scalable solution for managing the power thresholds required by modern high-efficiency hardware. Designers should watch for the integration of these specific 16-bit resolution features in upcoming industrial power-supply hardware refreshes.
Further reading
For more on the current state of industrial power management, browse our latest Semiconductors analysis.
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