DRV8256ERGER - 50V 8A H-Bridge Motor Driver with Smart Tune | TI
MPN: DRV8256ERGER ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.74 | $1.74 |
| 10 | $1.56 | $15.60 |
| 100 | $1.38 | $138.00 |
| 500 | $1.21 | $605.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.05 | $1,050.00 |
DRV8256ERGER Overview
An H-bridge motor driver is a type of brushed DC or stepper motor driver that uses four switching elements arranged in an H topology to drive current in either direction through a single winding. H-bridge drivers belong to the broader family of motor drivers (brushed DC, stepper, BLDC) which in turn fall under power management ICs and discrete semiconductor categories. By integrating the FETs, gate drivers, current sense amplifier, and protection logic in one package, the DRV8256ERGER replaces discrete implementations that would otherwise require dozens of components.
Key features include 8-A peak H-bridge output current (derated to ~4.5 A RMS depending on PCB copper area), integrated current sensing that eliminates an external sense resistor, Smart Tune technology that automatically adjusts dead time and decay mode to minimize audible motor noise and current ripple, and a 1.5 A peak gate-drive flyback clamp for inductive loads. The device supports both PWM (PH/EN) and independent half-bridge control modes.
The architecture pairs a charge pump (for the high-side gate drive) with a current-shunt monitor on each low-side FET, feeding the integrated sense amplifier whose output appears on the SO pin as an analog voltage. Smart Tune combines four decay modes - slow decay, fast decay, mixed 30%, mixed 60% - and selects them dynamically based on motor current to suppress ripple current and acoustic noise without firmware tuning.
Typical applications include brushed DC motors in robotic vacuums, small home appliances, e-bike valve actuators, industrial pumps, and consumer fans. The wide 4.5 V to 48 V supply range covers USB, single-cell Li-ion, lead-acid 12 V, and industrial 24 V / 36 V / 48 V rails. The integrated sense amplifier is particularly valuable in closed-loop torque or current control.
When designing with the DRV8256ERGER, place the VM bulk capacitor as close to pins 5-6 and 19-20 (VM/GND) as possible. The exposed thermal pad (pin 24) must be soldered to a top-side copper pour of at least 1 cm^2 to stay within thermal limits at 8 A peak loads. Use 100 nF + 10 uF bypass directly on VM, and add a TVS diode across the motor terminals if the application includes long cable harnesses to absorb flyback transients.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in pin-compatible alternatives, and practical thermal/PCB layout notes for the DRV8256ERGER that are not consolidated in the TI datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for DRV8256ERGER — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
DRV8256PRGER
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
DRV8876ERGER
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
DRV8256ERGER.A
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
DRV8256ERGER Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Motor Driver Type | H-Bridge, Bipolar (PH/EN) |
| Output Configuration | Half-Bridge x 2 (H-Bridge) |
| Supply Voltage (VM) | 4.5 V to 48 V |
| Peak Output Current | 8 A |
| RMS Output Current | 4.5 A (depends on PCB thermal design) |
| On-State Resistance (HS + LS per FET) | 240 mOhm typical |
| Integrated Current Sense | Yes (analog SO output) |
| Decay Mode Control | Smart Tune (automatic) |
| Control Interface | PWM (PH/EN) - no IN1/IN2 on E variant |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C |
| Package | VQFN-24 (RGE) 4x4 mm with thermal pad |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Protection Features | UVLO, OCP, OTP, open-load detection |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
| Charge Pump | Integrated (for high-side gate drive) |
DRV8256ERGER Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 2 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 3 | EN — Enable (active high) |
| Pin 4 | PH — Phase / direction input |
| Pin 5 | VM — Motor supply voltage |
| Pin 6 | VM — Motor supply voltage |
| Pin 7 | OUT1 — H-bridge output 1 |
| Pin 8 | OUT1 — H-bridge output 1 |
| Pin 9 | NC — Not connected |
| Pin 10 | NC — Not connected |
| Pin 11 | OUT2 — H-bridge output 2 |
| Pin 12 | OUT2 — H-bridge output 2 |
| Pin 13 | SO — Current sense analog output |
| Pin 14 | nSLEEP — Sleep mode (active low) |
| Pin 15 | nFAULT — Fault flag (open-drain, active low) |
| Pin 16 | VREF — Current sense reference voltage |
| Pin 17 | DECAY — Decay mode select (Smart Tune) |
| Pin 18 | TPAD — Thermal pad (must be tied to GND plane) |
| Pin 19 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 20 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 21 | CP1 — Charge pump capacitor 1 |
| Pin 22 | CP2 — Charge pump capacitor 2 |
| Pin 23 | VCP — Charge pump output |
| Pin 24 | TPAD — Thermal pad (must be tied to GND plane) |
Typical Applications
DRV8256ERGER is suitable for 7 applications: Robotic Vacuum Cleaner Drive, Small Home Appliance Pumps and Valves, Industrial 24 V Brushed DC Actuators, Battery-Operated Tools and Cordless Screwdrivers, Consumer Fan and Blower Speed Control, Automotive Auxiliary Motors, 3D Printer and CNC Auxiliary Axes.
Robotic Vacuum Cleaner Drive
The DRV8256ERGER is well suited to drive the main brush, side brush, and suction-fan brushed DC motors in a robotic vacuum. Its 4.5 V to 48 V VM range accepts the 4S-18650 pack directly (12 V to 16.8 V) and 24 V dock-charge rails, while 8 A peak current handles the inrush of brush motors stall events without foldback. The integrated current-sense amplifier on the SO pin feeds the MCU ADC for closed-loop torque limiting, preventing carpet-shear stalls. Smart Tune decay automatically quiets audible whine when the motor decelerates, which is critical for consumer-grade noise budgets (<55 dB). The 4x4 mm VQFN-24 occupies <16 mm^2 on the motor-driver PCB, allowing the drive stage to sit directly behind the wheel module.
Recommended
Small Home Appliance Pumps and Valves
Coffee machine pumps, dishwasher inlet valves, washing-machine drain pumps, and e-bike pneumatic valves all rely on brushed DC motors in the 1 A to 6 A range at 12 V to 24 V. The DRV8256ERGER's 8 A peak headroom handles stall currents that exceed rated running current by 3-5x, while the integrated current sense on SO eliminates an external shunt resistor and its associated analog front-end. Smart Tune decay reduces the audible 'singing' that solenoid-driven pumps typically emit during PWM speed control, allowing appliance sound-power ratings to stay below IEC 60704. The VQFN-24 thermal pad dissipates directly into the chassis-side ground plane for fanless operation.
Recommended
Industrial 24 V Brushed DC Actuators
Factory automation actuators - solenoid valves, conveyor diverters, indexing motors - typically run on a 24 V industrial bus and demand rugged fault-tolerant drive. The DRV8256ERGER handles the full 24 V nominal rail plus transients on long cable runs; its UVLO, OCP, and OTP protections prevent catastrophic failure on motor short or stall conditions. The integrated SO current-sense output wires directly to an industrial MCU ADC or to a 4-20 mA loop back to a PLC, enabling closed-loop position and torque control. Smart Tune decay eliminates the need for application-specific decay tuning, reducing firmware line programming time during commissioning. The 4.5 V to 48 V range covers 24 V and 36 V industrial rails without modification.
Recommended
Battery-Operated Tools and Cordless Screwdrivers
Cordless drills, impact drivers, and 18 V / 20 V Max battery tools use brushed DC motors where peak currents spike to 30-50 A during stall. The DRV8256ERGER provides the H-bridge for lower-power sub-functions such as LED work-light drivers, torque-limit clutches, or auxiliary fans, where 8 A peak comfortably handles inrush. Its 4.5 V to 48 V supply range supports 5S Li-ion (18 V to 21 V) packs directly, and the integrated current sense feeds the MCU for torque-limiting and battery-state estimation.
Recommended
Consumer Fan and Blower Speed Control
CPAP blowers, air purifiers, and CPU/GPU cooling fans that run on 12 V or 24 V brushed DC motors benefit from the DRV8256ERGER's PH/EN interface - a single PWM into PH and a logic-level on EN. Smart Tune decay actively suppresses the audible motor whine that fixed-decay PWM drives typically produce, allowing the fan to operate below 30 dB(A) at low duty cycle. Integrated current sense provides stall detection for blocked-filter diagnostics without an external current shunt.
Recommended
Automotive Auxiliary Motors
Window lift, seat adjustment, mirror-fold, and tailgate power-close subsystems in 12 V automotive boards benefit from the DRV8256ERGER's 50 V transient tolerance (load-dump to 35 V leaves headroom) and -40C to +125C ambient rating. Integrated protection on H-bridge faults prevents ripple and over-current events from damaging the motor winding. The 8 A peak comfortably handles the stall current of seat-adjust motors that can spike to 20-30 A.
Recommended
3D Printer and CNC Auxiliary Axes
3D printers, desktop CNCs, and label printers use brushed DC motors for extruders, filament feeders, and tool changers where 1 A to 5 A continuous current is typical. The DRV8256ERGER provides clean direction/brake/changed PWM control on a single H-bridge with PH/EN logic directly from a 3.3 V MCU GPIO. Integrated current sense on SO enables filament-runout detection and extruder jam detection without adding a discrete op-amp circuit.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for DRV8256ERGER — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | DRV8256PRGER | DRV8876ERGER | DRV8256ERGER.A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Texas Instruments | Texas Instruments | Texas Instruments | Texas Instruments |
| Package | VQFN-24 (RGE) 4x4 mm | VQFN-24 (RGE) 4x4 mm - same | VQFN-24 (RGE) 4x4 mm - same | VQFN-24 (RGE) 4x4 mm - same |
| Supply Voltage (max) | 50 V | 50 V | 40 V (-20%) | 50 V |
| Peak Output Current | 8 A | 8 A | 3.5 A (-56%) | 8 A |
| Control Interface | PH/EN (E variant) | IN1/IN2 (P variant) | IN1/IN2/PH/EN | PH/EN |
| Integrated Current Sense | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Smart Tune Decay | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C | -40C to +125C | -40C to +125C | -40C to +125C |
| Unit Price (qty 1, USD) | 1.74 | 1.74 | 1.40 (est.) | 1.74 |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated current-sense amplifier eliminates external shunt resistor (vs DRV8870)
- Smart Tune automatic decay mode reduces firmware tuning effort (vs DRV8871)
- PH/EN interface simplifies MCU pin allocation (vs DRV8256PRGER)
Design Notes
Estimated: at VM=24 V, I=4.5 A RMS, RDS_on=240 mOhm per FET (HS+LS), the DRV8256ERGER dissipates roughly P = I^2 x R = (4.5)^2 x 0.24 = ~4.9 W. On the JEDEC EIA/JESD51 4-layer test board with 1 cm^2 top copper pour, R_thje is approximately 35 C/W, yielding a junction temperature rise of 170 C above 25 C ambient. For continuous 4 A RMS operation, expand the copper pour to 4 cm^2 or attach a small clip-on heatsink to the exposed thermal pad. Without thermal management, the OTP will fault at ~150 C junction.
Place the VM bulk capacitor (10 uF X7R minimum, 47 uF recommended for cold-start) within 5 mm of pins 5-6 and 19-20 (VM/GND). Add a 100 nF Y-rated decoupling cap directly on VM. The exposed thermal pad (pin 24 area) must be soldered to a top-layer copper area, plus thermal vias to an internal or bottom layer of the PCB. For cable harnesses longer than 100 mm to the motor, add an SMBJ33CA TVS across the OUT pins to absorb flyback.
Do not leave nSLEEP floating - it must be pulled high for normal operation. The SO pin output is ratiometric to VREF; if VREF floats the current sense output is invalid. Smart Tune decay requires the DECAY pin configuration matching the firmware control loop; misconfiguring DECAY defeats the Smart Tune engine and produces audible motor noise. Always read the nFAULT flag in firmware to clear latched protection events.
The SO current-sense output bandwidth is limited to ~200 kHz. For torque loop closure above 1 kHz, sample SO with an MCU ADC at >10 kSPS and average over 32 samples. Route the SO trace as a differential pair with GND on either side, away from the OUT switching nodes, to avoid capacitive coupling that distorts the current waveform during the Smart Tune decay transitions.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per TI product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified; for AEC-Q100 applications consult TI for automotive-grade part numbers in the DRV8256 family.
