PIC12F1501-E/P - 8-bit MCU 1.75KB Flash 64B RAM | Microchip
MPN: PIC12F1501-E/P β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.41 | $1.41 |
| 10 | $1.27 | $12.70 |
| 100 | $1.14 | $114.00 |
| 500 | $1.02 | $510.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.92 | $920.00 |
PIC12F1501-E/P Overview
An 8-bit PIC microcontroller is a Harvard-architecture RISC processor that executes single-cycle instructions from Flash memory, typically offering deterministic interrupt response and low power consumption. In the system hierarchy, an MCU such as the PIC12F1501 sits below application processors and FPGAs but above pure digital logic, integrating CPU core, program memory, data memory, peripherals (ADC, timers, PWM, CLC), and I/O into a single IC. This integration lets designers replace dozens of discrete logic gates with a single programmable device, reducing BOM cost, board area, and power budget.
Key features include 6 general-purpose I/O pins, hardware CLC for combinatorial logic without CPU intervention, NCO for high-resolution frequency generation, and a 10-bit ADC with computation capabilities. The Enhanced Mid-Range core provides 49 instructions, 16-level hardware stack, and interrupt context auto-save for fast deterministic response in motor control and signal conditioning.
The PIC12F1501 architecture combines an 8-bit RISC CPU with on-chip Flash, EEPROM emulation in Flash, and a rich analog/digital peripheral set. Peripherals include a 10-bit ADC, 5-/8-/16-bit timers, enhanced PWM, CLC, NCO, and EUSART. With internal oscillator accuracy of +/-1 percent typical, designs can omit external crystals in many applications. The device consumes microamp-range sleep current, making it suitable for battery-powered IoT nodes.
Typical applications include consumer appliance control, sensor signal conditioning, LED lighting control, small motor drives (PWM-driven), and battery-powered IoT endpoints. The 8-pin PDIP format simplifies breadboard prototyping and hobbyist learning platforms, while still offering modern peripherals like CLC and NCO that reduce external component count.
When designing with this device, choose the -E (extended) temperature grade for -40C to +125C industrial operation; the -I grade only covers -40C to +85C. Use Microchip's MPLAB X IDE with XC8 compiler for development; the PICkit 3 or MPLAB ICD 3 programmers/debuggers are recommended for in-circuit debug via the ICSP header.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives from the PIC12F family, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone, giving engineers a faster selection path for low-pin-count 8-bit embedded designs.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC12F1501-E/P β same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with PIC12F1501-E/P (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Operating Temperature, Package, Maximum CPU Speed, Timers, ADC.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC12LF1501-I/P
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC12F1501-I/P
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$0.74 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC12F1822-I/P
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC12F615-I/P
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC12F1840-I/P
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$0.85 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC12F1501-E/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Type | 8-bit Microcontroller (MCU) |
| Core Architecture | Enhanced Mid-Range PIC (8-bit RISC) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 1.75 KB (1750 words) |
| Data Memory (SRAM) | 64 bytes |
| EEPROM | Emulated in Flash |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 20 MHz (5 MIPS) |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 2.5 V to 5.5 V |
| I/O Pins | 6 |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 4 channels |
| Timers | 1 x 8-bit, 1 x 16-bit |
| PWM Channels | Enhanced PWM (ECCP) - 1 channel |
| Special Peripherals | CLC, NCO, EUSART |
| Package | 8-pin PDIP (0.300 inch / 7.62 mm) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C (E grade) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
PIC12F1501-E/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | VDD β Positive supply voltage (2.5V to 5.5V) |
| Pin 2 | RA5 β Bidirectional I/O; analog AN3; CCP1/PWM output |
| Pin 3 | RA4 β Bidirectional I/O; analog AN2; CLC/NCO output |
| Pin 4 | RA3/MCLR/VPP β Input-only; MCLR reset (active low); programming voltage input |
| Pin 5 | RC5 β Bidirectional I/O; analog AN4; EUSART TX |
| Pin 6 | RC4 β Bidirectional I/O; EUSART RX |
| Pin 7 | RC3 β Bidirectional I/O; analog AN7; oscillator input |
| Pin 8 | VSS β Ground reference |
Typical Applications
PIC12F1501-E/P is suitable for 6 applications: Consumer Appliance Control, LED Lighting Control, Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes, Small Motor and Fan Control, Sensor Signal Conditioning, Hobbyist and Education Projects.
Consumer Appliance Control
The PIC12F1501-E/P is well-suited for consumer appliance control (washing machines, microwave ovens, coffee makers) because its 6 I/O pins plus 10-bit ADC handle user buttons, status LEDs, and analog sensor inputs in a single chip. The 2.5V-5.5V VDD range accepts either 3.3V or 5V supply rails typically found in appliance power supplies, while the CLC peripheral implements timer-free control logic for safety interlocks. Combined with the 1.75 KB Flash, this MCU replaces legacy 8-pin 8051-based controllers while reducing BOM cost by integrating the ADC and PWM hardware. The extended -40C to +125C temperature range (E grade) supports installation near heat-generating components in appliance chassis.
Recommended
LED Lighting Control
For LED lighting control and color-mixing applications, the PIC12F1501-E/P's enhanced PWM (ECCP) channel plus NCO provide high-resolution brightness and hue adjustment with up to 20 MHz timing resolution. The 10-bit ADC reads ambient light sensors or potentiometers for closed-loop dimming, while CLC implements logic-level glue such as input debouncing without CPU overhead. Operating from 2.5V-5.5V, the device supports both battery-powered decorative LEDs and mains-powered driver boards. The small 8-pin PDIP package simplifies hand-soldering for prototyping custom lighting fixtures, and the 5 MIPS throughput handles DMX-style or I2C-controlled protocols for stage or architectural lighting.
Recommended
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes
Battery-powered IoT sensor nodes benefit from the PIC12F1501-E/P's microamp-range sleep current and 1.75 KB Flash that fits sensor-firmware plus a simple wireless protocol handler. The 10-bit ADC with hardware averaging (ADC Accumulator) oversamples battery voltage or environmental sensors (temperature, humidity, light) reducing firmware load and improving measurement noise. CLC and NCO peripherals wake the CPU only on threshold crossings, dramatically lowering average power. The 2.5V minimum VDD supports 2xAA alkaline or single-cell Li-ion chemistries. Combined with Microchip's low-power RF transceivers, this MCU forms a compact wireless sensor endpoint for smart-home and industrial-monitoring applications.
Recommended
Small Motor and Fan Control
Small DC motor and fan control applications benefit from the PIC12F1501-E/P's enhanced PWM (ECCP) module, which provides center-aligned PWM with programmable dead-band delay for synchronous rectification or half-bridge drive of low-voltage DC motors and fans. The 10-bit ADC samples back-EMF or tachometer pulses for closed-loop speed control, while CLC implements fault-detection logic (overcurrent, stall) without CPU intervention, enabling sub-microsecond response. The 6 I/O pins handle direction, brake, fault, and tach inputs, while the 2.5V-5.5V VDD range supports 3.3V or 5V motor driver rails. The 1.75 KB Flash is sufficient for PI or PID speed-control loops in fans, pumps, and small brushed DC motors.
Recommended
Sensor Signal Conditioning
The PIC12F1501-E/P excels in sensor signal conditioning front-ends thanks to its 10-bit ADC with hardware oversampling (ADC Accumulator), which improves effective resolution by 2-4 bits for thermocouple, strain-gauge, or pH-probe measurements. The CLC peripheral implements analog-window comparators and Schmitt-trigger logic in hardware, offloading the CPU and reducing firmware complexity. With 64 bytes of SRAM and 1.75 KB Flash, the MCU runs small linearization and calibration tables for resistive or ratiometric sensors. Operating from 2.5V-5.5V supports battery-powered field instruments and industrial 24V-bus transducers when paired with a step-down regulator.
Recommended
Hobbyist and Education Projects
The PIC12F1501-E/P's 8-pin PDIP through-hole package makes it ideal for hobbyist and education projects on breadboards, stripboard, or perfboard - no fine-pitch SMD soldering required. With MPLAB X IDE and XC8 compiler free to download, beginners can program and debug via PICkit 3 or PICkit 4 in-circuit. The PIC12F1501's modern peripherals (CLC, NCO, EUSART) teach embedded concepts beyond simple GPIO blinking, while the 1.75 KB Flash constrains complexity to manageable scale for learning. Arduino-curious makers often migrate to PIC for projects requiring deterministic timing, low power, or single-chip sensor interfaces, and the 6 I/O pins handle LEDs, buttons, and a UART-debug interface all at once.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC12F1501-E/P β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC12LF1501-I/P | PIC12F1501-I/P | PIC12F1822-I/P | PIC12F615-I/P | PIC12F1840-I/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 8-pin PDIP (P) | 8-pin PDIP (P) - same | 8-pin PDIP (P) - same | 8-pin PDIP (P) - same | 8-pin PDIP (P) - same | 8-pin PDIP (P) - same |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 1.75 KB | 1.75 KB (same) | 1.75 KB (same) | 3.5 KB (+100%) | 1.75 KB (same) | 7 KB (+300%) |
| Data Memory (SRAM) | 64 bytes | 64 bytes (same) | 64 bytes (same) | 128 bytes (+100%) | 64 bytes (same) | 256 bytes (+300%) |
| Operating Voltage | 2.5 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (lower) | 2.5 V to 5.5 V (same) | 1.8 V to 5.5 V (wider) | 2.0 V to 5.5 V (similar) | 1.8 V to 5.5 V (wider) |
| ADC Resolution | 10-bit | 10-bit (same) | 10-bit (same) | 10-bit (same) | 8-bit (lower) | 10-bit (same) |
| CLC Peripheral | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| NCO Peripheral | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C (E grade) | -40C to +85C (I grade) | -40C to +85C (I grade) | -40C to +85C (I grade) | -40C to +85C (I grade) | -40C to +85C (I grade) |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated CLC and NCO peripherals (vs PIC12F615-I/P)
- 10-bit ADC vs 8-bit on older PIC12F family (vs PIC12F615-I/P)
- Extended -40C to +125C temperature grade (vs PIC12F1501-I/P)
- Larger program memory in upgrade path (vs PIC12F1822-I/P)
Design Notes
The PIC12F1501-E/P operates from 2.5V to 5.5V VDD. Place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor as close as possible to the VDD pin (pin 1) and a bulk 10 uF tantalum or ceramic capacitor at the supply rail. According to Microchip datasheet DS40001615C, the device features a brown-out reset (BOR) module with configurable trip thresholds; in noisy industrial environments enable the BOR to prevent code corruption from voltage dips. The microcontroller draws <1 uA in sleep with the watchdog disabled, making it suitable for battery-powered applications where the MCU wakes periodically to read sensors.
A common design pitfall with PIC12F1501-E/P is forgetting that pin 4 (RA3/MCLR/VPP) is input-only and shared with the MCLR reset function. According to Microchip datasheet DS40001615C, RA3 cannot be configured as a digital output. If MCLR is not required, the MCLRE fuse can be cleared to free RA3 as a digital input. Additionally, when using ICSP (in-circuit serial programming), the PGC and PGD pins (typically RB6 and RB7 on larger parts) are shared with ICSP, but on the 8-pin PIC12F1501 programming uses the dedicated ICSPDAT and ICSPCLK connections - plan PCB layout to keep programming header accessible without disturbing analog or high-current traces.
Estimated: The PIC12F1501-E/P in 8-pin PDIP dissipates approximately 50-100 mW under typical 16 MHz @ 5V operation, well within the package's thermal envelope (theta_JA around 100 C/W for PDIP-8). For high-temperature industrial environments near +125C, derate current consumption by enabling low-power sleep modes and disabling unused peripherals. The device does not require a heatsink in normal applications; however, mounting the PDIP-8 with adequate copper pad area improves thermal coupling to the PCB. Per Microchip datasheet, junction temperature should not exceed +150C to maintain long-term reliability.
For mixed-signal designs using the PIC12F1501's 10-bit ADC, route analog traces (RA2/RA4/RC3) away from digital switching lines and PWM outputs. According to Microchip datasheet DS40001615C, place the AVSS connection (tied to VSS) close to the analog pins and use a star-ground topology if analog and digital grounds must connect. Use 100 nF + 10 uF decoupling directly at VDD, and consider a small RC filter (10 ohm + 100 nF) on noisy supply rails. The CLC and NCO peripherals can generate frequencies above 100 MHz on internal rails, so keep their output pins isolated from sensitive analog traces.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - automotive applications should select AEC-Q100 qualified parts from the PIC16F1xxx family. Lead-free matte-tin plating on PDIP leads. Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in verified web data.
