PIC16F18855-E/SP - 14KB Flash 32MHz 8-bit MCU | Microchip
MPN: PIC16F18855-E/SP β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.31 | $2.31 |
| 10 | $2.07 | $20.70 |
| 100 | $1.84 | $184.00 |
| 500 | $1.62 | $810.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.47 | $1,470.00 |
PIC16F18855-E/SP Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a small computer-on-a-chip built around an 8-bit data path CPU, integrated Flash program memory, RAM, EEPROM, and a rich set of peripherals. Within the embedded hierarchy, an 8-bit MCU sits below 16-bit microcontrollers and 32-bit microcontrollers in computational throughput but excels in deterministic real-time response, ultra-low power, low cost, and small footprint. PIC microcontrollers from Microchip use a modified Harvard RISC architecture, giving single-cycle instruction execution that simplifies timing analysis for control loops.
Key features of the PIC16F18855-E/SP include 10-bit ADC with Computation (ADC2), 5-bit/8-bit DAC, comparators, PWM, Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG), Signal Measurement Timer (SMT), Hardware Limit Timer (HLT), Windowed Watchdog Timer (WWDT), CRC/SCAN, Zero-Cross Detect (ZCD), Peripheral Pin Select (PPS), and EUSART plus SPI/I2C communication. The XLP technology provides nanoWatt power-saving modes suitable for battery-powered designs.
Architecturally, the device uses a 14-bit instruction word, 32 MHz internal oscillator with 4x PLL option, and idle/doze/peripheral module disable (PMD) modes. The Functional Safety (FuSa) features and CIP support make it well-suited for IEC 61508 SIL-aware designs and ASIL-classified automotive subsystems. The 28-pin SPDIP package simplifies through-hole prototyping and breadboard-friendly development while still offering all device features.
Typical applications include industrial sensor interfaces, low-power IoT nodes, motor control with CWG and PWM, lighting control, home appliances, automotive body and lighting ECUs, and general-purpose embedded control. The combination of EUSART, SPI, and I2C supports seamless communication with sensors, displays, and wireless modules.
When designing with this device, leverage Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) to remap digital peripherals onto any I/O pin, simplifying PCB layout. For battery-powered applications, exploit IDLE and DOZE modes plus PMD to disable unused peripherals and minimize active current.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, pin-compatible alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F18855-E/SP 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 PIC16F18855-E/SP (same form factor and footprint) β differing in ADC, Comparators, Core Architecture, Package, Data EEPROM.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F18854-E/SP
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F18856-E/SP
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1.28 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC16F18855-I/SP
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F18875-E/SP
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F18855-E/SP Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Family | PIC16F1885x/7x |
| Core Architecture | 8-bit PIC (modified Harvard, RISC) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 14 KB (8K x 14) |
| Data SRAM | 1 KB |
| Data EEPROM | 256 B |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 32 MHz |
| Operating Voltage Range | 2.3 V to 5.5 V |
| Package | 28-pin SPDIP (0.300 inch / 7.62 mm pitch) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole (DIP) |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 C to +125 C (Extended, -E suffix) |
| ADC | 10-bit ADC2 (with Computation) |
| DAC | 5-bit / 8-bit DAC |
| Comparators | Yes (with selectable reference) |
| PWM Outputs | Yes (10-bit PWM) |
| CWG (Complementary Waveform Generator) | Yes |
| Communication Peripherals | EUSART, SPI, I2C |
| PPS (Peripheral Pin Select) | Yes |
| CRC / SCAN | Yes |
| Watchdog | Windowed WDT (WWDT) / HLT |
| Low-Power Technology | eXtreme Low Power (XLP) |
| Functional Safety (FuSa) | Yes (IEC 61508 capable) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16F18855-E/SP Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA5 β PORTA bit 5 / digital I/O with PPS |
| Pin 2 | RA4 β PORTA bit 4 / digital I/O |
| Pin 3 | RA3 β PORTA bit 3 / digital I/O (input only on most PIC16F1xxx) |
| Pin 4 | RA2 β PORTA bit 2 / analog input / digital I/O |
| Pin 5 | RA1 β PORTA bit 1 / analog input / digital I/O |
| Pin 6 | RA0 β PORTA bit 0 / analog input / digital I/O |
| Pin 7 | VSS β Ground reference |
| Pin 8 | RA7 β PORTA bit 7 / digital I/O |
| Pin 9 | RA6 β PORTA bit 6 / digital I/O |
| Pin 10 | RC0 β PORTC bit 0 / digital I/O |
| Pin 11 | RC1 β PORTC bit 1 / digital I/O |
| Pin 12 | RC2 β PORTC bit 2 / digital I/O |
| Pin 13 | RC3 β PORTC bit 3 / digital I/O |
| Pin 14 | RC4 β PORTC bit 4 / digital I/O |
| Pin 15 | RC5 β PORTC bit 5 / digital I/O |
| Pin 16 | RC6 β PORTC bit 6 / digital I/O |
| Pin 17 | RC7 β PORTC bit 7 / digital I/O |
| Pin 18 | VSS β Ground reference (second VSS pin) |
| Pin 19 | VDD β Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 20 | RB0 β PORTB bit 0 / digital I/O / interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 21 | RB1 β PORTB bit 1 / digital I/O / interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 22 | RB2 β PORTB bit 2 / digital I/O / interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 23 | RB3 β PORTB bit 3 / digital I/O / interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 24 | RB4 β PORTB bit 4 / digital I/O / interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 25 | RB5 β PORTB bit 5 / digital I/O / interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 26 | RB6 β PORTB bit 6 / ICSP CLK / digital I/O |
| Pin 27 | RB7 β PORTB bit 7 / ICSP DAT / digital I/O |
| Pin 28 | VDD β Positive supply voltage (second VDD pin) |
Typical Applications
PIC16F18855-E/SP is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Sensor Interface Nodes, Low-Power IoT Endpoint Devices, BLDC / FOC Motor Control, LED Lighting Controllers and Drivers, Home Appliance Control Panels, Automotive Body and Lighting ECUs.
Industrial Sensor Interface Nodes
The PIC16F18855-E/SP's 10-bit ADC2 with Computation, PPS remappable I/O, and EUSART/SPI/I2C make it well suited for industrial 4-20 mA and 0-10 V analog sensor interfaces. The 32 MHz CPU executes calibration and linearization algorithms at deterministic single-cycle latency. Its XLP nanoWatt sleep mode allows battery or energy-harvest powered remote sensor nodes to idle under 1 uA between measurements, extending maintenance-free deployment windows to multiple years. The CWG and 10-bit PWM additionally drive actuator outputs.
Recommended
Low-Power IoT Endpoint Devices
The PIC16F18855-E/SP's eXtreme Low Power (XLP) technology and Core Independent Peripherals suit it to battery-powered IoT endpoints transmitting over SPI to a radio module. IDLE, DOZE, and PMD modes combined with CWG-driven wake-up timers let a coin-cell node spend over 99% of its duty cycle in sub-uA sleep. The 14 KB Flash holds small TCP/HTTP or proprietary stacks alongside application logic. PPS allows remapping SPI and UART to any pin for flexible PCB layout. Heisener confirms active stock for production deployment.
Recommended
BLDC / FOC Motor Control
The PIC16F18855-E/SP's Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG), 10-bit PWM with dead-band control, and SMT input capture enable sensor-less BLDC and low-speed FOC motor control for fans, pumps, and small appliances. The CWG produces complementary PWM pairs with programmable dead time to drive half-bridges directly, while SMT measures back-EMF zero-cross events for commutation. 32 MHz instruction throughput allows 20 kHz PWM frequencies with cycle-by-cycle control updates, and XLP idle modes save energy at low RPM.
Recommended
LED Lighting Controllers and Drivers
The PIC16F18855-E/SP's 10-bit PWM, CWG, and Zero-Cross Detect (ZCD) peripherals drive dimmable LED lighting, RGB color mixing, and TRIAC dimmer interfaces. Multiple PWM channels generate independent color/intensity outputs with hardware-timed update, while ZCD synchronizes phase-controlled dimming to the AC line. ADC2 reads ambient light sensors for closed-loop brightness control. The -40 C to +125 C extended temperature rating ensures reliability in enclosed luminaire environments.
Recommended
Home Appliance Control Panels
The PIC16F18855-E/SP drives user-interface subsystems in washing machines, dishwashers, ovens, and HVAC controls. The 10-bit ADC reads capacitive touch or resistive buttons through the on-chip comparators, the CWG and PWM modules drive buzzer tones and indicator LED dimming, and EUSART/SPI/I2C connect to main control boards and displays. Functional Safety (FuSa) features support IEC 60730 Class B software-class requirements for household appliance safety.
Recommended
Automotive Body and Lighting ECUs
The PIC16F18855-E/SP's Extended -40 C to +125 C temperature grade and LIN/EUSART peripherals target non-safety automotive body control, interior lighting, mirror adjust, and seat-position modules. CWG drives LED strings with programmable dimming curves, ADC2 reads battery voltage and switch inputs, and PPS allows flexible PCB layout. Note this part is NOT AEC-Q100 qualified; safety-critical automotive designs require the -VAO or Q-grade variant. Microchip XLP modes support key-off quiescent currents under 100 uA.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F18855-E/SP β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F18854-E/SP | PIC16F18856-E/SP | PIC16F18855-I/SP | PIC16F18855-E/SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 28-SPDIP (through-hole) | 28-SPDIP - same | 28-SPDIP - same | 28-SPDIP - same | 28-SOIC (SMD, different footprint) |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash Memory | 14 KB | 7 KB | 28 KB | 14 KB | 14 KB |
| SRAM | 1 KB | 1 KB | 2 KB | 1 KB | 1 KB |
| EEPROM | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B |
| Max CPU Speed | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +125 C (Extended) | -40 C to +125 C (Extended) | -40 C to +125 C (Extended) | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +125 C (Extended) |
| Peripheral Set | ADC2, DAC, CWG, PWM, EUSART, SPI, I2C, PPS | Same peripheral set | Same peripheral set + additional CWG channels | Same peripheral set | Same peripheral set |
| Unit Price (qty 1) | ~$2.31 USD | ~$1.85 USD (lower, less Flash) | ~$2.95 USD (higher, more Flash) | ~$2.10 USD | ~$2.20 USD |
Key Differentiators
- Core Independent Peripherals (CIP) with CWG and ADC2 (vs PIC16F18854-E/SP)
- Doubling Flash headroom (vs PIC16F18854-E/SP)
- Extended -40 C to +125 C temperature grade (vs PIC16F18855-I/SP)
Design Notes
Decouple VDD/VSS pairs with a 100 nF ceramic capacitor placed within 5 mm of each VDD pin (pins 19 and 28). For motor-control and PWM-heavy applications, add a bulk 10 uF tantalum or aluminum-polymer capacitor near the MCU. Use the PMD (Peripheral Module Disable) registers to gate clock trees to unused peripherals, reducing dynamic current. In IDLE mode the CPU stops while peripherals continue; DOZE mode scales peripheral clocks for further savings.
Route ICSP CLK (RB6) and ICSP DAT (RB7) signals to a 6-pin header or test pad for in-circuit programming and debugging. Keep RB6/RB7 traces short and avoid routing them near high-current switching nodes to prevent programming glitches. The 28-SPDIP package allows socket-mounting on a development board, but for production consider the PIC16F18855-E/SO SOIC variant which uses the same die. Place the decoupling capacitor's ground return directly to the nearest VSS pin.
Do not exceed 5.5 V on any VDD pin - the PIC16F18855's absolute maximum VDD is 7.5 V and permanent damage occurs above this. When using analog functions (ADC2, DAC, comparators), configure unused analog pins as digital outputs or set them to the lowest power state via the ANSEL registers. PPS remapping must be unlocked (PPSLOCK = 0) before writing and re-locked afterward, otherwise peripherals appear non-functional. The device's interrupt-on-change functionality on PORTB requires weak pull-ups configured via WPUB for reliable switch input.
PPS allows digital peripherals (UART, SPI, I2C, PWM, CWG) to be mapped to any digital I/O pin, simplifying PCB layout. However, peripherals assigned to the same physical pin will conflict - check the Peripheral Pin Select table in the datasheet before finalizing pin assignments. Use PPS to place high-frequency SPI traces on adjacent pins to minimize loop area. The 10-bit ADC2 with Computation provides oversampling and averaging to improve noise performance in noisy motor environments.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. Standard -E/SP variant is NOT AEC-Q100 qualified - use -VAO automotive or Q-grade variants for AEC-Q100. The Functional Safety (FuSa) features support IEC 61508 SIL-aware designs but require additional application-level qualification.
