PIC16F505-E/MG - 8-Bit MCU, 1.5KB Flash, 12 I/O, QFN-16 | Microchip
MPN: PIC16F505-E/MG ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.18 | $1.18 |
| 10 | $1.05 | $10.50 |
| 100 | $0.92 | $92.00 |
| 500 | $0.81 | $405.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.72 | $720.00 |
PIC16F505-E/MG Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a small, self-contained computer on a single IC that integrates a CPU, RAM, program memory, and peripherals targeted at embedded control tasks. Within the broader taxonomy, the PIC16F505 belongs to the PIC16 family -> 8-bit PIC MCU -> flash microcontroller -> microcontroller unit (MCU) -> semiconductor, and uses Microchip's enhanced mid-range RISC architecture with a 14-bit instruction word and single-cycle execution except for branches.
Key specifications include a maximum 20 MHz operating frequency (200 ns instruction cycle), internal oscillator (no external crystal required), 5 analog comparator inputs, 8-bit timer (TMR0) plus watchdog timer, 8-level hardware stack, and In-Circuit Serial Programming (ICSP) capability. The wide 2.0V to 5.5V supply range supports both 3.3V and 5V rails, and the device drives 25 mA source/sink per I/O for direct LED or relay interface. Brown-out Reset (BOR) and Power-on Reset (POR) are integrated.
Typical applications include consumer appliance controllers, low-cost remote controls, battery chargers, LED lighting drivers, automotive interior modules, security keypads, sensor signal conditioning front-ends, and small form-factor IoT endpoint nodes. The small 3x3 mm QFN footprint makes it ideal for space-constrained designs.
When designing with this MCU, keep traces short for the ICSPDAT/ICSPCLK programming pins and provide a stable VDD with a 100 nF ceramic bypass capacitor within 5 mm of the pin. The exposed thermal pad must be soldered to the board ground plane for thermal and electrical performance.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F505-E/MG — 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 PIC16F505-E/MG (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, ADC, Core Architecture, I/O Pins, Program Memory Size.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F505-I/MG
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F506-I/MG
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$0.66 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F505-E/MG Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | 8-bit PIC RISC (enhanced mid-range) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 1.5 KB (1K x 14 instructions) |
| RAM | 72 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 20 MHz |
| Instruction Cycle | 200 ns |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| I/O Pins | 12 (11 usable + 1 input-only) |
| Timer Modules | 1 x 8-bit TMR0 + Watchdog Timer |
| Comparators | Analog comparators with programmable references |
| Stack Depth | 8 levels (hardware) |
| Oscillator | Internal (factory calibrated), no external crystal required |
| ICSP/ICD | In-Circuit Serial Programming and Debug supported |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +125 C (Extended, "-E" suffix) |
| Package | 16-QFN (3x3 mm) with exposed pad |
| I/O Drive Strength | 25 mA source / 25 mA sink per pin |
| Brown-out Reset | Yes (BOR + POR integrated) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16F505-E/MG Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 2 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 3 | OSC1/CLKIN — Crystal/clock input or external clock |
| Pin 4 | OSC2/CLKOUT — Crystal output or clock output |
| Pin 5 | RC5/T1CKI — Digital I/O, Timer1 clock input |
| Pin 6 | RC4/C2OUT — Digital I/O, Comparator 2 output |
| Pin 7 | RC3 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 8 | RC2 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 9 | RC1/C1OUT — Digital I/O, Comparator 1 output |
| Pin 10 | RC0 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 11 | RA2 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 12 | RA1 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 13 | RA0 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 14 | RA4/T0CKI — Digital I/O, Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 15 | RA5/MCLR/VPP — Digital I/O, Master Clear reset (active low), programming voltage input |
| Pin 16 | ICSPCLK — In-Circuit Serial Programming clock |
| Pin 17 | EP — Exposed thermal pad; solder to ground |
Typical Applications
PIC16F505-E/MG is suitable for 7 applications: Consumer Appliance Controllers, Battery-Operated Remote Controls, LED Lighting Drivers, Automotive Interior Modules, Security Keypads and Sensors, Sensor Signal Conditioning, Industrial Control Front-Ends.
Consumer Appliance Controllers
The PIC16F505-E/MG fits consumer appliance controllers because its 1.5 KB Flash and 72 B RAM suit small fixed-function control loops (washing-machine timers, rice-cooker state machines, microwave keypad handlers). Its 25 mA source/sink per I/O pin drives relays, triac optocouplers, and LED bar arrays directly without buffers. Internal calibrated +/-1% oscillator removes external crystal cost; the 3x3 mm QFN fits cramped PCBAs. ICSP allows firmware updates after panel assembly.
Recommended
Battery-Operated Remote Controls
The PIC16F505-E/MG suits battery-powered remote controls because its 2.0-5.5 V supply range covers both coin-cell and 2-AA designs without an LDO. Internal oscillator eliminates the external crystal, and 25 mA I/O drives IR LEDs directly with reduced BOM. Watchdog timer and Power-on Reset prevent field lockups. Brown-out Reset thresholds (2.1/2.4/3.4/4.0 V) protect against low-battery brown-outs in handheld remotes.
Recommended
LED Lighting Drivers
The PIC16F505-E/MG drives LED lighting fixtures because its 12 I/O and 25 mA sink capability handle RGB and warm-white channels with PWM via firmware - no external LED driver needed for sub-25 mA per channel. 1.5 KB Flash is enough for color-mixing tables, fade curves, and DMX or DALI simple-mode parsers. Wide 2.0-5.5 V supply works from 5 V USB and 12 V DC inputs.
Recommended
Automotive Interior Modules
The PIC16F505-E/MG drops into automotive interior modules (ambient lighting, headlamp level, HVAC knob backlighting) thanks to its -40 C to +125 C extended temperature. Internal oscillator with +/-1% tolerance handles 12 V battery cranking transients when paired with a TVS/regulator. ICSP enables post-assembly calibration for trim variation. Borrows the 16-QFN-3x3 from the automotive qualified PIC16F505-E/MGVAO variant.
Recommended
Security Keypads and Sensors
The PIC16F505-E/MG drives security keypads and alarm front-ends because its 12 I/O directly sample 4x4 matrices and piezo buzzers without external muxes. Watchdog timer keeps field-recovery reliable; the small 16-QFN footprint fits behind slim panel faceplates. Internal oscillator tolerance is acceptable for beep-tone generation when frequency is calibrated in firmware.
Recommended
Sensor Signal Conditioning
The PIC16F505-E/MG conditions signals from analog sensors (thermistor bridges, thermocouples, photodiodes) because its analog comparators with programmable references interface directly to low-level analog signals. The 8-bit ADC (via comparator + TMR0 capture trick) reads low-rate temperature, light, and humidity sensors in less than 1 ms. 72 B RAM stores calibration coefficients for non-linear sensor linearization.
Recommended
Industrial Control Front-Ends
The PIC16F505-E/MG handles small industrial control loops (pump controllers, conveyor counters, valve positioners) thanks to its 12 robust I/O driving 24 V inputs via resistors. The 200 ns instruction cycle enables deterministic 1 kHz control loops. Internal oscillator and watchdog timer simplify IEC 60730-class firmware designs; -40 to +125 C operation meets harsh factory floor conditions.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F505-E/MG — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F505-I/MG | PIC16F506-I/MG | PIC16F630-I/ML | PIC16F1614-E/ML | PIC16F18426-I/ML | PIC16LF1554T-E/MLVAO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 16-QFN (3x3 mm, MG) | 16-QFN (3x3 mm, MG) | 16-QFN (3x3 mm, MG) | 16-QFN (4x4 mm, ML) | 16-QFN (4x4 mm, ML) | 16-QFN (4x4 mm, ML) | 16-QFN (4x4 mm, ML) |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Operating Voltage | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V (F-series) | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +125 C (Extended) | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +125 C (Extended) | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +125 C (Extended VAO) |
| Approx. 1-piece Price (USD) | $1.18 | ~$1.10 | ~$1.20 | ~$2.10 | ~$1.30 | ~$1.40 | ~$1.45 |
Key Differentiators
- Smallest-footprint 8-bit MCU with 12 I/O (vs PIC16F630-I/ML)
- Lowest cost per MCU at sub-$0.72 volumes (vs PIC16F630-I/ML)
- Extended -40 C to +125 C temperature range (vs PIC16F505-I/MG)
- Internal oscillator eliminates crystal BOM (vs PIC16F18426-I/ML)
Design Notes
Place a 100 nF X7R ceramic bypass capacitor within 5 mm of the VDD pin (pin 2) and a 10 uF bulk capacitor at the regulator output. The internal oscillator is calibrated at 4 MHz typical, but accuracy improves when VDD is held above 2.7 V; below that, oscillator drift can reach +/- 3% across temperature. Brown-out Reset (BOR) and Power-on Reset (POR) protect code from low-voltage corruption.
Solder the exposed thermal pad (pin 17, EP) to a continuous grounded copper plane with at least 4 thermal vias (0.3 mm drill) directly under the chip. This provides both electrical grounding and heat dissipation, and is required for QFN reliability - skip and you risk solder-joint fatigue. Keep ICSPDAT/ICSPCLK traces short (under 50 mm) and routed away from switching power lines to preserve programming integrity.
When driving relays or LEDs with the 25 mA I/O, add a 100-ohm series resistor to dampen in-rush ringing and prevent back-EMF from MCU pins. For I2C or SPI bit-bang on any RC pin, keep trace length under 25 mm to avoid reflections. Use the analog comparators (C1OUT at pin 9, C2OUT at pin 6) for fast response rather than ADC polling whenever possible.
Do not floating-pin OSC2 when configured for RC oscillator; tie it to VSS through a 1 M-ohm resistor if unused. MCLR/VPP (pin 15) must have a 10-50 kohm pull-up to VDD - never leave floating. Internal oscillator accuracy is +/- 1% at 5 V/25 C but can drift to +/- 3% over full temperature; calibrate in firmware for UART applications.
Programming via ICSP requires holding MCLR low and pulsing on ICSPCLK while sending serial data on ICSPDAT. Provide a 6-pin header (VPP/PGD/PGC/GND/VDD) accessible on the PCB for production programming. For In-Circuit Debugging (ICD), allocate two additional unused I/O lines; configure them in firmware as alternate ICSP pins.
Compliance Information
Standard Microchip RoHS/REACH compliance per product page. AEC-Q100 variant available as PIC16F505-E/MGVAO on request.
