PIC16F54-I/SS - 8-bit 20MHz 768B Flash MCU 12 I/O SSOP-20
MPN: PIC16F54-I/SS β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.18 | $1.18 |
| 10 | $1.05 | $10.50 |
| 100 | $0.91 | $91.00 |
| 500 | $0.79 | $395.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.68 | $680.00 |
PIC16F54-I/SS Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is an integrated circuit that combines a CPU core, program memory, RAM, and peripheral interfaces on a single chip. The PIC16F54 belongs to the PIC16 family, which sits within the 8-bit RISC microcontroller segment of the broader embedded MCU hierarchy (8-bit MCU -> microcontroller -> embedded processor -> semiconductor). It is one of the simplest PIC16 devices, designed as a low-pin-count successor to legacy EPROM-based PIC16C5x parts.
Key features include 33 single-word instructions for compact code, 12-bit-wide opcodes yielding 2:1 code compression over 8-bit instruction MCUs, and a wide 2.0V to 5.5V supply range with 4.5V to 5.5V typical operation. The 8-bit timer/counter (TMR0) with programmable prescaler, watchdog timer with on-chip RC oscillator, power-on reset, and brown-out detection support robust field deployment. In-circuit serial programming (ICSP) is supported via RB6/RB7 for low-cost field updates.
Architecturally, the PIC16F54 uses a Harvard RISC core with separate program and data buses. Its 12-bit instruction word and 8-bit data path deliver a predictable execution model in which every instruction takes one instruction cycle except branches. The on-chip RC oscillator eliminates the need for external clock components in cost-sensitive designs. Power management is implemented through the SLEEP instruction with wake-up on pin change, and the MCLR reset path.
Typical applications include consumer appliance control, LED lighting drivers, automotive body electronics (with AEC-Q100-qualified PIC16F54T variants), battery chargers, and industrial sensor interfaces where small code footprint and low BOM cost dominate. The 200 ns instruction execution supports real-time control loops in motor and lighting subsystems.
When designing with this MCU, allocate I/O carefully: pins GP0-GP5 (port A) and GP0-GP7 (port B) share functions with ICSP, timers, and interrupts. Place a 0.1 uF decoupling capacitor adjacent to VDD and a 10 kohm pull-up on MCLR for reliable reset. Code protection must be enabled for production units to prevent unauthorized firmware readback.
This page synthesizes distributor stock and pricing, drop-in pin-compatible alternatives, and practical design notes that are not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone, enabling engineers to evaluate the PIC16F54-I/SS for cost-sensitive 8-bit designs in a single view.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F54-I/SS 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 PIC16F54-I/SS (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Timers, Program Memory Size, Program Memory Type, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F54-E/SS
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F54-I/SO
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F54T-I/SS
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$0.34 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC16F505-I/SS
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F527T-I/SS
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$0.74 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC16F505T-I/SS
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F54-I/SS Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | PIC16F5x |
| Core | 8-bit PIC RISC |
| Program Memory Type | Flash |
| Program Memory Size | 768 B (512 x 12 words) |
| RAM Size | 25 B |
| EEPROM Size | None |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 20 MHz |
| Instruction Cycle Time | 200 ns |
| Number of Instructions | 33 (12-bit opcodes) |
| I/O Pins | 12 |
| Timers | 1 x 8-bit (TMR0) |
| Watchdog Timer | Yes (on-chip RC oscillator) |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Typical Operating Voltage | 4.5 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) |
| Package | SSOP-20 (5.30 mm body) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| ICSP | Yes (RB6/RB7) |
| Brown-out Reset | Yes |
| Power-on Reset | Yes |
| Code Protection | Yes (programmable) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16F54-I/SS Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA2 β GPIO Port A bit 2 |
| Pin 2 | RA3 β GPIO Port A bit 3 |
| Pin 3 | RA4 β GPIO Port A bit 4 / T0CKI (timer0 clock input) |
| Pin 4 | MCLR β Master Clear reset input (active low) |
| Pin 5 | VSS β Ground reference |
| Pin 6 | RB0 β GPIO Port B bit 0 / INT external interrupt |
| Pin 7 | RB1 β GPIO Port B bit 1 |
| Pin 8 | RB2 β GPIO Port B bit 2 |
| Pin 9 | RB3 β GPIO Port B bit 3 |
| Pin 10 | RB4 β GPIO Port B bit 4 / interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 11 | RB5 β GPIO Port B bit 5 / interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 12 | RB6 β GPIO Port B bit 6 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 13 | RB7 β GPIO Port B bit 7 / ICSP data |
| Pin 14 | VDD β Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 15 | OSC2 β Oscillator output (crystal/RC) |
| Pin 16 | OSC1 β Oscillator input (crystal/RC/external clock) |
| Pin 17 | RA0 β GPIO Port A bit 0 |
| Pin 18 | RA1 β GPIO Port A bit 1 |
| Pin 19 | NC β Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 20 | NC β Not connected (per datasheet) |
Typical Applications
PIC16F54-I/SS is suitable for 6 applications: Consumer Appliance Control, LED Lighting Drivers, Automotive Body Electronics, Battery Chargers and Power Management, Industrial Sensor Interfaces, Remote Control and Wireless Keyfobs.
Consumer Appliance Control
The PIC16F54-I/SS is well suited to consumer appliance control panels such as microwave ovens, washing machines, and coffee makers where cost dominates the BOM. Its 768-byte flash holds keypad scan routines, relay timing, and LED blink patterns; the 25-byte RAM accommodates state-machine variables. The 12-bit instruction set yields compact code, and the wide 2.0-5.5 V supply permits direct operation from rectified 5 V rails without additional regulation, reducing external component count.
Recommended
LED Lighting Drivers
LED lighting controllers for decorative strips, signage, and architectural fixtures benefit from the PIC16F54-I/SS's small footprint and predictable timing. The 200 ns instruction cycle supports precise PWM generation using the 8-bit TMR0 with software interrupts for smooth dimming curves. With 12 I/O pins, the device can drive multiple LED channels directly through low-side MOSFETs. Brown-out reset and watchdog timer protect against supply brown-outs in outdoor installations where reliability matters.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics
The PIC16F54-I/SS is widely used in cost-sensitive automotive body modules such as seat controllers, mirror adjusters, and simple interior lighting. The industrial -40 C to +85 C temperature grade covers most cabin environments, while the brown-out detector ensures clean cold-crank behavior down to 2.0 V. Its ICSP capability allows firmware updates at the assembly line without socketed programming. For underhood AEC-Q100-qualified deployments, the automotive-grade PIC16F54 variant is recommended.
Recommended
Battery Chargers and Power Management
Simple NiMH or lead-acid battery chargers use the PIC16F54-I/SS as a low-cost charge controller. The 8-bit TMR0 measures charge time intervals, while digital I/O drives charge and discharge MOSFETs. The wide 2.0-5.5 V operating range permits operation directly from a single lithium cell or a 5 V USB supply. Its low cost enables its use in disposable or consumable products where the MCU cost must be under one US dollar at volume.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Interfaces
Digital sensor hubs and signal-conditioning front-ends use the PIC16F54-I/SS to read limit switches, encoders, and contact closures in industrial automation. The 12 GPIO pins handle multiple sensor channels while interrupt-on-change (RB4-RB7) wakes the MCU from SLEEP for low standby current. The brown-out reset and watchdog timer provide field-grade reliability. Engineers value its predictable timing and small code footprint for deterministic real-time control loops.
Recommended
Remote Control and Wireless Keyfobs
Wireless keyfobs for garage doors, alarms, and entry systems leverage the PIC16F54-I/SS's ultra-low cost and SLEEP-mode current to extend battery life to multi-year ranges. The 12-bit instruction core encodes button scan, rolling-code transmission, and LED feedback in well under 768 bytes. Pin-change wake-up on RB4-RB7 minimizes average power by keeping the MCU in SLEEP until a button is pressed. Its SSOP-20 package fits inside the tight plastic shell of credit-card-style keyfobs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F54-I/SS β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F54-E/SS | PIC16F54-I/SO | PIC16F505-I/SS | PIC16F527T-I/SS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | SSOP-20 | SSOP-20 - same | SSOP-20 - same | SSOP-20 - same | SSOP-20 - same |
| Core | 8-bit PIC16F5x (12-bit instructions) | 8-bit PIC16F5x (12-bit instructions) | 8-bit PIC16F5x (12-bit instructions) | 8-bit PIC16F505 (14-bit instructions) | 8-bit PIC16F527 (14-bit instructions) |
| Program Memory | 768 B (512 x 12) | 768 B (512 x 12) | 768 B (512 x 12) | 1.5 KB (1024 x 14) | 1.5 KB (1024 x 14) |
| RAM | 25 B | 25 B | 25 B | 72 B | 68 B |
| Max CPU Speed | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| 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 | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +125 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C |
| ADC | None | None | None | 8-bit, 4 channels | 8-bit, multi-channel |
| Approx. Unit Price (qty 1) | $1.18 | $1.30 | $1.20 | $1.45 | $1.55 |
Key Differentiators
- Lowest-cost 8-bit flash PIC16 MCU in SSOP-20 (vs PIC16F505-I/SS)
- Industry-standard 12-bit PIC16F5x instruction set (vs PIC16F527T-I/SS)
- Industrial temperature grade with brown-out reset (vs PIC16F54-I/SO)
Design Notes
Place a 0.1 uF decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of the VDD pin (pin 14) and connect VSS (pin 5) directly to the ground plane through a short trace or via. The PIC16F54-I/SS draws a typical supply current of approximately 2 mA at 20 MHz / 5 V and under 1 uA in SLEEP mode. For battery-powered applications, leverage the SLEEP instruction combined with pin-change wake-up on RB4-RB7 to extend battery life into the multi-year range. The brown-out reset must be enabled in the configuration word for reliable cold-start behavior below 4.5 V.
The SSOP-20 has a 0.65 mm pin pitch and 5.30 mm body width, requiring careful PCB layout for reliable reflow soldering. The recommended land pattern in the Microchip package drawing specifies 0.40 mm wide pads with 0.30 mm spacing; adhere to this footprint to avoid solder bridging. Place a 10 kohm pull-up resistor on MCLR (pin 4) within 5 mm of the pin to prevent spurious resets from EMI or supply transients. Keep ICSP traces (RB6/RB7) short and route them to a header for in-circuit programming access during development.
Do not assume that any PIC16F5x device is a drop-in replacement for the PIC16F54 in firmware. The PIC16F505, PIC16F506, PIC16F526, and PIC16F527 use a 14-bit instruction set (vs the PIC16F54's 12-bit), and firmware must be recompiled against the new architecture. The PIC16F54 has no on-chip ADC, comparator, or PWM hardware; if any of these features are needed, the PIC16F505 or PIC16F527 is the correct migration path. Lastly, code-protect the flash in production units to prevent unauthorized firmware readback via ICSP.
The PIC16F54-I/SS supports four oscillator modes selected via the configuration word: LP (low-power crystal, 32-200 kHz), XT (crystal/resonator, 200 kHz-4 MHz), HS (high-speed crystal/resonator, 4-20 MHz), and RC (resistor-capacitor, low-cost). For cost-sensitive applications the RC mode eliminates the crystal entirely but sacrifices frequency accuracy. Crystal mode requires load capacitors per the crystal manufacturer's specification, typically 15-33 pF for AT-cut fundamental crystals at 20 MHz.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant and lead-free per Microchip product page and distributor listings. The standard PIC16F54-I/SS is not AEC-Q100 qualified; for automotive applications requiring AEC-Q100 grade, contact Microchip for the automotive-qualified PIC16F54 variant. JEDEC J-STD-020 MSL1 rating applies to the SSOP-20 package.
