PIC16F818-I/SSTSL - 8-bit MCU 1.75KB Flash 16 I/O SSOP-20 | Microchip
MPN: PIC16F818-I/SSTSL ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.1 | $2.10 |
| 10 | $1.89 | $18.90 |
| 100 | $1.65 | $165.00 |
| 500 | $1.42 | $710.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.18 | $1,180.00 |
PIC16F818-I/SSTSL Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer built around an 8-bit data path, integrating a CPU, non-volatile program memory, working RAM, EEPROM/Flash data memory, and a configurable set of peripheral blocks on one die. Within the broader semiconductor taxonomy, MCUs sit under microcontrollers -> embedded processors -> digital ICs. The PIC16F818 belongs to the mid-range PIC16F family, which occupies the slot between baseline (PIC10/12/16F5x) and enhanced mid-range / PIC18F devices, and is fully upwards compatible with PIC16C7x, PIC16C62xA, PIC16C5X, and PIC12CXXX parts for code reuse.
Key features include 16 digital I/O pins, a 10-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter with 5 input channels, one Capture/Compare/PWM module, a synchronous serial port configurable as either 3-wire SPI or 2-wire I2C, an 8 MHz internal oscillator, and in-circuit serial programming (ICSP). The Harvard RISC architecture executes one instruction every 200 ns at 20 MHz across 35 single-word instructions, giving the part deterministic real-time behavior that suits closed-loop control and low-power embedded tasks.
The PIC16F818 uses a CMOS flash process node with separate program and data buses, allowing simultaneous instruction fetch and operand access. Its nanoWatt technology offers multiple idle, sleep, and oscillator modes that lower quiescent current in battery-powered systems; combined with brown-out reset, watchdog timer, and code protection, the part targets long-lifecycle industrial designs requiring robust field-upgradeable firmware.
Typical applications include sensor signal conditioning with on-chip ADC, low-cost motor and lighting PWM drivers, battery-powered instrumentation, I2C/SPI slave peripherals, and consumer white-goods user-interface boards. It also serves as a flexible general-purpose MCU for IoT edge nodes and as a drop-in replacement for legacy PIC16C7x designs where flash re-programmability is required.
When designing with this device, allocate analog channels carefully: ADC inputs are shared with digital I/O, so sequencing ADC scans before configuring other pins as digital avoids contention. Place the decoupling capacitor (typically 0.1 uF) within 5 mm of VDD and tie MCLR through the recommended pull-up to ensure reliable in-circuit programming.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, parametric cross-reference data, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, providing engineers with a single decision-ready reference for the PIC16F818-I/SSTSL.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F818-I/SSTSL — 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 PIC16F818-I/SSTSL (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, Operating Temperature, Internal Oscillator, Core Architecture.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F819-I/SSTSL
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F818-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.92 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F819-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.11 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F818-E/SS
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F818-E/SSTSL
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F818-I/SSTSL Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Type | 8-bit Microcontroller (MCU) |
| Program Memory Size | 1.75 KB (1K x 14) Flash |
| RAM Size | 128 x 8 (128 bytes) |
| EEPROM Size | 128 bytes |
| Number of I/O Pins | 16 |
| CPU Speed | 20 MHz |
| Instruction Execution Time | 200 ns |
| Instruction Set | 35 single-word instructions |
| Architecture | PIC16 mid-range Harvard RISC |
| Oscillator Type | Internal 8 MHz (plus external options) |
| ADC | 10-bit, 5 channels |
| PWM / CCP | 1 CCP (10-bit PWM) |
| Serial Interfaces | 1x SSP (SPI / I2C selectable) |
| Package | 20-SSOP (SS) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C |
| Packaging | Tube (TSL) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16F818-I/SSTSL Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA2/AN2 — I/O port A bit 2 / analog input 2 |
| Pin 2 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ — I/O port A bit 3 / analog input 3 / ADC VREF+ |
| Pin 3 | RA4/AN4 — I/O port A bit 4 / analog input 4 |
| Pin 4 | RA5/MCLR/VPP — I/O port A bit 5 / Master Clear (reset) / ICSP VPP |
| Pin 5 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 6 | RB0/INT — I/O port B bit 0 / external interrupt |
| Pin 7 | RB1 — I/O port B bit 1 |
| Pin 8 | RB2 — I/O port B bit 2 |
| Pin 9 | RB3/PGM — I/O port B bit 3 / LVP programming |
| Pin 10 | RB4 — I/O port B bit 4 |
| Pin 11 | RB5 — I/O port B bit 5 |
| Pin 12 | RB6/PGC — I/O port B bit 6 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 13 | RB7/PGD — I/O port B bit 7 / ICSP data |
| Pin 14 | VDD — Positive supply |
| Pin 15 | OSC2/CLKO/RA6 — Oscillator output / port A bit 6 |
| Pin 16 | OSC1/CLKI/RA7 — Oscillator input / port A bit 7 |
| Pin 17 | RC0 — I/O port C bit 0 |
| Pin 18 | RC1 — I/O port C bit 1 |
| Pin 19 | RC2/CCP1 — I/O port C bit 2 / CCP1 PWM output |
| Pin 20 | RC3 — I/O port C bit 3 |
Typical Applications
PIC16F818-I/SSTSL is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered Sensor Interface, PWM Lighting Control, Industrial Control Replacement Board, I2C/SPI Slave Peripheral Module, Consumer White-Goods User Interface, IoT Edge Sensor Node.
Battery-Powered Sensor Interface
The PIC16F818-I/SSTSL's 10-bit 5-channel ADC plus 128 bytes of EEPROM fits low-power sensor front-ends where firmware must store calibration constants across power cycles. Why this MPN: 1.75 KB Flash is sufficient for thermistor linearization, threshold detection, and SPI/I2C sensor readouts, while nanoWatt sleep modes drop quiescent current for battery life. How used: the ADC scans up to 5 analog inputs, the SSP reads a digital sensor, and the MCU wakes only on ADC completion interrupts. Performance tradeoff: PIC16F818 offers only 128 bytes RAM, so applications that buffer large sample arrays should consider PIC16F819-I/SSTSL for additional Flash headroom.
Recommended
PWM Lighting Control
The PIC16F818-I/SSTSL exposes one Capture/Compare/PWM (CCP) module generating a 10-bit PWM output, ideal for LED dimming or fan-speed control loops. Why this MPN: 200 ns instruction execution at 20 MHz gives deterministic PWM update rates up to ~78 kHz, more than enough for flicker-free LED dimming. How used: timer 2 drives the CCP duty cycle, while the internal 8 MHz oscillator eliminates the external crystal cost. Performance tradeoff: only 16 I/O and 1 CCP limit multi-channel LED strips; designs needing more PWM channels should select PIC16F767 or PIC16F785 with additional PWM outputs in compatible footprints.
Recommended
Industrial Control Replacement Board
Brown-out reset, watchdog timer, and -40C to +85C industrial temperature range make PIC16F818-I/SSTSL suitable for upgrading legacy PIC16C7x and PIC16C62xA designs to flash-based firmware. Why this MPN: upwards code compatibility with PIC16C7x, PIC16C62xA, PIC16C5X, and PIC12CXXX per the datasheet means existing assembly code can be recompiled with no porting effort. How used: the same SSOP-20 footprint replaces the older OTP parts on legacy PCBs, enabling in-field firmware upgrades via ICSP. Performance tradeoff: limited Flash (1.75 KB) constrains feature growth; industrial designers often select PIC16F819-I/SSTSL to gain double the code space in the same package.
Recommended
I2C/SPI Slave Peripheral Module
The PIC16F818-I/SSTSL's configurable SSP module supports both SPI peripheral and I2C slave protocols, letting it act as a smart peripheral attached to a host processor. Why this MPN: 16 digital I/O plus I2C/SPI let the MCU expose sensor readings, GPIO expansion, or PWM outputs over a 2-wire bus while consuming minimal board space. How used: I2C slave address is firmware-defined, and the PIC16F818 acts as an addressable I/O expander with on-chip ADC channels accessible via register reads. Performance tradeoff: only 128 bytes RAM limits buffering, so applications streaming large blocks should use interrupt-driven byte transfers rather than bulk DMA-style reads.
Recommended
Consumer White-Goods User Interface
Small appliance front panels with capacitive or resistive touch buttons, rotary encoders, and indicator LEDs use the PIC16F818-I/SSTSL as a low-cost UI controller. Why this MPN: 16 I/O handle several buttons plus PWM-controlled LED brightness, and 1.75 KB Flash is enough for debounce logic, mode state machines, and indicator patterns. How used: ADC channels read potentiometers or touch sensors, CCP drives LED brightness PWM, and EEPROM stores user settings across power cycles. Performance tradeoff: SSOP-20 saves board space versus DIP, but hand-rework is harder; consider PIC16F818-I/P (PDIP-18/20) for prototype-stage designs.
Recommended
IoT Edge Sensor Node
Low-power IoT endpoints using sub-1 GHz or BLE modules offload sensor acquisition to a PIC16F818-I/SSTSL front-end MCU that wakes the radio only when meaningful events occur. Why this MPN: nanoWatt sleep modes plus ADC-triggered interrupts minimize average current, while 1.75 KB Flash runs the sensor sampling state machine and buffer logic. How used: timer-driven ADC scans wake the MCU, threshold logic decides whether to forward data over SPI/UART to a radio co-processor, and the PIC16F818 returns to sleep. Performance tradeoff: no on-chip RF means a separate radio module is required; designers needing integrated radio should consider PIC16F1829/PL243x or migrate to ATSAMD21 family MCUs from the site MPN list.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F818-I/SSTSL — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F819-I/SSTSL | PIC16F818-I/SS | PIC16F819-I/SS | PIC16F818-E/SS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 20-SSOP | 20-SSOP - same | 20-SSOP - same | 20-SSOP - same | 20-SSOP - same |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 1.75 KB | 3.5 KB (+100%) | 1.75 KB (same) | 3.5 KB (+100%) | 1.75 KB (same) |
| RAM Size | 128 bytes | 256 bytes (+100%) | 128 bytes (same) | 256 bytes (+100%) | 128 bytes (same) |
| EEPROM Size | 128 bytes | 256 bytes (+100%) | 128 bytes (same) | 256 bytes (+100%) | 128 bytes (same) |
| CPU Speed | 20 MHz | 20 MHz (same) | 20 MHz (same) | 20 MHz (same) | 20 MHz (same) |
| Number of I/O | 16 | 16 (same) | 16 (same) | 16 (same) | 16 (same) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C (same) | -40C to +85C (same) | -40C to +85C (same) | -40C to +125C (extended) |
| Packaging | Tube (TSL) | Tube (TSL) | Tape & Reel | Tape & Reel | Tape & Reel |
Key Differentiators
- Tube-packaged SSOP-20 for low-volume prototype runs (vs PIC16F818-I/SS)
- Doubles Flash and RAM in the same SSOP-20 footprint (vs PIC16F819-I/SSTSL)
- Industrial -40C to +85C range vs extended variants (vs PIC16F818-E/SSTSL)
Design Notes
Place a 0.1 uF decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of the VDD pin and tie MCLR (pin 4) to VDD through the datasheet-recommended 10 kohm pull-up. During ICSP programming, this pull-up must remain connected. Brown-out reset is enabled via the BOREN configuration bit - leaving it disabled risks corrupted EEPROM when battery voltage sags.
Route the oscillator traces (OSC1/OSC2) short and guard them with a ground ring if using an external crystal. ADC accuracy is sensitive to digital switching noise; avoid routing PWM or high-frequency signals across analog traces. AGND/AVSS pins (when used as ADC reference) should connect to a clean ground plane separate from switching currents.
The 10-bit ADC draws ~10 mA during conversion; if your analog source is high-impedance (>10 kohm), add an op-amp buffer to avoid ADC sample-and-hold settling errors. Configuration bits must be reviewed early - the internal 8 MHz oscillator, watchdog enable, and LVP (low-voltage programming) defaults differ between debug and production builds and are common sources of 'works in dev tool but not standalone' issues.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free compliant per Microchip product page; not AEC-Q100 qualified (select PIC16F818-E/SSTSL for extended temperature).
