PIC16LF1826-I/P - 8-Bit XLP 32MHz MCU, 3.5KB Flash 18-PDIP
MPN: PIC16LF1826-I/P ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.18 | $2.18 |
| 10 | $1.96 | $19.60 |
| 100 | $1.74 | $174.00 |
| 500 | $1.55 | $775.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.38 | $1,380.00 |
PIC16LF1826-I/P Overview
A PIC microcontroller (MCU) is a compact, self-contained computer-on-a-chip built around a RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) core. Microchip's PIC16 family sits in the 8-bit hierarchy as: PIC16 8-bit MCU -> enhanced mid-range PIC16F/LF family -> nanoWatt XLP low-power sub-family -> general-purpose sub-segment. PIC MCUs integrate CPU, non-volatile program memory (Flash), data RAM, EEPROM, peripherals (ADC, timers, PWM, USART, I2C, SPI), and I/O pins on a single die, eliminating the need for external memory or complex glue logic for embedded designs.
Key features of the PIC16LF1826-I/P include on-chip mTouch capacitive-touch sensing peripherals, an integrated 10-bit ADC with computation (ADC2), multiple PWM modules with Complementary Waveform Generators (CWG), Enhanced Universal Synchronous Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (EUSART), MSSP for SPI/I2C, and four 10-bit PWMs. The device provides 12 I/O pins, supports In-Circuit Serial Programming (ICSP) via two pins, and includes a wide operating temperature range of -40C to +85C.
The device is built on Microchip's enhanced mid-range 8-bit RISC architecture with a 14-bit instruction word and a hardware stack, delivering deterministic interrupt latency and single-cycle execution on most instructions. Peripherals are routed via the Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) system, allowing flexible remapping of digital functions to physical pins without package re-routing.
Typical applications include battery-powered sensor nodes, consumer appliances, capacitive-touch user interfaces, low-power IoT edge nodes, HVAC controls, and small motor control loops. The XLP technology (typical < 1 uA sleep current) makes the part especially suitable for applications where coin-cell or lithium battery life dominates the design budget.
When designing with the PIC16LF1826-I/P, ensure that VDD decoupling capacitors (typically 100 nF plus 10 uF bulk) are placed within 5 mm of the supply pins. Program/debug via the ICSP interface (PGC/PGD) requires a 4.7 kohm pull-up on MCLR, and unused I/O pins should be configured as outputs low to minimize sleep current.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone, providing engineers with a single decision-ready reference for sourcing the PIC16LF1826-I/P.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF1826-I/P — 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 PIC16LF1826-I/P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Timers, ADC, I/O Pins, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F1826-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.48 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1826-E/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.18 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1827-I/P
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF1823-I/P
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$0.83 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1825-I/P
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$1.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F1827-I/P
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$1.24 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1826-I/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC16 enhanced mid-range 8-bit RISC |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 3.5 KB (2K x 14 words) |
| Data SRAM | 256 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 32 MHz |
| Instruction Cycle Time | 200 ns at 20 MHz, 125 ns at 32 MHz |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| I/O Pins | 12 |
| Package | 18-pin PDIP (P) |
| Mounting Type | Through-hole |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) |
| Internal Oscillator | 32 MHz, factory calibrated |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 12 channels (with ADC2 computation) |
| Timers | 4 (Timer0/1/2/4/6, 8-bit and 16-bit) |
| Communication | EUSART, MSSP (I2C/SPI) |
| PWM Outputs | 4 x 10-bit PWM |
| Capacitive Touch | mTouch peripheral |
| ICSP Programming | Yes (PGC/PGD) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| MSL Level | 1 (not moisture sensitive for PDIP) |
PIC16LF1826-I/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA3/MCLR/VPP — Digital I/O / Master Clear Reset / ICSP programming voltage |
| Pin 2 | RA0/ICSPDAT/PGC — Digital I/O / ICSP data / programming clock |
| Pin 3 | RA1/ICSPCLK — Digital I/O / ICSP clock |
| Pin 4 | RA2 — Digital I/O / analog input AN2 |
| Pin 5 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 6 | RA4/AN3 — Digital I/O / analog input AN3 |
| Pin 7 | RA5 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 8 | RC0 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 9 | RC1 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 10 | RC2 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 11 | RC3 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 12 | RC4 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 13 | RC5 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 14 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (1.8 V to 3.6 V) |
| Pin 15 | RC6 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 16 | RC7 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 17 | RB7 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 18 | RB6 — Digital I/O / ICSP programming clock (ICSPCLK alternate) |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF1826-I/P is suitable for 7 applications: Battery-Powered Sensor Node, Capacitive Touch User Interface, Home Appliance Control, Low-Power IoT Edge Node, Small Motor Control (BLDC / Stepper), Educational / Hobbyist Prototyping, HVAC Thermostat Control.
Battery-Powered Sensor Node
The PIC16LF1826-I/P suits battery-powered sensor nodes where its nanoWatt XLP technology (typical <1 uA sleep current) and 1.8-3.6 V VDD range enable multi-year coin-cell operation. Its 12-bit ADC2 with computation averages multiple samples in hardware, offloading the CPU and reducing wake time. Internal 32 MHz HFINTOSC eliminates external crystal cost and quiescent draw, while 256 bytes RAM and 3.5 KB Flash are sufficient for typical sensor-fusion firmware on LoRaWAN / Zigbee end nodes. Place a 100 nF + 10 uF VDD decoupling pair within 5 mm of pins 14 and 5, and route the wake-up interrupt source (INT or IOC) directly to the sensor enable pin to avoid spurious wake-ups during sleep. Pair with low-power companion ICs like TI CC1101 (sub-GHz transceiver) or Bosch BME280 (humidity/temperature/pressure) for full environmental monitoring nodes running on 2xAA cells.
Recommended
Capacitive Touch User Interface
The PIC16LF1826-I/P integrates Microchip's mTouch capacitive-touch sensing peripheral, supporting up to 12 touch channels via the CTMU (Charge Time Measurement Unit) and A/D converter. Designers can implement sliders, buttons, and proximity sensors without external touch ICs, reducing BOM cost by USD 0.30-0.50 per node. The 32 MHz CPU executes touch-scan and debounce routines in <2 ms per channel, allowing refresh rates above 50 Hz for responsive UX. Combined with the on-chip 10-bit PWM, the same MCU drives LED backlighting and haptic feedback for a complete UI subsystem. For noise-robust designs, the CTMU auto-calibrates each channel at startup, compensating for PCB parasitic capacitance drift with temperature.
Recommended
Home Appliance Control
White-goods controllers (washing machines, dishwashers, microwave ovens, HVAC thermostats) commonly use the PIC16LF1826-I/P family for its 18-PDIP through-hole package that simplifies hand-soldered prototype rework. The EUSART + MSSP (I2C/SPI) peripherals communicate with display modules, sensor front-ends, and wireless modules, while the 4 PWM channels drive relays, triacs, and brushless DC fan motors via gate drivers. With 3.5 KB Flash and the MPLAB Code Configurator, designers generate state-machine firmware for appliance logic in days rather than weeks. The industrial -40 C to +85 C temperature grade handles garage and basement installations, and ICSP support enables end-of-line firmware customization per model variant.
Recommended
Low-Power IoT Edge Node
For IoT edge nodes constrained to <2 uA average current draw (battery-life target 5+ years on a 2400 mAh Li-coin cell), the PIC16LF1826-I/P is a strong fit. Its deep-sleep current < 1 uA at 1.8 V combined with peripheral-off sleep modes (RTCC + WDT only) lets the part wake every few seconds for sensor sampling and radio TX. The 32 MHz HFINTOSC provides 1 usec instruction execution at full speed, while the 16 MHz MFINTOSC at 1.8 V reduces active current to ~1.5 mA. Use PPS (Peripheral Pin Select) to remap EUSART, MSSP, and PWM to any of the 12 I/O pins, simplifying PCB layout in size-constrained wearable form factors. Pair with sub-GHz or BLE companion radios for complete IoT nodes; the MCU handles sensor acquisition, local decision logic, and radio handoff in a single 18-pin package.
Recommended
Small Motor Control (BLDC / Stepper)
The PIC16LF1826-I/P's 4 complementary PWM channels with dead-band control can drive small brushless DC (BLDC) or bipolar stepper motors up to a few hundred mA via external gate drivers. The CWG (Complementary Waveform Generator) auto-injects dead-time, eliminating software overhead and protecting against shoot-through. Quadrature encoder inputs on dedicated IOC pins enable closed-loop speed/position control, while the 32 MHz CPU runs field-oriented control (FOC) loops at sufficient update rates for low-RPM fans, pumps, and instrument motors. Combine with DRV8871 (H-bridge) or TC654 (PWM fan controller) for a complete 1-shunt or sensorless BLDC reference design.
Recommended
Educational / Hobbyist Prototyping
The PIC16LF1826-I/P's 18-PDIP through-hole package remains a favorite for student, hobbyist, and breadboard-based designs because it fits standard 0.1-inch pitch perfboards and solderless breadboards. The PICkit 3 / PICkit 5 in-circuit debugger connects via the 2-pin ICSP header for instant code-flash and live debugging. MPLAB X IDE (free) and XC8 compiler (free tier available) provide full toolchain support on Windows, macOS, and Linux. With 3.5 KB Flash and ample peripherals, the part supports introductory projects (LED blinking, UART echo, ADC sampling) through advanced embedded coursework (RTOS basics, state machines, USB HID via bit-bang). The PIC16LF1826 is widely referenced in university curricula and Maker community tutorials.
Recommended
HVAC Thermostat Control
Commercial and residential HVAC thermostat designs leverage the PIC16LF1826-I/P for its 10-bit ADC reading thermistor inputs (NTC 10K) and 4 PWM channels driving TRIAC-based heater/cool stage relays. The 32 MHz execution handles proportional-integral (PI) temperature control loops at sub-second update rates, while the deep-sleep mode with RTCC wake-up minimizes idle current between HVAC system cycles. The EUSART connects to WiFi modules (e.g., ESP8266) for smart-thermostat cloud connectivity, and the mTouch peripheral implements touch-button setpoint adjustment. Industrial temperature grade (-40 C to +85 C) supports attic and outdoor installations.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF1826-I/P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F1826-I/P | PIC16LF1826-E/P | PIC16LF1827-I/P | PIC16LF1823-I/P | PIC16LF1825-I/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 18-PDIP (P) | 18-PDIP (P) - same | 18-PDIP (P) - same | 18-PDIP (P) - same | 18-PDIP (P) - same | 18-PDIP (P) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core | PIC16 8-bit RISC | PIC16 8-bit RISC | PIC16 8-bit RISC | PIC16 8-bit RISC | PIC16 8-bit RISC | PIC16 8-bit RISC |
| Max CPU Speed | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 3.5 KB | 3.5 KB | 3.5 KB | 7 KB | 2 KB | 14 KB |
| RAM | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 384 B | 128 B | 256 B |
| EEPROM | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B |
| Supply Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +125 C (extended) | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C |
| I/O Pins | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
Key Differentiators
- Wide 1.8 V-3.6 V VDD optimized for low-voltage battery operation (vs PIC16F1826-I/P)
- mTouch capacitive-touch sensing integrated on-chip (vs PIC16F1826-I/P (F variant))
- Industrial temperature grade optimized for white-goods and HVAC applications (vs PIC16LF1826-E/P (extended temp))
Design Notes
Estimated: at 32 MHz active and VDD = 3.3 V, the PIC16LF1826-I/P draws ~4.2 mA active, falling to < 1 uA in sleep with RTCC + WDT enabled. Use a 100 nF + 10 uF decoupling pair within 5 mm of VDD (pin 14) and VSS (pin 5). For battery designs, disable unused peripherals via PMDx registers before entering Sleep to minimize leakage; wake via IOC (interrupt-on-change) on a single button pin rather than periodic timer wakes to extend coin-cell life. The nanoWatt XLP modes (DTM/IDC/RTCC) require the HFINTOSC to be explicitly disabled before Sleep to eliminate 1-3 uA oscillator leakage.
Place decoupling capacitors as close as physically possible to VDD (pin 14) and VSS (pin 5). Use a ground plane on the bottom layer for return currents. The ICSP programming header should include PGC, PGD, VDD, VSS, and MCLR pins, with MCLR pulled up via 4.7 kohm to VDD for normal operation and isolated via a series resistor during programming. Keep analog inputs (RA0-RA5) away from PWM output traces and switching-power nodes to minimize ADC noise coupling; route them with a guard trace tied to AVSS if available.
Do not exceed the absolute maximum VDD of 4.0 V on the LF variant (5.5 V on the F variant) - LF parts WILL be damaged by 5 V supplies. The MCLR pin (pin 1) MUST have a pull-up resistor (typically 4.7 kohm) or the part will not start; it cannot be left floating. Unused I/O pins should be configured as outputs driving low to minimize sleep current; if configured as inputs, enable the internal weak pull-ups to prevent floating-input oscillator draw. Configuration-word mismatches between the source code and programmed device are the #1 cause of 'dead' PICs after first programming - always verify CONFIG1/CONFIG2 in MPLAB X match the application.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page. Standard industrial temperature grade; AEC-Q100 not applicable for -I/P variant. Lead-free and halogen-free assembly compatible per datasheet. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - automotive designs should select PIC16F1826-E/P or PIC16LF1826-E/P with appropriate PPAP documentation.
