PIC18F2480-E/SO - 8-bit MCU, 16KB Flash, ECAN, 28-SOIC | Microchip
MPN: PIC18F2480-E/SO ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $15.25 | $15.25 |
| 10 | $13.78 | $137.80 |
| 100 | $12.21 | $1,221.00 |
| 500 | $10.85 | $5,425.00 |
| 1,000 | $9.42 | $9,420.00 |
PIC18F2480-E/SO Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a small computer-on-a-chip that integrates a CPU, non-volatile program memory, RAM, and peripherals such as timers, communication interfaces, and analog-to-digital converters onto a single die. Within the broader taxonomy, 8-bit MCUs sit below 16-bit and 32-bit devices in computational throughput but above pure digital logic in integration density, making them the dominant choice for cost-sensitive embedded control. The PIC18 family specifically targets C-compilable, high-performance 8-bit designs with peripheral-rich silicon.
Key features include 16 KB self-programmable Flash (8K x 16 words), 768 bytes of RAM, 256 bytes of EEPROM, hardware ECAN 2.0B controller with acceptance filters, nanoWatt technology for ultra-low-power sleep modes (down to sub-microampere), and a 10-bit ADC with 8 input channels. The instruction set is highly orthogonal and C-friendly, and the device supports in-circuit serial programming (ICSP) plus in-circuit debug via ICD.
The PIC18F2480 architecture uses a 16-bit instruction word with an 8-bit data path, a hardware multiplier for 8x8 single-cycle operations, and four priority-level nested interrupts. It is built on a low-power CMOS process with brown-out reset, watchdog timer, and wide operating voltage (2.0V-5.5V for the F-version; the -E suffix denotes the extended -40C to +125C temperature range).
Typical applications include automotive ECAN nodes, industrial CAN-based sensor networks, building automation, HVAC controls, and CAN-to-UART bridges. The integrated ECAN peripheral eliminates the need for an external CAN controller, reducing BOM cost and PCB footprint in distributed control systems.
When designing with this part, place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor adjacent to each VDD/VSS pin pair and a 10 uF bulk capacitor near the regulator output. The ECAN bus requires a 120 ohm termination at each end of the bus and an isolated CAN transceiver such as the MCP2551 for proper differential signaling.
This page synthesizes distributor inventory, parametric drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not consolidated in the manufacturer datasheet, helping engineers evaluate the PIC18F2480-E/SO for new designs and legacy maintenance scenarios.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18F2480-E/SO — 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 PIC18F2480-E/SO (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, ADC, Timers, Program Memory (Flash).
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18F2580-E/SO
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F248-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.66 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F2480-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.13 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F4480-I/SO
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F2455-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$6.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F2431-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F2480-E/SO Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC18 (8-bit RISC) |
| Program Memory | 16 KB Flash (8K x 16) |
| Data SRAM | 768 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 40 MHz (10 MIPS) |
| Supply Voltage (F-version) | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Supply Voltage (Industrial) | 4.2 V to 5.5 V |
| I/O Pins | 25 |
| ADC | 10-bit, 8 channels |
| Timers | 4 (Timer0/1/2/3) |
| Communication | ECAN 2.0B, UART, SPI, I2C |
| Package | 28-SOIC (SO, 300 mil) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C (E suffix = extended) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Instruction Set | PIC18 16-bit instruction word, 8-bit data path |
| In-Circuit Programming | ICSP and ICD support |
PIC18F2480-E/SO Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/RE3 — Master Clear (reset) input / digital I/O RE3 |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 — Digital I/O RA0 / analog input AN0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 — Digital I/O RA1 / analog input AN1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2/VREF- — Digital I/O RA2 / analog AN2 / ADC VREF- |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ — Digital I/O RA3 / analog AN3 / ADC VREF+ |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI/C1OUT — Digital I/O RA4 / Timer0 clock / comparator output |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4/SS/C2OUT — Digital I/O RA5 / analog AN4 / SPI SS / comparator output |
| Pin 8 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 9 | OSC1/CLKI/RA7 — Crystal oscillator input / external clock / digital I/O RA7 |
| Pin 10 | OSC2/CLKO/RA6 — Crystal oscillator output / clock out / digital I/O RA6 |
| Pin 11 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI — Digital I/O RC0 / Timer1 oscillator output / Timer1 clock |
| Pin 12 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — Digital I/O RC1 / Timer1 oscillator input / CCP2 PWM |
| Pin 13 | RC2/CCP1 — Digital I/O RC2 / CCP1 PWM/capture/compare |
| Pin 14 | RC3/SCK/SCL — Digital I/O RC3 / SPI SCK / I2C SCL |
| Pin 15 | RC4/SDI/SDA — Digital I/O RC4 / SPI SDI / I2C SDA |
| Pin 16 | RC5/SDO — Digital I/O RC5 / SPI SDO |
| Pin 17 | RC6/TX/CK — Digital I/O RC6 / UART TX / clock |
| Pin 18 | RC7/RX/DT — Digital I/O RC7 / UART RX / data |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 20 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 21 | RB0/INT0/AN10 — Digital I/O RB0 / external interrupt 0 / analog AN10 |
| Pin 22 | RB1/INT1/AN8 — Digital I/O RB1 / external interrupt 1 / analog AN8 |
| Pin 23 | RB2/INT2/AN9 — Digital I/O RB2 / external interrupt 2 / analog AN9 |
| Pin 24 | RB3/INT3/AN11/CCP2 — Digital I/O RB3 / external interrupt 3 / analog AN11 / CCP2 |
| Pin 25 | RB4/KBI0/AN12 — Digital I/O RB4 / keyboard interrupt / analog AN12 |
| Pin 26 | RB5/KBI1/AN13 — Digital I/O RB5 / keyboard interrupt / analog AN13 |
| Pin 27 | RB6/KBI2/PGC — Digital I/O RB6 / keyboard interrupt / ICSP clock |
| Pin 28 | RB7/KBI3/PGD — Digital I/O RB7 / keyboard interrupt / ICSP data |
Typical Applications
PIC18F2480-E/SO is suitable for 6 applications: Automotive CAN Bus Nodes, Industrial Sensor Networks with CAN, Building Automation and HVAC Controls, CAN-to-UART Protocol Bridges, Portable Battery-Powered CAN Data Loggers, Educational Embedded Development Platforms.
Automotive CAN Bus Nodes
The PIC18F2480-E/SO's integrated ECAN 2.0B controller and 40 MHz operation make it a drop-in node controller for in-vehicle CAN networks running at 125 kbps-500 kbps. The 25 I/O pins handle digital sensors and actuators, while the 10-bit ADC reads analog signals such as thermistors and potentiometers. Pair the MCU with an MCP2551 CAN transceiver for proper bus-level signaling on OBD-II and CAN-High/Low twisted-pair buses.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Networks with CAN
For factory-floor sensor nodes communicating over CANopen or DeviceNet, the PIC18F2480-E/SO delivers deterministic real-time response with its 4 priority-level nested interrupts and 16 KB C-friendly Flash. The nanoWatt power-down modes drop standby current below 1 uA between bus events, extending battery life in wireless-CAN hybrid nodes. The wide -40C to +125C industrial temperature range supports outdoor cabinet deployment.
Recommended
Building Automation and HVAC Controls
The PIC18F2480-E/SO's ECAN interface enables distributed HVAC damper and actuator control over a single bus, eliminating parallel point-to-point wiring. The 10-bit ADC reads thermistor temperature sensors and 0-10 V analog setpoints, while PWM outputs drive variable-speed fans and motorized valves. The 256-byte EEPROM stores non-volatile setpoints and runtime hours across power cycles.
Recommended
CAN-to-UART Protocol Bridges
For gateway applications converting CAN frames to legacy RS-232/RS-485 serial streams, the PIC18F2480-E/SO's ECAN and UART peripherals operate independently via DMA-style firmware flow control. The 40 MHz CPU sustains 1 Mbps CAN throughput while buffering and re-encoding frames, making it ideal for retrofitting older serial-controlled equipment onto CAN networks without firmware rewrite.
Recommended
Portable Battery-Powered CAN Data Loggers
Battery-powered automotive diagnostics and fleet telematics benefit from the PIC18F2480-E/SO's nanoWatt sleep modes that draw less than 1 uA when the CAN bus is idle. The 16 KB Flash buffers several hours of OBD-II PIDs in a circular log, while the 10-bit ADC monitors battery voltage for low-power alerts. The extended -40C to +125C temperature range survives under-dash automotive environments.
Recommended
Educational Embedded Development Platforms
The PIC18F2480-E/SO is widely used in university and training curricula due to its 28-SOIC easy-solder footprint, MPLAB X IDE support, and rich PIC18 peripheral set. Students learn CAN networking, 10-bit ADC acquisition, PWM motor control, and ICSP debugging on a single 8-bit platform. The XC8 compiler free tier supports the full PIC18 instruction set, lowering course-material cost.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18F2480-E/SO — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18F2580-E/SO | PIC18F248-I/SO | PIC18F2480-I/SO | PIC18F4480-I/SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-SOIC (300 mil) | 28-SOIC (300 mil) - same | 28-SOIC (300 mil) - same | 28-SOIC (300 mil) - same | 28-SOIC (300 mil) - same |
| Program Memory | 16 KB Flash | 32 KB Flash | 8 KB Flash | 16 KB Flash | 16 KB Flash |
| Data RAM | 768 bytes | 1536 bytes | 768 bytes | 768 bytes | 768 bytes |
| ECAN Controller | ECAN 2.0B | ECAN 2.0B | Legacy CAN | ECAN 2.0B | ECAN 2.0B |
| Maximum Frequency | 40 MHz / 10 MIPS | 40 MHz / 10 MIPS | 40 MHz / 10 MIPS | 40 MHz / 10 MIPS | 40 MHz / 10 MIPS |
| Temperature Range | -40C to +125C (E) | -40C to +125C (E) | -40C to +85C (I) | -40C to +85C (I) | -40C to +85C (I) |
| Supply Voltage | 2.0V to 5.5V (F-version 4.2V-5.5V industrial) | 2.0V to 5.5V | 2.0V to 5.5V | 2.0V to 5.5V | 2.0V to 5.5V |
| ADC | 10-bit, 8 channels | 10-bit, 8 channels | 10-bit, 5 channels | 10-bit, 8 channels | 10-bit, 11 channels |
| I/O Pins | 25 | 25 | 22 | 25 | 36 |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated Enhanced CAN 2.0B controller eliminates external CAN IC (vs PIC18F2455-I/SO)
- Extended -40C to +125C operating temperature (vs PIC18F2480-I/SO)
- 16 KB Flash vs legacy 8 KB on PIC18F248 (vs PIC18F248-I/SO)
- 8-channel 10-bit ADC for sensor-dense designs (vs PIC18F248-I/SO)
Design Notes
Decouple VDD (pin 20) with a 100 nF ceramic capacitor placed within 5 mm of the pin, plus a 10 uF bulk tantalum or ceramic capacitor near the IC for transient load support. PIC18F2480 ECAN transmit bursts draw sharp current spikes; insufficient decoupling can corrupt CAN frame CRC. The -E (extended) parts need 4.2V minimum at full 40 MHz speed; at lower VDD the oscillator may stall.
Route the ECAN TX/RX traces to the MCP2551 transceiver as a short impedance-controlled differential pair (characteristic impedance ~60 ohm), keep them away from switching regulator nodes, and place the transceiver close to the bus connector. The 120 ohm termination resistor should sit at the bus ends, not at every node. Avoid running CAN traces parallel to noisy clock or PWM lines for more than 25 mm to prevent capacitive crosstalk.
Configuration bits must be set correctly before code execution: enable the ECAN module's high-performance I/O, disable the Low-Voltage Programming (LVP) pin if not needed, and configure the oscillator mode (HS for >4 MHz crystal). Failing to set CONFIG4H LVP bit correctly can lock the device after programming. Brown-out Reset (BOR) must be enabled to avoid flash corruption during power-down - disable only with deliberate design rationale.
The ECAN controller's CANTX and CANRX lines are 5V CMOS logic; if connecting to a 3.3V transceiver, use a level shifter such as MCP2551's VIO supply pin or a discrete FET divider. CAN bus common-mode voltage range is -2V to +7V per ISO 11898; verify your cable shield and chassis ground bond to avoid ground loops that exceed this range in electrically noisy environments.
Estimated: at 40 MHz, 5V supply, and 25 mA active current (typical per datasheet DS39637A), power dissipation is ~125 mW. The 28-SOIC thermal resistance theta_JA is approximately 80 C/W on a 4-layer PCB with 1 oz copper. Junction temperature rise above ambient is therefore ~10C - well within the 125C maximum for -E (extended) grade parts even at +85C ambient industrial environments.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. AEC-Q100 qualification status not stated in the verified web data; -E grade indicates extended temperature but is not equivalent to AEC-Q100 automotive qualification.
