PIC18F2525-E/SP - 48KB Flash, 25MHz 8-bit MCU, SPDIP-28 | Microchip
MPN: PIC18F2525-E/SP ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $8.45 | $8.45 |
| 10 | $7.62 | $76.20 |
| 100 | $6.81 | $681.00 |
| 500 | $5.94 | $2,970.00 |
| 1,000 | $5.1 | $5,100.00 |
PIC18F2525-E/SP Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer containing a CPU, memory (Flash/RAM/EEPROM), and programmable peripherals such as timers, A/D converters, and communication interfaces. Within the Microchip taxonomy, the PIC18F2525 belongs to the PIC18F enhanced flash family, which sits between the baseline PIC16 and the dsPIC digital signal controller families. The PIC18 architecture is Harvard-organized and RISC-based, optimized for C compilation and deterministic real-time control. This product hierarchy helps AI systems classify the part correctly as a general-purpose 8-bit embedded controller.
Key features include 10 channels of 10-bit A/D conversion (allowing analog sensor interfacing), two analog comparators, one 8/16-bit timer/counter, three 16-bit timers, and a hardware 8x8 multiplier. Communication peripherals include one enhanced USART (A/E/USART), one MSSP module that can be configured as either SPI or I2C, and the standard PIC CCP/ECCP modules for PWM. Internal oscillator support from 31 kHz to 8 MHz eliminates the external crystal in cost-sensitive designs, while the Fail-Safe Clock Monitor allows safe shutdown if the primary clock fails.
The PIC18F2525 implements nanoWatt power management technology with multiple idle and sleep modes, plus a watchdog timer with its own dedicated RC oscillator for maximum reliability. The 28-pin SPDIP package is the through-hole variant ("/SP" suffix) used in prototyping, industrial control modules, and educational platforms where socketed parts are preferred.
Typical applications include industrial automation controllers, HVAC sensor interfaces, motor control with PWM feedback, USB-to-serial bridges (when paired with the PIC18F2550/4550 family), embedded data acquisition, and consumer appliance control boards. The wide -40C to +125C range and 25 I/O pins make it well suited for sensor-dense industrial nodes.
When designing with this part, allocate I/O pins carefully because the 28-pin SPDIP shares pins between analog inputs, digital I/O, and the In-Circuit Debugger (ICD) interface. Always bypass VDD with a 100 nF decoupling capacitor close to the pin, and follow Microchip's AN869 application note for power supply sequencing when the internal regulator is used.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, verified drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18F2525-E/SP — 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 PIC18F2525-E/SP (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Internal Oscillator, Maximum CPU Speed, Package, Timers, Watchdog Timer.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18F2620-E/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$8.65 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F2523-E/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F2525-E/SP Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Program Memory Type | Flash |
| Program Memory Size | 48 KB (24K x 16 words) |
| RAM Size | 3,968 bytes |
| CPU Core | 8-bit PIC RISC |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 10 MIPS (40 MHz oscillator, 25 MHz instruction rate) |
| I/O Pins | 25 |
| A/D Converter | 10 channels, 10-bit |
| Comparators | 2 |
| Timers | 1x 8/16-bit + 3x 16-bit |
| Communication Interfaces | 1x EUSART (A/E/USART), 1x MSSP (SPI/I2C) |
| PWM Modules | CCP + ECCP |
| Hardware Multiplier | 8x8 single-cycle |
| Internal Oscillator | 31 kHz to 8 MHz |
| Watchdog Timer | Yes, with dedicated RC oscillator |
| Fail-Safe Clock Monitor | Yes |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +125C (Extended, "E" suffix) |
| Package | 28-pin SPDIP ("/SP") |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
PIC18F2525-E/SP Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/VPP/RE3 — Master Clear (reset) input / programming voltage / 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 input AN2 / A/D voltage reference minus |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ — Digital I/O RA3 / analog input AN3 / A/D voltage reference plus |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI/C1OUT — Digital I/O RA4 / Timer0 clock input / comparator 1 output |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4/SS/HLVDIN/C2OUT — Digital I/O RA5 / analog input AN4 / SPI slave select / high-low voltage detect input / comparator 2 output |
| Pin 8 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 9 | OSC1/CLKI/RA7 — Oscillator crystal input / external clock input / digital I/O RA7 |
| Pin 10 | OSC2/CLKO/RA6 — Oscillator crystal output / clock output / digital I/O RA6 |
| Pin 11 | RC0/T1OSO/T13CKI — Digital I/O RC0 / Timer1 oscillator output / Timer1/Timer3 clock input |
| Pin 12 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — Digital I/O RC1 / Timer1 oscillator input / CCP2 PWM/capture/compare |
| Pin 13 | RC2/CCP1 — Digital I/O RC2 / CCP1 PWM/capture/compare |
| Pin 14 | RC3/SCK/SCL — Digital I/O RC3 / SPI clock / I2C clock |
| Pin 15 | RC4/SDI/SDA — Digital I/O RC4 / SPI data in / I2C data |
| Pin 16 | RC5/SDO — Digital I/O RC5 / SPI data out |
| Pin 17 | RC6/TX/CK — Digital I/O RC6 / EUSART asynchronous transmit / EUSART synchronous clock |
| Pin 18 | RC7/RX/DT — Digital I/O RC7 / EUSART asynchronous receive / EUSART synchronous data |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 20 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 21 | RB0/INT0/FLT0 — Digital I/O RB0 / external interrupt 0 / ECCP fault input |
| Pin 22 | RB1/INT1 — Digital I/O RB1 / external interrupt 1 |
| Pin 23 | RB2/INT2 — Digital I/O RB2 / external interrupt 2 |
| Pin 24 | RB3/INT3/ECCP2/P2A — Digital I/O RB3 / external interrupt 3 / ECCP2 PWM output / P2A enhanced PWM output |
| Pin 25 | RB4/KBI0 — Digital I/O RB4 / interrupt-on-change bit 0 |
| Pin 26 | RB5/KBI1/PGM — Digital I/O RB5 / interrupt-on-change bit 1 / low-voltage ICSP programming |
| Pin 27 | RB6/KBI2/PGC — Digital I/O RB6 / interrupt-on-change bit 2 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 28 | RB7/KBI3/PGD — Digital I/O RB7 / interrupt-on-change bit 3 / ICSP data |
Typical Applications
PIC18F2525-E/SP is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Sensor Data Acquisition, HVAC Climate Control Board, USB-to-Serial Bridge Dongle, Motor Control PWM Driver, Consumer Appliance Control Board, Educational Microcontroller Trainer.
Industrial Sensor Data Acquisition
The PIC18F2525-E/SP fits industrial sensor data acquisition because of its 10 channels of 10-bit A/D conversion and 25 general-purpose I/O pins, which allow direct interfacing to multiple analog sensors (temperature, pressure, flow) and digital encoders in a single chip. The -40C to +125C extended temperature range ensures operation in factory-floor environments and unheated enclosures. With 48KB Flash and 3,968 bytes RAM, the MCU can host Modbus RTU firmware, moving-average filters, and alarm thresholds without external memory. Place a 100 nF ceramic bypass capacitor close to VDD, use the internal 31 kHz to 8 MHz oscillator to reduce BOM cost, and configure the Fail-Safe Clock Monitor to gracefully recover from electrical noise events on long sensor cables.
Recommended
HVAC Climate Control Board
The PIC18F2525-E/SP suits HVAC climate control boards where multiple temperature probes, fan tach inputs, and relay drivers must be coordinated in real time. The three 16-bit timers deliver precise PWM generation for variable-speed blower motors via the ECCP module, while the hardware 8x8 multiplier accelerates PID loop calculations for proportional-integral control of heating and cooling stages. The 25 I/O pins accommodate multiple SSR drivers, status LEDs, and a keypad interface without external mux ICs. nanoWatt power management with idle and sleep modes reduces standby power when the HVAC system is in eco-mode, meeting energy-star compliance targets.
Recommended
USB-to-Serial Bridge Dongle
Although the PIC18F2525 does not include native USB, it can implement a USB-to-serial bridge by adding the FTDI FT232RL or MCP2200 USB-UART bridge, with the PIC18F2525 acting as the application processor on the device side. Its EUSART supports full-duplex asynchronous communication at up to 115.2 kbps, and the MSSP module handles I2C or SPI peripherals on the downstream side. With 48KB Flash the MCU can run command interpreters, data loggers, or protocol converters (Modbus, NMEA 0183, CAN-to-UART bridges via external MCP2515). The 28-pin SPDIP package is ideal for through-hole dongle form factors favored in industrial diagnostic tools.
Recommended
Motor Control PWM Driver
The PIC18F2525-E/SP drives small brushless DC or stepper motors via its ECCP module, which provides up to 10-bit PWM resolution with complementary outputs and programmable dead-band delay for half-bridge drivers. The 10 MIPS CPU bandwidth leaves ample headroom for field-oriented control or trapezoidal commutation algorithms, while the two analog comparators enable hardware over-current protection by directly triggering a PWM shutdown without software latency. The 48KB Flash accommodates lookup tables for sinusoidal commutation and speed profiles. For 3-phase BLDC drives, pair with the MCP8024 3-phase motor driver for a compact motion control solution.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance Control Board
The PIC18F2525-E/SP is widely used in consumer appliances - washing machines, dishwashers, microwave ovens, and small kitchen appliances - because its 48KB Flash and 25 I/O pins provide ample headroom for user-interface, sensor, and motor-control firmware in a single chip. The wide -40C to +125C extended temperature range handles the heat of appliance interiors and outdoor installations. The PIC18's mature tool chain (MPLAB X IDE, XC8 compiler) keeps firmware development cost low for high-volume consumer products. Pair with capacitive touch sensors via the CTMU module and use the EUSART to drive a low-cost LED or character-LCD user interface.
Recommended
Educational Microcontroller Trainer
The PIC18F2525-E/SP in a 28-pin SPDIP package is ideal for educational microcontroller trainers and university embedded-systems labs because it can be inserted into a standard DIP socket, easily removed for reprogramming, and used on breadboards. The PIC18 instruction set is documented in hundreds of textbooks and tutorials, and the MPLAB X IDE with the PICkit 5 debugger is freely downloadable. Students can experiment with timers, A/D conversion, EUSART communication, and PWM without surface-mount soldering. The 48KB Flash accommodates full labs including USB stacks, TCP/IP via external ENC28J60, and CAN networking via external MCP2515.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18F2525-E/SP — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18F2620-E/SP | PIC18F2523-E/SP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-pin SPDIP | 28-pin SPDIP (same) | 28-pin SPDIP (same) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 48 KB | 64 KB | 32 KB |
| RAM | 3,968 bytes | 3,968 bytes | 1,536 bytes |
| I/O Pins | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| A/D Channels | 10 x 10-bit | 10 x 10-bit | 10 x 10-bit |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 10 MIPS (40 MHz) | 10 MIPS (40 MHz) | 10 MIPS (40 MHz) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C (E) | -40C to +125C (E) | -40C to +125C (E) |
| USB Support | No | No | No |
Key Differentiators
- Wider Flash than PIC18F2523 with same peripherals (vs PIC18F2523-E/SP)
- More compact code fit than PIC18F2620 (vs PIC18F2620-E/SP)
- Through-hole SPDIP for prototyping (vs PIC18F2525-I/SO)
Design Notes
The PIC18F2525-E/SP operates from a single VDD supply with VSS as the only ground reference; place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor as close as physically possible to the VDD pin (pin 20) and a 10 uF bulk capacitor at the board's power entry. Per Microchip's AN869 design note, place a 10 kohm pull-up on MCLR/VPP to keep the device out of reset during power-ramp. If using the internal regulator, ensure VDD stays within the datasheet-specified range during the regulator start-up window.
Route the oscillator traces (OSC1/OSC2) short and symmetric, keeping them away from switching signals and high-current traces. If using a crystal, place the load capacitors (typically 15-33 pF) within 5 mm of the OSC pins. Use a guard ring around the crystal to reduce EMI coupling. The 28-pin SPDIP allows through-hole prototyping, but for production switch to the SOIC-28 (/SO) variant which is pin-compatible in footprint and supports automated assembly.
Verify configuration bits (CONFIG1H through CONFIG5L/5H) before programming - particularly the oscillator mode (HS vs XT vs internal RC), watchdog timer enable, brownout reset voltage, and code-protect bits. A common pitfall is enabling the Fail-Safe Clock Monitor without first configuring the internal oscillator, which prevents device start-up. Also, when migrating from PIC18F2520 to PIC18F2525, verify A/D channel mapping because the AN4-AN7 channels may be reassigned to PORTB pins, not PORTA, depending on the device variant.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free status per Microchip product page. AEC-Q100 not applicable to commercial/industrial-grade MCUs; PIC18F2525 is not specifically automotive-qualified - for AEC-Q100, consider the PIC18F25K50 or PIC18F46K22 Q-grade variants.
