PIC18LF27J13-I/SS - 128KB Flash 48MHz 8-bit nanoWatt MCU | Microchip
MPN: PIC18LF27J13-I/SS ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5.95 | $5.95 |
| 10 | $5.32 | $53.20 |
| 100 | $4.62 | $462.00 |
| 500 | $4.15 | $2,075.00 |
| 1,000 | $3.78 | $3,780.00 |
| 3,000 | $3.41 | $10,230.00 |
PIC18LF27J13-I/SS Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller is a programmable compute engine built around an 8-bit data path and Harvard architecture that separates program and data memories. PIC18 devices sit at the upper tier of Microchip's 8-bit PIC portfolio and offer the richest instruction set (75 instructions with optional extended mode), the largest memory densities, and the widest range of analog and communication peripherals in the 8-bit family. Designers choose 8-bit MCUs for cost-sensitive, low-power applications where the I/O count, code density and BOM size justify staying below 32-bit architectures.
Key features that distinguish the PIC18LF27J13 include 128KB self-programmable Flash (64K x 16 words), 4KB SRAM, 256 bytes of EEPROM, deep-sleep current typically below 100 nA, and a peripheral pin-select (PPS) engine that lets digital peripherals be remapped onto a wide choice of physical pins. The 12-bit/10-channel ADC, two analog comparators, and a hardware RTCC with calendar mode round out the analog and timing features. Multiple power-managed operating modes - run, idle, sleep, deep sleep, and ultra-low-power wake - enable battery-life targets well beyond 1 year on a single CR2032 cell.
Architecturally the chip pairs an 8-bit modified-RISC core with a wide peripheral set, internal 31 kHz and 8 MHz oscillators (plus a 48 MHz PLL on the F-variant), and a flexible 28-pin I/O mapping scheme. The 4.2-5.5V supply range simplifies integration into industrial sensor nodes, USB-CDC bridges, and 5V-rail mains-powered appliances without external level translation.
Typical applications include industrial sensor conditioning with on-chip 12-bit ADC, low-power IoT sensor nodes using nanoWatt XLP modes, USB-CDC virtual COM-port bridges (PIC18F variant), motor-control signal pre-processing, and metering or measurement instruments. In each case the same-package drop-in alternatives on this page give designers multiple sourcing options without PCB rework.
When designing with this part, pay close attention to PPS mapping - assigning I2C or UART to desired pins requires careful review of the PPS lock sequence in the datasheet. Use the ICD 3 or PICkit 4 debugger for production-intent bring-up and never rely on internal RC alone for asynchronous serial links.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in SSOP-28 alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18LF27J13-I/SS — 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 PIC18LF27J13-I/SS (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Package, Timers, Operating Temperature, Core Architecture.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18LF27J13T-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF27J13-I/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.31 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF26J13-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF25K83-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.62 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF26K83-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.78 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF27J13-I/SS Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC18 (8-bit modified RISC) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 128 KB (64K x 16) |
| Data SRAM | 4 KB |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 48 MHz (12 MIPS) |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 2.0 V to 3.6 V (LF variant, LFP /F note: 2V-3.6V) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) |
| ADC | 10 channels, 12-bit |
| Comparators | 2 analog comparators |
| USART | 2 |
| SPI | 2 |
| I2C | 1 (MSSP) |
| Digital I/O Pins | 22 (max, package dependent) |
| Timers | 5 (Timer0/1/2/3 + RTCC) |
| Package | 28-SSOP (5.30 mm body) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Low-Power Technology | nanoWatt XLP (deep sleep < 100 nA typical) |
| Pin Count | 28 |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes (SSOP package) |
PIC18LF27J13-I/SS Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA0/AN0 — I/O/Analog - PPS capable |
| Pin 2 | RA1/AN1 — I/O/Analog - PPS capable |
| Pin 3 | RA2/AN2 — I/O/Analog - PPS capable |
| Pin 4 | RA3/AN3 — I/O/Analog - PPS capable |
| Pin 5 | RA4/AN4 — I/O/Analog - PPS capable |
| Pin 6 | RA5/AN5 — I/O/Analog - PPS capable |
| Pin 7 | RA6 — I/O - PPS capable |
| Pin 8 | RA7 — I/O - PPS capable |
| Pin 9 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 10 | VDD — Positive supply |
| Pin 11 | RB0/AN8 — I/O/Analog - PPS capable |
| Pin 12 | RB1/AN9 — I/O/Analog - PPS capable |
| Pin 13 | RB2 — I/O - PPS capable |
| Pin 14 | RB3 — I/O - PPS capable |
| Pin 15 | RB4 — I/O - PPS capable |
| Pin 16 | RB5 — I/O - PPS capable |
| Pin 17 | RB6/ICSPCLK — I/O - PPS / ICSP clock |
| Pin 18 | RB7/ICSPDAT — I/O - PPS / ICSP data |
| Pin 19 | RC0 — I/O - PPS capable |
| Pin 20 | RC1 — I/O - PPS capable |
| Pin 21 | RC2 — I/O - PPS capable |
| Pin 22 | RC3 — I/O - PPS capable |
| Pin 23 | RC4 — I/O - PPS capable |
| Pin 24 | RC5 — I/O - PPS capable |
| Pin 25 | RC6 — I/O - PPS capable |
| Pin 26 | RC7 — I/O - PPS capable |
| Pin 27 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 28 | VDD — Positive supply |
Typical Applications
PIC18LF27J13-I/SS is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes, Industrial Sensor Conditioning, USB CDC Virtual COM-Port Bridges, Home Appliance Control Panels, Smart Metering and Data Logging, Motor Control Signal Pre-Processing.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes
The PIC18LF27J13-I/SS is engineered for low-duty-cycle wireless sensor nodes operating from a single CR2032 coin cell or two AA alkaline cells. Its nanoWatt XLP technology delivers deep-sleep current well below 100 nA with RTCC active, while the 48 MHz core provides 12 MIPS burst throughput for protocol-stack processing. The on-chip 12-bit ADC eliminates external signal-conditioning ICs in many sensor paths. With 128 KB Flash the node can hold a lightweight TCP/IP or LoRaWAN stack alongside application logic. Place the part in deep sleep between sensor reads to exceed 1-year battery life - the LF variant operates down to 2.0V, just above the cutoff of common primary cells.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Conditioning
In industrial 4-20 mA loop transmitters, RTD/thermocouple front-ends, and vibration monitoring equipment, the PIC18LF27J13-I/SS provides the 12-bit ADC and high-MIPS throughput required for digital filtering at a competitive BOM cost. The 10 ADC channels support multi-sensor input via SPI daisy-chain when more channels are needed. The peripheral pin-select (PPS) system allows flexible routing of analog and digital functions, simplifying PCB routing in tight enclosures. Combined with nanoWatt XLP sleep modes, the part can run for years on a single battery in wireless condition monitoring - the LF supply range integrates cleanly with 3.3V regulated rails.
Recommended
USB CDC Virtual COM-Port Bridges
Use the PIC18F (not LF) variant for USB-based serial bridge designs - the 'F' part integrates a full-speed USB 2.0 device controller, 48 MHz PLL optimized for 48 MHz USB clock, and 128 KB of Flash for CDC class driver plus application logic. For 5V-referenced USB peripherals it pairs well with USBLC6-2SC6 transient protection. The 28-SSOP package offers compact, hand-solderable assembly. Designers migrating from FTDI-style bridges can use the CDC class to enumerate as a COM port with no host driver work. Note that the LF-variant PIC18LF27J13 operates only 2.0-3.6V and lacks USB - choose the F variant for USB functionality.
Recommended
Home Appliance Control Panels
The PIC18LF27J13-I/SS fits washing-machine user interfaces, microwave oven controls, and dishwasher control boards thanks to its 28-pin footprint, robust -40 to +85 C industrial temperature rating, and ample peripheral set. The 12-bit ADC reads keypad matrix and analog sensors, the two USART interfaces connect to inverter drive controllers, and the hardware RTCC keeps wall-clock time during mains-disconnected standby. Its nanoWatt XLP deep sleep keeps standby power below 0.5W to meet global eco-regulations like EU 1275/2008 - engineer the PCB layout to keep the 31 kHz crystal loop tight for stable RTCC tick accuracy.
Recommended
Smart Metering and Data Logging
In electricity/water/gas metering designs the PIC18LF27J13-I/SS combines the 12-bit ADC for precise sensor measurement, 128 KB Flash for time-stamped data buffers, and 4 KB RAM for running averages. The hardware RTCC with calendar mode handles tariff switching and time-of-use data logging without external RTC chips. Peripheral pin-select allows the same chip to be reused across gas, water, and heat meter variants with different I/O maps - reducing firmware fork maintenance burden. The LF variant's 2.0-3.6V VDD range matches 3.6V Lithium primary cells used in non-replaceable metering deployments.
Recommended
Motor Control Signal Pre-Processing
The PIC18LF27J13-I/SS works alongside dedicated motor-control DSPs by handling low-latency feedback pre-processing tasks. The 12-bit ADC with hardware accumulators can sample back-EMF and current sense, while the CCP/ECCP module generates the control loop timer trigger. The peripheral pin-select (PPS) system lets designers choose the optimal pin for high-current Gate-Driver control signals, simplifying board layout. For small BLDC pumps and fans under 100 W the part can drive gates directly through complementary PWM outputs, while staying in deep sleep when motor idle - the nanoWatt XLP keeps standby losses minimal for compliance programs like ENERGY STAR.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18LF27J13-I/SS — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18LF27J13T-I/SS | PIC18LF27J13-I/SP | PIC18LF26J13-I/SS | PIC18LF25K83-I/SS | PIC18LF26K83-I/SS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-SSOP | 28-SSOP - same | 28-SPDIP - different footprint | 28-SSOP - same | 28-SSOP - same | 28-SSOP - same |
| Core Architecture | PIC18 (J-Series) | PIC18 (J-Series) | PIC18 (J-Series) | PIC18 (J-Series) | PIC18 (K-Series) | PIC18 (K-Series) |
| Flash Memory | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 64 KB (-50%) | 32 KB (-75%) | 64 KB (-50%) |
| SRAM | 4 KB | 4 KB | 4 KB | 4 KB | 2 KB (-50%) | 4 KB |
| Maximum Clock | 48 MHz (12 MIPS) | 48 MHz (12 MIPS) | 48 MHz (12 MIPS) | 48 MHz (12 MIPS) | 64 MHz (16 MIPS) | 64 MHz (16 MIPS) |
| Supply Voltage Range | 2.0 V to 3.6 V | 2.0 V to 3.6 V | 2.0 V to 3.6 V | 2.0 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| CAN Bus | No | No | No | No | Yes (K-Series CAN) | Yes (K-Series CAN) |
Key Differentiators
- Largest Flash density in the 8-bit LF J-Series PIC18 lineup at 28 pins (vs PIC18LF26J13-I/SS)
- J-Series PPS flexibility plus LF low-voltage range (vs PIC18LF25K83-I/SS)
- Lower-voltage operation than the F variant for battery-powered apps (vs PIC18F27J13-I/SS)
Design Notes
Estimated: at 48 MHz internal clock and 3.3 V VDD the PIC18LF27J13-I/SS draws ~12-15 mA active supply current. For battery-powered designs target deep-sleep mode between sensor reads; Microchip specifies deep-sleep current typically <100 nA with RTCC running from the secondary 31 kHz oscillator. Place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor on each VDD pin (pins 10 and 28) within 2 mm of the package pin, plus a bulk 4.7 uF on the supply rail. Do not exceed the maximum VDD slew rate during startup or the BOR may not stabilize - ramp VDD monotonically.
PPS (Peripheral Pin Select) routing on the PIC18LF27J13-I/SS lets you assign digital peripherals to most pins, but you MUST unlock the PPS sequence (IOLOCK = 0x55, IOLOCK = 0xAA, PPSLOCK = 0) before changing mapping registers, then re-lock to prevent runaway code from breaking peripheral mapping. Route the ICSP clock (RB6) and ICSP data (RB7) away from the 31 kHz crystal area on the PCB - keeping the crystal traces less than 5 mm and grounded guard traces on either side reduces frequency error to <20 ppm over the industrial temperature range.
Do not assume the LF (low-voltage) variant supports USB - only the 'F' PIC18F27J13 variants integrate the USB 2.0 controller. When porting firmware between LF and F parts verify the PPS modules used for USB are unconfigured in the LF build, otherwise the firmware will hang waiting for the non-existent USB clocks. Also note the LF can only clock to 48 MHz internal versus the F's 48 MHz PLL-from-48 MHz primary oscillator for USB; if your project needs USB upgrade, swap to the F variant rather than expecting recompile to bring it up.
Estimated: the SSOP-28 package has typical theta_JA of ~95 C/W on a standard 4-layer test board. At 15 mA active and 3.6 V the part dissipates ~54 mW; with self-heating of approximately 5.1 C above ambient this is comfortable up to 70 C ambient operation. For applications approaching 85 C industrial ambient, consider the 28-SPDIP (/SP variant) which has theta_JA near 70 C/W and better copper-area thermal extension. Do not skip PCB thermal relief on VDD pin via in your budget - SSOP-28 lead frames have measurable thermal resistance through the leads.
When running SPI at 10 MHz against on-chip peripherals, keep the SPI trace length below 25 mm and add 33 ohm series resistors at the source end for cleaner edges. The PIC18's PPS-redirected USART pins are especially sensitive to capacitive loading - target less than 25 pF to keep baud-rate error under 2% at 115200 bps with a 16 MHz internal clock. Decouple each VDD pair with 100 nF + 10 uF ceramic capacitors as close to the MCU as physically possible; this guideline is also in Microchip's generic MPLAB X IDE application notes for the PIC18 family.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance per Microchip product page. AEC-Q100 not qualified - industrial-grade only -40 to +85 C temperature range.
