Voltage Drop in a PMOSFET?

Thread Starter

joe426

Joined Aug 11, 2009
39
Quick question: If a P-Channel MOSFET is completely open, is there any voltage drop from Source to Drain? Specifically, I want to use FQP27P06 to switch 50v at 25A. When I say "switch" I mean just once when the vehicle is turned on.

Thanks!
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
34,201
The maximum current rating of that MOSFET is 27A which is too close to 25A for decent reliability. And it has a maximum on resistance of .07 ohms which would drop 1.8V when conducting 25A and dissipate 45W which would require a large heat sink for the transistor.

You should derate at least 75%, so find a MOSFET that has at max current rating of 33A or more. The larger the transistor the lower the ON resistance which means lower ON voltage and power dissipation, which also reduces the heat sink requirements.
 

Thread Starter

joe426

Joined Aug 11, 2009
39
The maximum current rating of that MOSFET is 27A which is too close to 25A for decent reliability. And it has a maximum on resistance of .07 ohms which would drop 1.8V when conducting 25A and dissipate 45W which would require a large heat sink for the transistor.

You should derate at least 75%, so find a MOSFET that has at max current rating of 33A or more. The larger the transistor the lower the ON resistance which means lower ON voltage and power dissipation, which also reduces the heat sink requirements.
Good to know, thank you. I found the FQP47P06 which can handle 47A.

So, in your last post, you're saying that when the FET is fully "on," there WILL be a voltage drop from source to drain, correct? I looked up the Rds(on) for the 47A one and it's .026 ohms! Less voltage drop! :).

So, in conclusion, you're saying that ALL fets have this Rds(on) resistance and that there will ALWAYS be a voltage drop from source to drain and that I just need to find ones with higher current to reduce the actual voltage drop and power dissipation, correct?

I mean, I could go crazy, and get this fet which has an RDS(on) of < .012?
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
34,201
......................
I mean, I could go crazy, and get this fet which has an RDS(on) of < .012?
MOSFETS aren't like mechanical relays which may have only a few milliohms of contact resistance. Even with that low MOSFET resistance of 12 milliohms you will still be dissipating 7.5 watts at 25A so be sure to mount the MOSFET on a decent heat-sink.
 
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