What is a DS2438 sensor ?
The DS2438 is an intelligent 1-Wire acquisition circuit developed by Maxim Integrated.
It combines:
- a digital temperature sensor,
- a 10-bit ADC converter for voltage and current,
- and a 40-byte EEPROM for data storage.
It is a universal sensor, often used in:
- battery management,
- compact weather stations,
- or multiparameter IoT systems.
Operating principle
The DS2438 converts its analog measurements (temperature, voltage, current) through its internal ADC and transmits the results on the 1-Wire bus.
Temperature:
T(°C) : Raw Value / 16
Tension (VDD or VAD):
V = (ADC value / 1024) × 10 V
Current (with sense resistance ≈ 0.05 Ω):
I = V_sense / R_sense
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Typical value |
| Measurement range | −40 °C → +85 °C |
| Typical precision | ±2 K |
| Resolution | 0,125 °C (10 bits) |
| Analog inputs | 2 × (0 → 10 V) |
| ADC Resolution | 10 bits |
| Internal memory | 40 bytes (EEPROM) |
| Interface | 1-Wire (family code 0x26) |
| Annual drift | Average (±0.5 K/year) |
Case | TO-92 or SOIC-8 |
Wiring Configuration
| Type | Description |
VDD |
Power supply or voltage measurement |
VAD |
Secondary analog input |
VSENS+ / VSENS- |
Differential current measurement |
DATA | 1-Wire Line (communication) |
GND | Mass |
Self-heating
Very low (< 0.3 °C) even with simultaneous voltage/current reading.
The measurements remain stable thanks to the internal reference voltage compensation.
Application areas
🔋 Management and monitoring of Li-ion / NiMH batteries
⚙️ Voltage + temperature measurement in embedded systems
🌡️ All-in-one environmental sensor (IoT, weather)
🧱 Industrial systems requiring 1-Wire traceability
🧠 Multi-parameter monitoring via a single component