TP4056 and DW01 Lithium-Ion Battery Circuit Animation

This note describes how battery management system for 3.7 Lithium-Ion battery works. The battery management system uses TP4056 battery voltage regulator IC and DW01A/DW01P battery protection IC. The battery management system is explained with circuit animation so that it is easier to understand.

To understand the difference between the TP4056 and the DW01A, it is important to recognize that they perform two completely different roles in a lithium-ion battery management system. They are often used together on the same module, but they do not replace each other.

Animation Video

1. TP4056: The Battery Charger

The TP4056 is a complete constant-current/constant-voltage (CC/CV) linear charger for single-cell lithium-ion batteries.

• Primary Function: It manages the charging process. It takes an input voltage (typically 5V from USB) and safely charges the battery.
• Key Features:

• Regulates charging current (adjustable via an external resistor).
• Regulates charging voltage (fixed at 4.2V).
• Includes thermal regulation to prevent overheating during charging.
• Provides status outputs (e.g., charging, fully charged).
• TP4056 Module Proteus Library
• Download TP4056 IC Spice Model

2. DW01A: The Battery Protection IC

The DW01A is a battery protection integrated circuit designed to protect the lithium-ion battery from common electrical hazards. It does not charge the battery.

• Primary Function: It monitors the battery voltage and the current flowing through it to ensure the battery operates within safe limits.
• Key Features:

• Overcharge Protection: Disconnects the battery if the voltage exceeds a safe threshold (e.g., 4.3V).
• Over-discharge Protection: Disconnects the battery if the voltage drops too low (e.g., 2.4V) to prevent permanent damage to the cell.
• Over-current/Short-circuit Protection: Monitors the voltage drop across an external MOSFET (usually an 8205A dual N-channel MOSFET) to detect if the load is drawing too much current.
• Download DW01A Spice Model 

Summary Comparison

How they work together

In a typical "TP4056 module" (the common blue boards found online), you will see both chips:

1. The TP4056 takes the USB power and charges the battery.
2. The DW01A (along with an 8205A MOSFET) sits between the battery and the output terminals. It acts as a "gatekeeper," ensuring that the device connected to the output doesn't drain the battery too low and that the battery doesn't get overcharged or short-circuited.

If you are designing a circuit, you generally need both: the TP4056 to charge the battery and the DW01A to protect it during use.

Below are tests on individual IC:

• DW01A/DW01P Spice Model | Download battery protection device spice model
• F8205A Spice Model | Proteus Library & Simulation Test