MAX17048 — i2c address & wiring
LiPo fuel gauge — battery percentage and voltage over i2c, powered by the cell itself.
Key facts
MAX17048 at a glance
| i2c address | 0x36 fixed address |
|---|---|
| Logic voltage | 2.5–4.5 V |
| Type | sensor |
| Part | Analog Devices MAX17048 |
| Ships with | Qwiic, STEMMA QT |
| Datasheet | Analog Devices MAX17048 — manufacturer documentation ↗ |
The chip
What the Analog Devices MAX17048 actually is
Single-cell lithium battery fuel gauge estimating battery voltage, state of charge (SoC) and charge status using the ModelGauge algorithm. Operates without a current-sense resistor, coulomb counter or battery relearning cycles.
Watch out: It's powered by the battery it measures — with no LiPo attached, the chip is unpowered and simply vanishes from bus scans. A 'missing' MAX17048 usually just means no cell is plugged in.
Wiring
How to connect the MAX17048
The MAX17048 talks i2c at address 0x36. It runs at 2.5–4.5 V, so match your host's logic level — if your host is 5 V and a board on the bus is 3.3 V-only, add a level shifter. Use the compatibility checker to confirm the exact cable for your setup.
The address is fixed, so two MAX17048s can't share a bus directly — the address-conflict guide covers the workarounds (multiplexer, second bus).
Wiring is the usual four: power, ground, SDA and SCL, plus pull-up resistors — almost always already fitted on the breakout. Nothing showing up? Run an i2c scan first; if the bus is silent, the 7-step checklist finds it faster than guessing.
Ecosystems
Plug-together options for the MAX17048
MAX17048 breakouts ship with Qwiic and STEMMA QT — keyed 4-pin cables carrying power, ground, SDA and SCL, so there's nothing to solder and nothing to wire backwards. Chain it to the next board and keep going.
Running a mixed bench? Those ecosystems interoperate more than their marketing suggests — see every connector pairing for the cable or adapter you need, or the standards overview for how they compare.
Go deeper
Guides covering the MAX17048
Alternatives
Other power monitoring boards
Get one
Questions
MAX17048 i2c FAQ
What is the MAX17048's i2c address?
The MAX17048 sits at a fixed address of 0x36. It can't be changed, so two of them can't share one bus without a multiplexer or a second bus.
What voltage does the MAX17048 run at?
2.5–4.5 V logic. It's 2.5 V-only — driving it straight from a 5 V Arduino risks damage, so level-shift first.
Can I use two MAX17048s on one i2c bus?
Not directly — every MAX17048 answers to 0x36, so two on one bus would collide. Use a TCA9548A multiplexer to give each its own channel, or put the second one on a separate bus.
Does the MAX17048 work with Qwiic and STEMMA QT?
Yes — MAX17048 breakouts ship with Qwiic / STEMMA QT, so it plugs straight in with no soldering. Mixing ecosystems? The compatibility checker gives you the exact cable or adapter.
What should I watch out for with the MAX17048?
It's powered by the battery it measures — with no LiPo attached, the chip is unpowered and simply vanishes from bus scans. A 'missing' MAX17048 usually just means no cell is plugged in.