DS3231
Extremely Accurate I2C-Integrated
RTC/TCXO/Crystal
Features
General Description
The  DS3231  is  a  low-cost,  extremely  accurate  I2C  real-
time  clock  (RTC)  with  an  integrated  temperature-
compensated  crystal  oscillator  (TCXO)  and  crystal.  The
device incorporates a battery input, and maintains accu-
rate timekeeping when main power to the device is inter-
rupted. The integration of the crystal resonator enhances
the long-term accuracy of the device as well as reduces
the piece-part count in a manufacturing line. The DS3231
is  available  in  commercial  and  industrial  temperature
ranges, and is offered in a 16-pin, 300-mil SO package.
The RTC maintains seconds, minutes, hours, day, date,
month, and year information. The date at the end of the
month  is  automatically  adjusted  for  months  with  fewer
than  31  days,  including  corrections  for  leap  year.  The
clock  operates  in  either  the  24-hour  or  12-hour  format
with  an  AM/PM  indicator.  Two  programmable  time-of-
day  alarms  and  a  programmable  square-wave  output
are provided. Address and data are transferred serially
through an I2C bidirectional bus.
A  precision  temperature-compensated  voltage  refer-
ence and comparator circuit monitors the status of VCC
to detect power failures, to provide a reset output, and
to automatically switch to the backup supply when nec-
essary.  Additionally,  the  RST pin  is  monitored  as  a
pushbutton input for generating a µP reset.
Applications
Servers
Telematics
Utility Power Meters
GPS
Pin Configuration appears at end of data sheet.
o Accuracy ±2ppm from 0°C to +40°C
o Accuracy ±3.5ppm from -40°C to +85°C
o Battery Backup Input for Continuous
Timekeeping
o Operating Temperature Ranges
Commercial: 0°C to +70°C
Industrial: -40°C to +85°C
o Low-Power Consumption
o Real-Time Clock Counts Seconds, Minutes,
Hours, Day, Date, Month, and Year with Leap Year
Compensation Valid Up to 2100
o Two Time-of-Day Alarms
o Programmable Square-Wave Output
o Fast (400kHz) I2C Interface
o 3.3V Operation
o Digital Temp Sensor Output: ±3°C Accuracy
o Register for Aging Trim
o RST Output/Pushbutton Reset Debounce Input
o Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Recognized
Ordering Information
TEMP RANGE 
   0°C to +70°C 
-40°C to +85°C 
PART 
DS3231S# 
DS3231SN# 
#Denotes an RoHS-compliant device that may include lead
(Pb) that is exempt under RoHS requirements. The lead finish
is JESD97 category e3, and is compatible with both lead-
based and lead-free soldering processes. A "#" anywhere on
the top mark denotes an RoHS-compliant device.
PIN-PACKAGE 
16 SO 
16 SO 
Typical Operating Circuit
VCC
SCL
SDA
RST
µP
VCC
RPU = tR/CB
RPU
RPU
PUSHBUTTON
RESET
VCC
VCC
DS3231
GND
INT/SQW
32kHz
VBAT
N.C.
N.C.
N.C.
N.C.
SCL
SDA
RST
N.C.
N.C.
N.C.
N.C.
For pricing, delivery, and ordering information, please contact Maxim Direct at 
1-888-629-4642, or visit Maxim Integrated’s website at www.maximintegrated.com.
19-5170; Rev 9; 1/13
DS3231
Extremely Accurate I2C-Integrated
RTC/TCXO/Crystal
ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM RATINGS
Voltage Range on Any Pin Relative to Ground......-0.3V to +6.0V
Junction-to-Ambient Thermal Resistance (θJA) (Note 1)....73°C/W
Junction-to-Case Thermal Resistance (θJC) (Note 1) ......23°C/W
Operating Temperature Range 
DS3231S ..............................................................0°C to +70°C
DS3231SN ........................................................-40°C to +85°C
Junction Temperature......................................................+125°C
Storage Temperature Range ...............................-40°C to +85°C
Lead Temperature (soldering, 10s) .................................+260°C
Soldering Temperature (reflow, 2 times max)..................+260°C
(See the Handling,PC Board Layout, and Assemblysection.)
Note 1: Package thermal resistances were obtained using the method described in JEDEC specification JESD51-7, using a four-
layer board. For detailed information on package thermal considerations, refer to www.maxim-ic.com/thermal-tutorial.
Stresses beyond those listed under “Absolute Maximum Ratings” may cause permanent damage to the device. These are stress ratings only, and functional
operation of the device at these or any other conditions beyond those indicated in the operational sections of the specifications is not implied. Exposure to
absolute maximum rating conditions for extended periods may affect device reliability.
RECOMMENDED OPERATING CONDITIONS
(TA = TMIN to TMAX, unless otherwise noted.) (Notes 2, 3)
PARAMETER
SYMBOL
CONDITIONS
Supply Voltage  
Logic 1 Input SDA, SCL 
Logic 0 Input SDA, SCL 
VCC 
VBAT 
VIH
VIL 
 
 
 
TYP
3.3 
3.0 
MIN
2.3 
2.3 
0.7 x 
VCC
-0.3 
MAX
5.5 
5.5 
VCC + 
0.3 
0.3 x 
VCC
UNITS
V 
V 
V
V
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
(VCC = 2.3V to 5.5V, VCC = Active Supply (see Table 1), TA = TMIN to TMAX, unless otherwise noted.) (Typical values are at VCC =
3.3V, VBAT = 3.0V, and TA = +25°C, unless otherwise noted.) (Notes 2, 3)
PARAMETER
SYMBOL
CONDITIONS
MIN
TYP
Active Supply Current  
ICCA 
(Notes 4, 5) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2.45 
2.575 
 
 
-1 
-1 
-200 
 
 
0 
 
 
 
25 
MAX
200 
300 
110 
170 
575 
650 
2.70 
0.4 
0.4 
+1 
+1 
+10 
100 
UNITS 
μA 
μA 
μA 
V 
V 
V 
μA
μA 
μA 
nA 
Maxim Integrated
VCC = 3.63V 
VCC = 5.5V 
VCC = 3.63V 
VCC = 5.5V 
I2C bus inactive, 32kHz 
output on, SQW output off  
(Note 5) 
I2C bus inactive, 32kHz 
VCC = 3.63V 
output on, SQW output off  VCC = 5.5V 
 
IOL = 3mA 
IOL = 1mA 
Output high impedance 
 
RST high impedance (Note 6) 
Standby Supply Current 
ICCS
Temperature Conversion Current 
ICCSCONV
Power-Fail Voltage 
Logic 0 Output, 32kHz, 
INT/SQW, SDA 
Logic 0 Output, RST 
Output Leakage Current 32kHz, 
INT/SQW, SDA 
Input Leakage SCL 
RST Pin I/O Leakage 
VBAT Leakage Current 
(VCC Active) 
2
VPF 
VOL 
VOL 
ILO 
ILI 
IOL
IBATLKG 
 
DS3231
Extremely Accurate I2C-Integrated
RTC/TCXO/Crystal
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS (continued)
(VCC = 2.3V to 5.5V, VCC = Active Supply (see Table 1), TA = TMIN to TMAX, unless otherwise noted.) (Typical values are at VCC =
3.3V, VBAT = 3.0V, and TA = +25°C, unless otherwise noted.) (Notes 2, 3)
PARAMETER
SYMBOL
CONDITIONS
MIN
Output Frequency 
fOUT 
VCC = 3.3V or VBAT = 3.3V 
Frequency Stability vs. 
Temperature (Commercial) 
Frequency Stability vs. 
Temperature (Industrial) 
f/fOUT
f/fOUT
VCC = 3.3V or  
VBAT = 3.3V, 
aging offset = 00h 
VCC = 3.3V or 
VBAT = 3.3V, 
aging offset = 00h 
0°C to +40°C 
>40°C to +70°C 
-40°C to <0°C 
0°C to +40°C 
>40°C to +85°C 
Frequency Stability vs. Voltage 
f/V 
 
Trim Register Frequency 
Sensitivity per LSB 
f/LSB 
Specified at: 
-40°C 
+25°C 
+70°C 
+85°C 
Temperature Accuracy 
Crystal Aging 
Temp 
f/fO
VCC = 3.3V or VBAT = 3.3V 
After reflow, 
not production tested 
First year 
0–10 years 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
-3 
 
 
TYP
32.768 
 
 
 
 
 
1 
0.7 
0.1 
0.4 
0.8 
 
UNITS 
kHz 
ppm 
ppm 
ppm/V 
ppm 
MAX
 
±2
±3.5
±3.5
±2
±3.5
 
 
 
 
 
+3 
°C 
±1.0 
±5.0 
 
 
ppm 
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
(VCC = 0V, VBAT = 2.3V to 5.5V, TA = TMIN to TMAX, unless otherwise noted.) (Note 2)
PARAMETER
SYMBOL
CONDITIONS
MIN
TYP
Active Battery Current  
IBATA
EOSC = 0, BBSQW = 0, 
SCL = 400kHz (Note 5) 
VBAT = 3.63V 
VBAT = 5.5V 
 
 
MAX
70 
150 
Timekeeping Battery Current  
IBATT
Temperature Conversion Current 
IBATTC
Data-Retention Current 
IBATTDR
EOSC = 0, BBSQW = 0,  
EN32kHz = 1, 
SCL = SDA = 0V or 
SCL = SDA = VBAT (Note 5)  VBAT = 5.5V 
VBAT = 3.63V 
EOSC = 0, BBSQW = 0, 
SCL = SDA = 0V or 
SCL = SDA = VBAT 
EOSC = 1, SCL = SDA = 0V, +25°C 
VBAT = 3.63V 
VBAT = 5.5V 
0.84 
3.0 
1.0 
3.5 
 
 
 
575 
650 
100 
UNITS 
μA
μA
μA 
nA 
Maxim Integrated
3
DS3231
Extremely Accurate I2C-Integrated
RTC/TCXO/Crystal
AC ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
(VCC = VCC(MIN) to VCC(MAX) or VBAT = VBAT(MIN) to VBAT(MAX), VBAT > VCC, TA = TMIN to TMAX, unless otherwise noted.) (Note 2)
PARAMETER
SYMBOL
CONDITIONS
SCL Clock Frequency 
Bus Free Time Between STOP 
and START Conditions 
Hold Time (Repeated) START 
Condition (Note 7) 
Low Period of SCL Clock 
High Period of SCL Clock 
Data Hold Time (Notes 8, 9) 
Data Setup Time (Note 10) 
START Setup Time 
Rise Time of Both SDA and SCL 
Signals (Note 11) 
Fall Time of Both SDA and SCL 
Signals (Note 11) 
fSCL
tBUF
tHD:STA
tLOW
tHIGH
tHD:DAT
tSU:DAT
tSU:STA
tR
tF
Setup Time for STOP Condition 
tSU:STO
Capacitive Load for Each Bus 
Line  
Capacitance for SDA, SCL 
Pulse Width of Spikes That Must 
Be Suppressed by the Input Filter 
Pushbutton Debounce 
Reset Active Time 
Oscillator Stop Flag (OSF) Delay 
Temperature Conversion Time 
CB 
CI/O 
tSP 
PBDB 
tRST 
tOSF 
tCONV 
Fast mode 
Standard mode 
Fast mode 
Standard mode 
Fast mode 
Standard mode 
Fast mode 
Standard mode 
Fast mode 
Standard mode 
Fast mode 
Standard mode 
Fast mode 
Standard mode 
Fast mode 
Standard mode 
Fast mode 
Standard mode 
Fast mode 
Standard mode 
Fast mode 
Standard mode 
(Note 11) 
 
 
 
 
(Note 12) 
 
POWER-SWITCH CHARACTERISTICS
(TA = TMIN to TMAX)
MIN
100 
0 
1.3 
4.7 
0.6 
4.0 
1.3 
4.7 
0.6 
4.0 
0 
0 
100 
250 
0.6 
4.7 
20 + 
0.1CB
20 + 
0.1CB
0.6 
4.7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TYP
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10 
30 
250 
250 
100 
125 
MAX
400 
100 
UNITS
kHz 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
0.9 
0.9 
 
 
 
 
300 
1000 
300 
300 
 
 
400 
 
 
 
 
 
200 
μs 
μs 
μs 
μs 
μs 
ns 
μs 
ns 
ns 
μs 
pF 
pF 
ns 
ms 
ms 
ms 
ms 
PARAMETER
SYMBOL
CONDITIONS
MIN
TYP
MAX
UNITS 
VCC Fall Time; VPF(MAX) to 
VPF(MIN)
VCC Rise Time; VPF(MIN) to 
VPF(MAX)
Recovery at Power-Up 
tVCCF 
tVCCR 
 
 
tREC 
(Note 13) 
300 
0 
 
 
 
 
 
250 
300 
μs 
μs 
ms 
4
Maxim Integrated
DS3231
Extremely Accurate I2C-Integrated
RTC/TCXO/Crystal
Pushbutton Reset Timing
RST
PBDB
tRST
Power-Switch Timing
VCC
VPF(MAX)
VPF(MIN)
RST
tVCCF
VPF
VPF
tVCCR
tREC
Maxim Integrated
5
DS3231
Extremely Accurate I2C-Integrated
RTC/TCXO/Crystal
Data Transfer on I2C Serial Bus
SDA
SCL
tBUF
tLOW
tR
tF
tHD:STA
tSP
tHD:STA
tHIGH
tSU:STA
STOP
START
tSU:DAT
REPEATED
START
tHD:DAT
tSU:STO
WARNING: Negative undershoots below -0.3V while the part is in battery-backed mode may cause loss of data.
Note 2: Limits at -40°C are guaranteed by design and not production tested.
Note 3: All voltages are referenced to ground.
Note 4:
Note 5: Current is the averaged input current, which includes the temperature conversion current.
Note 6: The RST pin has an internal 50kΩ (nominal) pullup resistor to VCC.
Note 7: After this period, the first clock pulse is generated.
Note 8: A device must internally provide a hold time of at least 300ns for the SDA signal (referred to the VIH(MIN) of the SCL signal)
ICCA—SCL clocking at max frequency = 400kHz.
to bridge the undefined region of the falling edge of SCL.
Note 9: The maximum tHD:DAT needs only to be met if the device does not stretch the low period (tLOW) of the SCL signal.
Note 10: A fast-mode device can be used in a standard-mode system, but the requirement tSU:DAT ≥ 250ns must then be met. This
is automatically the case if the device does not stretch the low period of the SCL signal. If such a device does stretch the
low period of the SCL signal, it must output the next data bit to the SDA line tR(MAX) + tSU:DAT = 1000 + 250 = 1250ns
before the SCL line is released.
Note 11: CB—total capacitance of one bus line in pF.
Note 12: The parameter tOSF is the period of time the oscillator must be stopped for the OSF flag to be set over the voltage range of
0.0V ≤ VCC ≤ VCC(MAX) and 2.3V ≤ VBAT ≤ 3.4V.
Note 13: This delay applies only if the oscillator is enabled and running. If the EOSC bit is a 1, tREC is bypassed and RST immedi-
ately goes high. The state of RST does not affect the I2C interface, RTC, or TCXO.
6
Maxim Integrated
DS3231
Extremely Accurate I2C-Integrated
RTC/TCXO/Crystal
Typical Operating Characteristics
(VCC = +3.3V, TA = +25°C, unless otherwise noted.)
)
A
μ
(
 
S
C
C
I
)
A
μ
(
 
T
A
B
I
150
125
100
75
50
25
0
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
STANDBY SUPPLY CURRENT
vs. SUPPLY VOLTAGE
BSY = 0, SCL = SDA = VCC
RST ACTIVE
1
0
c
o
t
 
1
3
2
3
S
D
2.0
2.5
3.0
4.0
3.5
VCC (V)
4.5
5.0
5.5
SUPPLY CURRENT
vs. TEMPERATURE
VCC = 0, EN32kHz = 1, BSY = 0,
SDA = SCL = VBAT OR GND
3
0
c
o
t
 
1
3
2
3
S
D
-40
-15
10
35
60
85
TEMPERATURE (°C)
1.2
1.1
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
-10
-20
-30
-40
SUPPLY CURRENT
vs. SUPPLY VOLTAGE
VCC = 0V, BSY = 0,
SDA = SCL = VBAT OR VCC
2
0
c
o
t
 
1
3
2
3
S
D
EN32kHz = 1
EN32kHz = 0
2.3
3.3
4.3
5.3
VBAT (V)
FREQUENCY DEVIATION
vs. TEMPERATURE vs. AGING VALUE
4
0
c
o
t
 
1
3
2
3
S
D
-128
-33
0
32
127
-40
-15
10
35
60
85
TEMPERATURE (°C)
)
A
μ
(
 
T
A
B
I
)
m
p
p
(
 
I
I
 
N
O
T
A
V
E
D
Y
C
N
E
U
Q
E
R
F
)
m
p
p
(
 
Y
C
N
E
U
Q
E
R
F
 
A
T
L
E
D
20
0
-20
-40
-60
-80
-100
-120
-140
-160
-180
-200
DELTA TIME AND FREQUENCY
vs. TEMPERATURE
DS3231 toc05
CRYSTAL
+20ppm
TYPICAL CRYSTAL,
UNCOMPENSATED
CRYSTAL
-20ppm
DS3231
ACCURACY
BAND
-40
-30 -20
-10 0 10 20 30 40
TEMPERATURE (°C)
50 60
70
80
)
R
A
E
Y
/
I
N
M
(
 
E
M
I
T
 
A
T
L
E
D
0
-20
-40
-60
-80
-100
Maxim Integrated
7
DS3231
Extremely Accurate I2C-Integrated
RTC/TCXO/Crystal
OSCILLATOR AND 
CAPACITOR ARRAY
X1
X2
CONTROL LOGIC/
DIVIDER
SQUARE-WAVE BUFFER; 
INT/SQW CONTROL
1Hz
VCC
VBAT
GND
SCL
SDA
POWER CONTROL
TEMPERATURE
SENSOR
ALARM, STATUS, AND
CONTROL REGISTERS
I2C INTERFACE AND
ADDRESS REGISTER
DECODE
DS3231
1Hz
CLOCK AND CALENDAR
REGISTERS
USER BUFFER
(7 BYTES)
VOLTAGE REFERENCE;
DEBOUNCE CIRCUIT;
PUSHBUTTON RESET
Block Diagram
32kHz
INT/SQW
RST
N
N
VCC
N
8
Maxim Integrated