SparkFun COM-16278: CH340E USB-to-Serial Bridge in a 10-MSOP for Small Boards

Published on November 4, 2026

SparkFun COM-16278: CH340E USB-to-Serial Bridge in a 10-MSOP for Small Boards

The SparkFun COM-16278 is a ten-piece pack of the WCH CH340E, a full-speed USB-to-UART bridge in a 10-pin MSOP. It runs from roughly 3.0 to 3.6 V, draws around 20 mA when active and is rated for −20 to 70 °C. SparkFun has retired the SKU, so many buyers now look for it through independent stock.

The CH340E is the smallest member of the CH340 family. It has an internal oscillator, so no external crystal is needed, and the pin count is reduced to D+/D−, TXD/RXD, RTS/CTS and the supply pins. That makes it a common choice for programming headers on small MCU boards, USB debug dongles and sensor modules that only need a virtual COM port.

Layout is simple, but a few details still matter. Keep the D+/D− pair short and matched, add a 0.1 µF decoupler close to VCC, and decide early whether V3 will be tied to VCC (3.3 V operation) or decoupled (5 V operation on related family members). If you need auto-reset for an Arduino-style bootloader, route RTS or DTR through a 100 nF capacitor to the target reset pin.

Driver support is mature on Windows, macOS and Linux, although some locked-down corporate PCs need the WCH driver installed manually. Firmware engineers often keep one or two CH340E boards on the bench just because they enumerate reliably.

For procurement, treat the 10-pack as a convenient prototyping quantity. Production builds usually move to reels of the bare CH340E, so match the marking and the package drawing before you substitute.

Full specifications, pricing and stock for the SparkFun COM-16278 CH340E USB-to-UART bridge (10-pack) are on ChipApex, an independent electronic components distributor based in Shenzhen. Catalog home: ChipApex.

SparkFun COM-16278: CH340E USB-to-Serial Bridge in a 10-MSOP for Small Boards

SparkFun COM-16278: CH340E USB-to-Serial Bridge in a 10-MSOP for Small Boards

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