The switch current limit prevents the device from high inductor current and drawing excessive current from the battery or input rail. Due to internal propagation delay, the AC peak current can exceed the static current limit during that time. Excessive current can occur with a shorted or saturated inductor, an overload or shorted output circuit condition. If the inductor current reaches the threshold I_LIM, the high-side MOSFET is turned off and the low-side MOSFET is turned on to ramp down the inductor current with an adaptive off time.

When this switch current limit is triggered 32 times, the device stops switching to protect the output. The device then automatically starts a new start-up after a typical delay time of 100 µs has passed. This action is named HICCUP short-circuit protection. The device repeats this mode until the high load condition disappears. HICCUP protection is also enabled during the start-up.