2Ipeak

2Ipeak is a term used in electrical engineering to denote twice the peak current of a given electrical current waveform. It is not a formal standard but a shorthand that may appear in design notes, protection calculations, or testing scenarios to express a stress level or threshold that is double the maximum instantaneous current of the signal.

In practical terms, if a current waveform i(t) reaches a maximum magnitude Ipeak at some time, then 2Ipeak equals 2 times that maximum. This quantity can be used when assessing margin for components that must tolerate brief high-current events, such as fuses, circuit breakers, or power switches, where designers want to ensure safe operation under a worst-case pulse that could double the observed peak.

2Ipeak is related to, but distinct from, other current descriptors such as Ipeak (the peak current itself) and IRMS (the root-mean-square current, which reflects heating over time). Because many devices are sensitive to both peak magnitude and pulse duration, simply knowing 2Ipeak does not fully characterize circuit stress; the pulse duration, rise time, duty cycle, and waveform shape all influence damage risk and thermal effects.

Limitations include the fact that 2Ipeak does not capture average load, energy, or RMS heating effects. It should be used in conjunction with other metrics when evaluating protection schemes or component ratings.

See also: Ipeak, IRMS, peak-to-peak current, surge current, overcurrent protection.