> I *hope* that a 24FJ will handle it and the few negative mA. Will check
> soon :)

No.
Not with certainty.

The negative voltage spec is in the "absolute ratings" section of all
data sheets. Body/protection diode conduction is only meant as
protection and proper IC operation is not guaranteed.

For guaranteed operation pin voltages must be within specified range
between power rails. Many ICs may run with inputs outside the spec
sometimes maybe. YMMV and will sometimes. That way lies intermittent
operation and problems forever.

You can almost get away with (read "essentially statistically
certainly") currents in the low microamp range. Often anyway :-). But
mA and even hundreds of uA and maybe 10's of uA MAY cause problems.
Current goes to nodes where it was never designed to and interesting
stuff happens.

Those who tell you that you can inject say 1 mA odd into a body diode
on an operating processor with impunity have not yet fully learned
their engineering art and/or how to properly read data sheets.


         Russell
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