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The standard RS232 to RS485 converter.

The typical RS232 to RS485 converter comes in many different shapes and sizes. We will here take a closer look at a standard grade converter. The reason we call it a standard converter is that it is considered a converter with a minimum of the general features and requirements for converting a RS232 signal to a RS485 signal and a RS485 signal to a RS232 signal.

General features of a standard RS232 to RS485 converter

A standard RS232 to RS485 converter has a female DB9 connector for the RS232 end and a male DB9 connector for the RS485 end. Included with the converter should be a DB9 screw terminal header for conencting to the RS485 end, this makes it easy to connect single wires to the RS485 interface, since most often a RS485 connection is not a DB9 style connection but simply single wires.
The casing of the converter should be made of hard plastic or fiber to properly protect the circuitry against damage.

Electrical Protection of the interfaces

Usually standard RS232 to RS485 converters does not have optical isolation between the interfaces to protect the converter against high voltage spikes or surges, however the standard converter should at least have transient protectors for both the RS232 and the RS485 interface to protect the converter against static electircity and other rapid high voltages.
















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