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HOME / PRODUCT CATEGORIES / LEVEL SHIFTERS / SPARKFUN OPTO-ISOLATOR BREAKOUT
Customer Reviews
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SparkFun Opto-isolator Breakout
BOB-09118 ROHS
8
DESCRIPTION DOCUMENTS
This is a board designed for opto-isolation. This board is helpful for connecting
digital systems (like a 5V microcontroller) to a high-voltage or noisy system. This
board electrically isolates a controller from the high-power system by use of an
opto-isolator IC. This IC has two LEDs and two photodiodes built-in. This allows
the low-voltage side to control a high voltage side.
We often use this board to allow a microcontroller control servos or other motors
that use a higher voltage than the TTL logic on the (3.3V or 5V) micro, and may
cause electromagnetic interferance with our system as the motors turn on and
off. This board will isolate the systems, creating a type of electrical noise barrier
between devices.
This breakout board uses the ILD213T optoisolator and discrete transistors to
correct the logic. Comes with two channels. Great for use in noisy circuits where
signal lines require electrical isolation.
A normal LED opto-isolator will invert the logic of a signal. We threw some
transistors on this compact board to correct the inversion. What you put into the
IN pins, will be replicated on the the OUT pins, but at the higher voltage (HV).
SparkFun Opto-isolator Breakout Product Help and Resources
SKILLS NEEDED
Core Skill: Soldering
This skill defines how difficult the soldering is on a particular product. It might be a couple simple solder joints, or require special reflow tools.
Skill Level: Noob - Some basic soldering is required, but it is limited to a just a few pins, basic through-hole soldering, and couple (if
any) polarized components. A basic soldering iron is all you should need.
See all skill levels
1
Core Skill: Programming
If a board needs code or communicates somehow, you're going to need to know how to program or interface with it. The programming skill is all about
communication and code.
Skill Level: Rookie - You will need a better fundamental understand of what code is, and how it works. You will be using beginner-
level software and development tools like Arduino. You will be dealing directly with code, but numerous examples and libraries are
available. Sensors or shields will communicate with serial or TTL.
See all skill levels
2
Core Skill: Electrical Prototyping
If it requires power, you need to know how much, what all the pins do, and how to hook it up. You may need to reference datasheets, schematics, and
know the ins and outs of electronics.
Skill Level: Rookie - You may be required to know a bit more about the component, such as orientation, or how to hook it up, in
addition to power requirements. You will need to understand polarized components.
See all skill levels
2
COMMENTS 54 REVIEWS 8
4.3 out of 5
Based on 8 ratings:
5 of 5 found this helpful:
Works well, expect for fast serial data
about 2 years ago by jokkebk verified purchaser
The 10k load resistors on the “output side” mean the switching time of the optocoupled transistors are close to
100 us, which means baud rates above 9600 will not work. This means the breakout is useless for a MIDI
application (which is optoisolated transmission at 31250 baud serial). So good for isolation, not for fast
signalling.
a nice little board
about 3 years ago by Member #654226 verified purchaser
the board is small,so soldering by hand takes care. I put mounting pins on the opto board and then soldered to
the main board– this was effective
0 of 1 found this helpful:
Great for prototyping
about 2 years ago by Member #705352 verified purchaser
I needed to monitor and emulate marine pump alarms with a +3.3V microcontroller. I just added the 1.5K ohm
resistors in series and everything worked as planned. I was able to sense the 12V alarms and and forward
serialized data to a system monitor with ease.
Works great
about a year ago by jagy4321 verified purchaser
Made connecting up the noisy side from the clean (ardunio) side easy.
PWM functionality unknown
about a year ago by Neuromancer2701 verified purchaser
It works great for Digital IO but I have been trying to use a PWM with it. And I get nothing on the output even at
10 hertz. 50% duty cycle.
Has anyone attempted to use it with a PWM? any luck?
Worked like a champ!
last year by Member #909435 verified purchaser
Had severe noise problem when connecting the external trigger lines of three separate data acquisition
systems to a common trigger source. The noise varied from a 3 to 5 volt sine wave causing the DAQ’s to
trigger. Hooked this little guy between the trigger source and the external trigger inputs and cleaned everything
up. The noise was caused by ground loops. Couldn’t have completed the experiments without it. Also I
measured the delay to be only 4 microseconds.
Works well
about 3 years ago by Hannibal Smith verified purchaser
Used to opto-isolate my arduino from a stepper motor, fairly straight forward to solder posts to it and use.
Works
about 11 months ago by Member #456033 verified purchaser
I’m using this to convert the 5v logic signals from encoders on my tool turret to 24v inputs into my Mesa card. It
is currently hanging on it’s wires, since I haven’t figured out how to mount it.
5 star 4
4 star 2
3 star 2
2 star 0
1 star 0
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