Waveshare USB to RS232/485/TTL User Manual

Features

• Supports USB to RS232, USB to RS485, and USB to TTL (UART)
• Adopts original FT232RL for fast, stable, and reliable communication with better compatibility
• Onboard unibody power supply isolation provides stable isolated voltage, requiring no external power supply for the isolated terminal
• Onboard unibody magnetical isolation allows signal isolation, ensuring high reliability and strong anti-interference with low power consumption
• Onboard TVS (Transient Voltage Suppressor) effectively suppresses surge voltage and transient spikes, offering lightning-proof and anti-electrostatic protection
• Onboard self-recovery fuse and protection diodes ensure stable current/voltage outputs, providing over-current/over-voltage protection and improving shock resistance
• Fully automatic transceiver circuit with no delay ensures fast and stable communication between the USB port and different interfaces without interference
• Onboard TTL serial 3.3V/5V voltage translator, configurable via a switch
• Durable aluminium alloy enclosure with sand blasting and anodic oxidation, CNC processed
• 3 LEDs indicate power and transceiver status
• High-quality USB-B and RS232 connectors for smooth plugging and unplugging

Specifications

• Product Type: Industrial ADI magnetical isolation converter
• Baudrate: 300-921600bps
• Host Port: USB
• Device Port: RS485/RS232/TTL
• USB:
  • Operating Voltage: 5V
  • Connector: USB-B
  • Protection: 200mA self-recovery fuse, isolated output
• Transmission Distance:
  • USB to RS232: ~5m
  • USB to RS485: ~1200m
  • USB to TTL: (Not explicitly specified, but typically short range)
• RS485:
  • Connector: Screw terminal
  • Pins: A+, B-, GND
  • Direction Control: Hardware automatic control
  • Protection: 600W lightning-proof and surge-suppress, 15KV ESD protection (with reserved 120R balancing resistor solder pads)
  • Transmission Mode: Point-to-multipoints (up to 32 nodes; repeaters recommended for 16+ nodes)
• RS232:
  • Connector: DR9 male
  • Protection: TVS diode, surge protection, ESD protection
  • Transmission Distance: ~15m
  • Transmission Mode: Point-to-point
• TTL (UART):
  • Operating Voltage: 3.3V/5V
  • Connector: Screw terminal
  • Pins: TXD, RXD, GND
  • Protection: Clamp protection diode, over-voltage/negative-voltage proof, shock resistance
  • Transmission Mode: Point-to-point
• LED Indicators:
  • PWR: Red indicator, lights up when USB connection and voltage are detected.
  • TXD: Green indicator, lights up when the USB port sends data.
  • RXD: Blue indicator, lights up when the device ports send data back.
• Operating Environment:
  • Temperature: -15°C ~ 70°C
  • Humidity: 5%RH ~ 95%RH
• Operating System: Windows 10 / 8.1 / 8 / 7 / XP

Note: A pad is reserved for 120R balancing resistance. It is recommended to weld 120Ω resistors to the first and last devices when connecting multiple devices simultaneously.

Driver Installation

Follow these steps to install the necessary drivers:

1. Connect the module to your PC. If a yellow exclamation symbol (⚠️) appears next to the device in Device Manager, a driver is required.
2. Download the driver from the Waveshare Wiki: https://www.waveshare.com/wiki/USB_TO_RS232/485/TTL#Resources
3. After downloading, extract the driver files.
4. Click the 'Extract' button in the FTDI CDM Drivers dialog to unpack the driver package and launch the installer.
5. Click 'Next' in the Device Driver Installation Wizard.
6. Accept the license agreement by selecting 'I accept this agreement' and click 'Next'.
7. The wizard will show the driver installation progress.
8. Once installation is complete, the wizard will indicate success. Click 'Finish'. Verify in Device Manager that the 'FT232R USB UART' device is now recognized correctly (e.g., as 'USB Serial Port') without any warning symbols.

Testing Procedures

The following sections describe how to test the RS232, RS485, and TTL interfaces.

RS232 Testing

Connect the RS232 interface of the converter and the USB interface to your PC. Open two instances of a serial assistance software (e.g., SSCOM) and configure them with the same baud rate for testing.

Diagram Description: A schematic shows the RS232 interface connections, detailing the DB9 male connector pins (RXD, TXD, GND) and their relation to the FT232RL chip. An image displays the Waveshare converter connected via USB and DB9 cables.

RS485 Testing

Connect the RS485 interface of the converter to the RS485 interface of a target board (using a Waveshare RS485 board for testing is shown). Connect terminal A to A and terminal B to B. Open two serial software instances on your PC and test the communication. Note: For RS485, the board should be configured for pull-high RSE to send data and pull-down to receive.

Diagram Description: An image illustrates the setup for RS485 testing, showing the Waveshare converter connected to two other modules via RS485 terminals.

TTL (UART) Testing

Connect the TTL interface of the converter to another UART board and connect to your PC. Open two serial software instances and perform tests.

Diagram Description: An image shows the Waveshare converter connected via USB and a screw terminal block to a TTL UART board, with TXD, RXD, and GND connections highlighted.