The Seeed Studio RS-485 Breakout Board is a versatile RS-485 expansion designed for all Seeed Studio XIAO development boards. Equipped with the TP8485E transceiver IC, this breakout board efficiently converts UART serial streams to RS-485 signals. Operating as a half-duplex transceiver, the TP8485E enables unidirectional communication, spanning distances of up to 1200 meters. This breakout board is engineered for efficiency, consuming power from a single 5V or 12VDC power source. Its RS-485 output is facilitated through 3-pin terminals for both signal wires and power connections. These features collectively make it an ideal choice for robust data transmission across extensive distances and in challenging, high-noise environments.

Features:

Seamless Compatibility with Seeed Studio XIAO: Designed to work seamlessly with the Seeed Studio XIAO development boards.
Long-Distance Transmission: Suitable for communication distances of up to 1200 meters (approximately 3973 feet).
Supports Wide Voltage Input: Compatible with 5V and 12V power supply
Two Terminal Connection: two 3-pin terminals for both signal wire and power
Compact Design: The breakout board features a compact form factor (size of 2 XIAO boards), making it suitable for space-conscious project

What is RS-485?

RS-485 is an efficient and reliable serial communication standard, suitable for various applications that require long-distance and multipoint connectivity. Its noise immunity and flexibility have made it widely used in industrial and communication sectors.

How does RS-485 work?

RS-485 uses a pair of signal lines (A and B) to transmit data, providing excellent noise immunity and supporting half-duplex communication modes. It allows for the connection of up to 32 devices on the same bus, with each device having a unique address for identification in sending and receiving data. This standard is widely used in industrial automation, remote monitoring, and other applications, and when combined with the Modbus protocol, it facilitates efficient data exchange and management between devices.

With the Seeed Studio RS-485 Breakout Board, you can harness the powerful capabilities of the Seeed Studio XIAO development boards and their extensive ecosystem to create projects that require reliable high-speed long distance communication. Whether you are developing industrial control systems or IoT devices, this breakout board offers a reliable and compact solution to integrate RS-485 functionality into your projects.

Learn more about it here.

All about RS485 - How RS485 Works and How to Implement RS485 into Industrial Control Systems? - Latest Open Tech From Seeed

Specifications:

Product: Seeed Studio RS-485 Breakout Board
Compatibility: Seeed Studio XIAO dev boards, Adafruit QT Py
Communication Interface: RS-485
RS485 Chip: TP8485E, half-duplex tranceiver
Terminal Connection: 3-pin terminal for signal wire and 3-pin terminal for power
Communication Distance: 1200 meters
Transmission Speed: 250k bps

Applications: