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OMG-CONV-485-ISO
Isolated RS-232 to RS-422/485 Converter
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It is the policy of OMEGA to comply with all worldwide safety and EMC/EMI regulations that
apply. OMEGA is constantly pursuing certification of its products to the European New Approach
Directives. OMEGA will add the CE mark to every appropriate device upon certification.
The information contained in this document is believed to be correct, but OMEGA Engineering, Inc. accepts
no liability for any errors it contains, and reserves the right to alter specifications without notice.
WARNING: These products are not designed for use in, and should not be used for, patient-connected applications.
Contents
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................... 1
OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................................1
W HAT ’S INCLUDED....................................................................................................1
FACTORY DEFAULT SETTINGS................................................................................1
CARD SETUP ................................................................................................................ 2
RS-485 ENABLE M ODES.............................................................................................2
LINE TERMINATION AND RECEIVER ECHO OFF/ON.............................................4
OPERATING SYSTEM INSTALLATION (FOR WINDOWS USERS).............. 6
RS-422/RS-485 Four Wire Master/RS-485 Two Wire Auto Mode
Installation ............................................................................................................ 6
RS-485 Two-Wire and RS-485 Four-Wire Slave Installation ...................... 7
Other Operating Systems .................................................................................... 8
SYSTEM INSTALLATION ......................................................................................... 9
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION...................................................................................10
CONNECTOR PIN A SSIGNMENTS............................................................................10
RS-232 Signals (DB-25 Female) .....................................................................10
RS-422/485 Pin Assignments (6 Position Screw Terminal).......................10
SPECIFICATIONS......................................................................................................11
ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIFICATIONS......................................................................11
M ANUFACTURING....................................................................................................11
M EAN TIME BETWEEN FAILURES (MTBF).........................................................11
PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS ...........................................................................................11
APPENDIX A - TROUBLESHOOTING..................................................................12
Figures
Introduction
Overview
The OMG-CONV-485-ISO is a single channel RS-232 to RS-422/485
asynchronous converter. It provides one field selectable RS-422/485 serial port
supporting asynchronous data rates up to 115.2K bps. The OMG-CONV-485-
ISO is self-powered allowing it to correctly drive multi-drop RS-485 networks.
Configure the port as RS-422 for long distance device connections up to 4000ft.
where noise immunity and high data integrity are essential. Select RS-485 and
capture data from multiple peripherals in an RS-485 multi-drop network. Up to 31
RS-485 devices can be connected to automate your data collection.
In RS-422 and RS-485 Auto modes, the card works seamlessly with the standard
operating system serial driver. Two additional methods are provided to control
the communication line in RS-485 mode. The “Data Enable” mode uses the
transmitted data to enable the transmitter and requires no software drivers. This
mode has limitations that will be discussed in more detail later. The “RTS Enable”
mode uses the UART modem control signal RTS to control the communication
line and requires the serial driver.
What’s Included
The OMG-CONV-485-ISO is shipped with the following items. If any of these
items is missing or damaged, contact the supplier.
• OMG-CONV-485-ISO Serial I/O Adapter
• Software
• Power Supply
Factory Default Settings
The OMG-CONV-485-ISO factory default settings are as follows:
Port # Electrical Specification
Port 1 RS-422
To install the OMG-CONV-485-ISO using factory default settings, refer to
Installation.
For your reference, record installed OMG-CONV-485-ISO settings below:
Port # Electrical Specification
Port 1
OMG-CONV-485-ISO Page 1
Card Setup
Card Setup
RS-485 Enable Modes
RS-485 is ideal for multi-drop or network environments. RS-485 requires a tri-state
driver that will allow the electrical presence of the driver to be removed from the
line. The driver is in a tri-state or high impedance condition when this occurs.
Only one driver may be active at a time and the other driver(s) must be tri-stated.
The output modem control signal Request To Send (RTS) is typically used to
control the state of the driver. Some communication software packages refer to
RS-485 as RTS enable or RTS block mode transfer.
Dip switch SW1 is used to control the RS-485 mode functions for the driver
circuit. The selections are:
‘RS-422 Mode’ (Always). This is the factory default mode that ensures the
transmitter is always enabled. This mode is intended for Full Duplex applications
such as RS-422 or RS-485 4-wire Master mode where tri-state control of the
transmitter is not required.
‘RS-485 RTS Enable Mode’. The ‘RTS’ enable mode uses the ‘RTS’ modem
control signal to enable the RS-485 interface and provides backward
compatibility with existing software products. The serial driver should be used
and configured for ‘RTS’ control providing a robust RS-485 solution.
‘RS-485 Data Enable Mode’. The ‘Data’ enable mode uses the transmit data
stream to enable/disable the transmitter. When the data bit is High (logic 1), the
transmitter will be tri-stated and relies on the line biasing resistors to place the
line in the proper state. For this reason, line termination cannot be used thus
reducing the data rate and maximum cable length. This mode should only be used
in applications that prevent the use of the RS-485 Auto Mode or the serial driver.
OMG-CONV-485-ISO Page 2
Card Setup
Communication Mode Examples (Dip switch SW1)
OFF ON
1
2
Figure 1- Dip switch SW1, RS-422
OFF ON
1
2
Figure 2 – Dip switch SW1, RS-485 ‘Auto’ Enable
OFF ON
1
2
Figure 3 – Dip switch SW1, RS-485 ‘RTS’ Enable
OFF ON
1
2
Figure 4 – Dip switch SW1, RS-485 ‘Data’ Enable
OMG-CONV-485-ISO Page 3
Card Setup
Dip switch SW2 position 6 is used to control the RS-485 enable/disable functions
for the receiver circuit and determines the state of the RS-422/485 driver. The RS-
485 ‘Echo’ is the result of connecting the receiver inputs to the transmitter
outputs. Every time a character is transmitted, it is also received. This can be
beneficial if the software can handle echoing (i.e. using received characters to
throttle the transmitter) or it can confuse the system if the software does not. To
enable the ‘No Echo’ mode dip switch SW2 position 6 should be on.
SW Function
2
1 Adds or removes the 120-ohm termination
2 Adds or removes the 1K-ohm pull-up resistor in the RS-422/RS-485
receiver circuit (Receive data only)
3 Adds or removes the 1K-ohm pull-down resistor in the RS-422/RS-485
receiver circuit (Receive data only)
4 Connects TX+ to RX+ for RS-485 two-wire operation
5 Connects TX- to RX- for RS-485 two-wire operation
6 Receiver Echo Off/On (On = Echo Off)
OFF ON
1
2
3
4
5
6
Figure 5 – Dip switch SW2, Line Termination and Echo Off/On
OMG-CONV-485-ISO Page 4
Card Setup
OFF ON
1
2
3
4
5
6
Figure 6 – RS-422 with Termination and Receiver Echo
OFF ON
1
2
3
4
5
6
Figure 7 – RS-485 2-wire with Termination and Receiver No Echo
OFF ON
1
2
3
4
5
6
OMG-CONV-485-ISO Page 5
Installation
OMG-CONV-485-ISO Page 6
Installation
RS-485 Two-Wire and RS-485 Four-Wire Slave Installation
If your application is 2-wire Half-Duplex RS-485 or 4-Wire Full-Duplex RS-485
Slave that requires control of the transmitter, the OMG-CONV-485-ISO provides 3
methods of control.
The second method is ‘RTS Enable’ which uses the Windows based serial
drivers to control the UART modem control signal RTS. RTS is connected to the
transmitter enable circuit and thru software control, provides an efficient method
of line-turnaround. This abstracts the application from the low level control and
simplifies application development. This mode should be used with line
termination since the transmitter is driving the line during transmission.
The last method is ‘Data Enable’ which uses the transmitted data stream to
enable the transmitter and requires no special software drivers. When the
transmitted data is a low (0), the transmitter will be enabled to drive the line.
When the transmitted data is a high (1), the transmitter will be tri-stated relying
on the line biasing resistors to pull the line to the proper state. Due to this,
termination must not be used and thus data rate and cable length are reduced
accordingly.
The choice of which method to use is simple. If your data stream permits the use
of the ‘Auto Enable’ mode always use this option as it permits the simplest
installation. If ‘Auto Enable’ is not an option and you are using the OMG-CONV-
485-ISO in a Windows based system, setup the transmitter control for ‘RTS
Enable’ and install the SeaCOM software. Again, if ‘Auto Enable’ is not an
option, and your system is not Windows based or if the port you are converting
is not PC based, use ‘Data Enable’.
OMG-CONV-485-ISO Page 7
Installation
Once the software installation is complete, the port must be configured for ‘RTS
Enable’. This is accomplished by using the Device Manager in Windows 9X,
ME, and Windows 2000. The port that the OMG-CONV-485-ISO is attached
must be selected under Ports (COM & LPT). Access the ‘RTS Enable’ checkbox
via the ‘Advanced’ dialog. In Windows NT, the ‘Advanced Ports’ applet should
be used for configuration.
OMG-CONV-485-ISO Page 8
Installation
System Installation
Installation is complete.
Please Note:
On power-up, the OMG-CONV-485-ISO scans the Mode Select dip switch (SW1)
one time to determine the communication mode and then branches to the
selected control logic. No attempt is made to periodically check the switch for a
mode change. This is done for two reasons. First, our experience shows that a
device such as this is configured for the required application and the mode is not
changed after this. Due to this reason, the product is not burdened with the
overhead of always checking this switch. At higher baud rates this becomes
especially critical due to the speed of the onboard microcontroller. The utmost
priority is given to sampling the incoming data.
If the OMG-CONV-485-ISO has been configured for a particular mode, and for
some reason it has become necessary to change the communication mode,
remove power, reconfigure the Mode Select dip switch (SW1) for the new mode,
and reapply power.
OMG-CONV-485-ISO Page 9
Technical Description
Technical Description
The OMG-CONV-485-ISO converts an existing RS-232 serial port into a field
selectable RS-422/485 port for industrial automation and control applications.
Technical Note: The modem control signals are biased in the following
fashion: RTS and CTS are connected, DTR is connected to DCD and
DSR, and RI is tied inactive.
OMG-CONV-485-ISO Page 10
Specifications
Specifications
Environmental Specifications
Manufacturing
• All Printed Circuit boards are built to U. L. 94V0 rating and are 100%
electrically tested. These printed circuit boards are solder mask over bare
copper or solder mask over tin nickel.
Physical Dimensions
OMG-CONV-485-ISO Page 11
Appendix A - Troubleshooting
Appendix A - Troubleshooting
Serial Utility test software is supplied with the adapter and will be used in the
troubleshooting procedures. By using this software and following these simple
steps, most common problems can be eliminated without the need to call
Technical Support.
3. If the host RS-232 port is working properly, verify that the OMG-CONV-485-
ISO is configured correctly for your application based on the ‘Card Setup’
section earlier in this manual. After attaching the OMG-CONV-485-ISO, you
may perform a loopback test by connecting TX+ to RX+ and TX- to RX-.
Keep in mind that this test will fail should you have dip switch SW2 position
6 on. This forces the OMG-CONV-485-ISO into ‘No Echo’ mode and will
prevent the loopback test from passing. For loopback purposes, always
have dip switch SW2 position 6 off even if you will use No Echo in your
actual application.
4. During the loopback test, pay attention to the TX and RX leds as both of
these should be on. Failure of one or both of these to be on would indicate a
hardware problem on the adapter.
OMG-CONV-485-ISO Page 12
Appendix B - How To Get Assistance
OMG-CONV-485-ISO Page 13
Appendix C – Electrical Interface
OMG-CONV-485-ISO Page 14
Appendix C – Electrical Interface
RS-485
RS-485 is backwardly compatible with RS-422; however, it is optimized for
partyline or multi-drop applications. The output of the RS-422/485 driver is
capable of being Active (enabled) or Tri-State (disabled). This capability allows
multiple ports to be connected in a multi-drop bus and selectively polled. RS-485
allows cable lengths up to 4000 feet and data rates up to 10 Megabits per second.
The signal levels for RS-485 are the same as those defined by RS-422. RS-485 has
electrical characteristics that allow for 32 drivers and 32 receivers to be
connected to one line. This interface is ideal for multi-drop or network
environments. RS-485 tri-state driver (not dual-state) will allow the electrical
presence of the driver to be removed from the line. Only one driver may be active
at a time and the other driver(s) must be tri-stated. RS-485 can be cabled in two
ways, two wire and four wire mode. Two wire mode does not allow for full duplex
communication, and requires that data be transferred in only one direction at a
time. For half-duplex operation, the two transmit pins should be connected to the
two receive pins (Tx+ to Rx+ and Tx- to Rx-). Four wire mode allows full duplex
data transfers. RS-485 does not define a connector pin-out or a set of modem
control signals. RS-485 does not define a physical connector.
OMG-CONV-485-ISO Page 15
Appendix D – Ground Loop Phenomenon
Cabling Recommendations
When connecting the OMG-CONV-485-ISOI in a RS-485 network, care should
be taken that both ends of the network are not isolated from ground (see Figure
8). This “floating” ground condition could cause the capacitive or inductive
coupling of voltages that will cause a break down in the DC to DC converter
circuit or in the opto-isolator circuit. This condition will cause data errors and
possibly destruction of the receiver circuit.
A DATA+
B
DATA- Non
Isolated Isolated
Adapter Ground
Adapter
Isolation
Barrier
OMG-CONV-485-ISO Page 16
Appendix E - Asynchronous Communications
0
1
1.5
2
This special bit is called the parity bit. Parity is a simple method of determining if
a data bit has been lost or corrupted during transmission. There are several
methods for implementing a parity check to guard against data corruption.
Common methods are called (E)ven Parity or (O)dd Parity. Sometimes parity is
not used to detect errors on the data stream. This is refereed to as (N)o parity.
Because each bit in asynchronous communications is sent consecutively, it is
easy to generalize asynchronous communications by stating that each character
is wrapped (framed) by pre-defined bits to mark the beginning and end of the
serial transmission of the character. The data rate and communication parameters
for asynchronous communications have to be the same at both the transmitting
and receiving ends. The communication parameters are baud rate, parity, number
of data bits per character, and stop bits (i.e. 9600, N, 8, 1).
OMG-CONV-485-ISO Page 17
Appendix F - Silk-Screen
Appendix F - Silk-Screen
2.078 in
2.688 in
OMG-CONV-485-ISO Page 18
Appendix G - Compliance Notices
Warning
This is a Class A Product. In a domestic environment this product may cause
radio interference in which case the user may be required to take adequate
measures.
OMG-CONV-485-ISO Page 19
WARRANTY/DISCLAIMER
OMEGA ENGINEERING, INC. warrants this unit to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a
period of 13 months from date of purchase. OMEGA’s WARRANTY adds an additional one (1) month
grace period to the normal one (1) year product warranty to cover handling and shipping time. This
ensures that OMEGA’s customers receive maximum coverage on each product.
If the unit malfunctions, it must be returned to the factory for evaluation. OMEGA’s Customer Service
Department will issue an Authorized Return (AR) number immediately upon phone or written request.
Upon examination by OMEGA, if the unit is found to be defective, it will be repaired or replaced at no
charge. OMEGA’s WARRANTY does not apply to defects resulting from any action of the purchaser, includ-
ing but not limited to mishandling, improper interfacing, operation outside of design limits,
improper repair, or unauthorized modification. This WARRANTY is VOID if the unit shows evidence of
having been tampered with or shows evidence of having been damaged as a result of excessive corrosion;
or current, heat, moisture or vibration; improper specification; misapplication; misuse or other operating
conditions outside of OMEGA’s control. Components which wear are not warranted, including but not
limited to contact points, fuses, and triacs.
OMEGA is pleased to offer suggestions on the use of its various products. However,
OMEGA neither assumes responsibility for any omissions or errors nor assumes liability for any
damages that result from the use of its products in accordance with information provided by
OMEGA, either verbal or written. OMEGA warrants only that the parts manufactured by it will be
as specified and free of defects. OMEGA MAKES NO OTHER WARRANTIES OR
REPRESENTATIONS OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, EXCEPT THAT OF TITLE,
AND ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY AND
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE HEREBY DISCLAIMED. LIMITATION OF
LIABILITY: The remedies of purchaser set forth herein are exclusive, and the total liability of
OMEGA with respect to this order, whether based on contract, warranty, negligence,
indemnification, strict liability or otherwise, shall not exceed the purchase price of the
component upon which liability is based. In no event shall OMEGA be liable for
consequential, incidental or special damages.
CONDITIONS: Equipment sold by OMEGA is not intended to be used, nor shall it be used: (1) as a “Basic
Component” under 10 CFR 21 (NRC), used in or with any nuclear installation or activity; or (2) in medical
applications or used on humans. Should any Product(s) be used in or with any nuclear installation or
activity, medical application, used on humans, or misused in any way, OMEGA assumes no responsibility
as set forth in our basic WARRANTY/ DISCLAIMER language, and, additionally, purchaser will indemnify
OMEGA and hold OMEGA harmless from any liability or damage whatsoever arising out of the use of the
Product(s) in such a manner.
RETURN REQUESTS/INQUIRIES
Direct all warranty and repair requests/inquiries to the OMEGA Customer Service Department. BEFORE
RETURNING ANY PRODUCT(S) TO OMEGA, PURCHASER MUST OBTAIN AN AUTHORIZED RETURN
(AR) NUMBER FROM OMEGA’S CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT (IN ORDER TO AVOID
PROCESSING DELAYS). The assigned AR number should then be marked on the outside of the return
package and on any correspondence.
The purchaser is responsible for shipping charges, freight, insurance and proper packaging to prevent
breakage in transit.
FOR WARRANTY RETURNS, please have the FOR NON-WARRANTY REPAIRS, consult OMEGA
following information available BEFORE for current repair charges. Have the following
contacting OMEGA: information available BEFORE contacting OMEGA:
1. Purchase Order number under which the product 1. Purchase Order number to cover the COST
was PURCHASED, of the repair,
2. Model and serial number of the product under 2. Model and serial number of the product, and
warranty, and 3. Repair instructions and/or specific problems
3. Repair instructions and/or specific problems relative to the product.
relative to the product.
OMEGA’s policy is to make running changes, not model changes, whenever an improvement is possible. This affords
our customers the latest in technology and engineering.
OMEGA is a registered trademark of OMEGA ENGINEERING, INC.
© Copyright 2002 OMEGA ENGINEERING, INC. All rights reserved. This document may not be copied, photocopied,
reproduced, translated, or reduced to any electronic medium or machine-readable form, in whole or in part, without the
prior written consent of OMEGA ENGINEERING, INC.
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