If you’ve ever tried to connect a 3.3V device to a 5V system, you know what a challenge it can be. The SparkFun bi-directional logic level converter is a small device that safely steps down 5V signals to 3.3V AND steps up 3.3V to 5V at the same time. This level converter also works with 2.8V and 1.8V devices. What really separates this Logic level converter from our previous versions is that you can successfully set your high and low voltages and step up and down between them safely on the same channel. Each level converter has the capability of converting 4 pins on the high side to 4 pins on the low side with two inputs and two outputs provided for each side.

The level converter is very easy to use. The board needs to be powered from the two voltages sources (high voltage and low voltage) that your system is using. High voltage (5V for example) to the ‘HV’ pin, low voltage (3.3V for example) to ‘LV’, and ground from the system to the ‘GND’ pin.

Get Started with the Logic Level Converter Guide

Features

0.63 x 0.52" (16.05 x 13.33mm)

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).