USB to Serial

Learn :

USB to Serial 

USB to Serial

Making a DIY USB to Serial adapter 

The USB to Serial project is a break-out board for the CP2103 from  Silicon Labs .

I was looking for an inexpensive Serial Port solution for my Mac, that I could build into my projects without external adapters. I have the KeySpan  USA-19HS , which works very well, but it is too expensive to build into projects and you must use a level shifter to safely use TTL or 3.3 volt signals.

For projects where adapters are not convenient you can use the CP2103. With this break-out board, you have pins for all of the RS-232 signals, four GPIO pins and 5 volts, 3.3 volts and ground. I made it with the intention of testing designs on a bread-board, but it may also be incorporated into another design by simply plugging it in like a DIP.

If you would like to make your own, you can download the PCB EPS from the link below.

I would suggest taking a look at the How To page called PCB Notes.

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To solder the CP2103 in this project I used a Hot Air Re-work station from SparkFun, and for the rest of the parts I used my regular soldering station.

Pin-Out (Top)

Parts:

U1

R1

R2

R3

C1      

C2 

C3

D1

J1

J2,J3,J4   

Description

CP2103

4.7K ohm 0603 Resistor

10K ohm 0603 Resistor

1k ohm 0603 Resistor

1uF 0603 Capacitor 

0.1 uF 0603 Capacitor

4.7 - 10 uF Capacitor

LED 0603

Mini-USB 

.1” spaced SIPs     

Digikey PN:

336-1164-ND

311-4.7KGRCT-ND

311-10KGRCT-ND

*RR12P1.0KDCT-ND

-                  

490-1519-1-ND 

511-1473-1-ND

160-1436-1-ND

H2961CT-ND

-   

* I used a 2.2k ohm resistor here because otherwise the LED was too bright for me.

DOWNLOADS:

Documents:

Board File Top: USB to Serial PCB

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