Isolated RS-485 with onboard power — what it saves you
It belongs to the IsoPower and iCoupler series, using magnetic coupling for the data channels and an integrated transformer for the isolated power rail. Rated for 2500 Vrms isolation and 25 kV/µs common-mode transient immunity, it is built for industrial environments where ground potential differences and motor-drive noise would otherwise corrupt a non-isolated bus. The 16 Mbps data rate supports high-speed fieldbus links such as Profibus and RS-485-based motion control networks.
16 Mbps and 2500 Vrms — sizing the isolation for your bus
The 16 Mbps data rate is the headline figure, but the practical cable length at that speed is about 10 to 20 meters before signal degradation sets in. For longer runs — 100 m or more — you trade data rate for distance; at 500 kbps the same part can drive cables up to 1200 m. The 15 ns rise and fall times are fast enough for clean eye diagrams at 16 Mbps but also mean the layout needs controlled impedance and proper termination (typically 120 Ω across the differential pair). The 2500 Vrms isolation rating is a 1-minute withstand test voltage. For continuous use, the working voltage is derated per the datasheet curves — typically around 600 Vrms for reinforced insulation. The 25 kV/µs common-mode transient immunity means the receiver output does not glitch when a motor drive switches a 600 V IGBT in under 100 ns, which is the real-world failure mode that kills non-isolated transceivers in factory automation.
IsoPower integration — what the onboard DC-DC means for the BOM
The tradeoff is that the switching noise from the internal converter couples onto the secondary-side supply rail; the datasheet recommends an external LC filter (a ferrite bead and 10 µF capacitor) on the secondary-side Vcc if the application is sensitive to ripple. The part provides up to 30 mA of isolated output current on the secondary side, enough to power the transceiver itself and a few external pull-up resistors on the bus. If the bus requires termination resistors or bias networks that draw more than 30 mA, an external isolated supply is still needed.
Lifecycle and sourcing posture
For dual-sourcing considerations, the ADM2682EBRIZ-RL7 is a functional alternative with 5000 Vrms isolation and three channels (2/1), but it uses a different package (20-SOIC with wider creepage) and a different pinout — verify compatibility before substituting.