Don't allow rogue currents to 'garble' messages or damage equipment - an optical isolator in the data line can isolate any voltage anomalies from the protected equipment.

Tame rogue data line signals that can garble a message or damage electronic components by inserting an optical isolator in the data line. Rogue currents can have many causes, from exposure to a minor power surge in a nearby electrical circuit to a lightning strike in the vicinity. Optical Isolation works by converting a voltage signal to an optical signal which passes through an fiber optic section before being converted back to a voltage signal.

This process isolates any voltage anomalies from the protected equipment.

Mike Fahrion, director of engineering for B and B Electronics in Ottawa, Illinois, USA, said, 'Optical isolation can now be considered a requirement for commercial and industrial data communication.

Spikes and surges on the data line can create havoc in industrial applications'.

'If you get a surge in the home or office, you may have to reboot, which is an inconvenience.

But the same surge in a computer controlled industrial application can shut down an assembly line or an entire plant.

That's a disaster.

Adding optical isolation, either with a stand-alone isolator or a converter with optical isolation, can stop those damaging spikes and surges in their tracks.' B and B Electronics has introduced the expanded I-linx series of premium industrial data converters and other data products that include superior optical isolation.

New I-linx serial converters with superior isolation change RS-232 format data signals to RS-422 for increased range, or RS-485 for increased range and multi-drop capability.

I-linx stand-alone optical isolators in industrial din rail mount cases and 2000 V protection are now available for RS-232 and RS-422/485 data circuits.

Fiber optic data transmission provides intrinsic optical isolation.

B and B offers their Model FOSTCDRI that converts RS-232, RS-422, or RS-485 to transmit over fiber optic cable.

Fiber optic cable also allows range to be increased up to 2.5 miles (4km).

A multi-drop arrangement can easily be set up, allowing one serial device to talk to multiple slave devices around a fiber ring.

All I-linx devices are in DIN rail mount cases and made rugged for industrial applications.

The new I-linx line of optically isolated converters and isolators is now available from B and B Electronics. Bankruptcy