4-channel I2C-safe Bi-directional Logic Level Converter - BSS138

Rating:
100% of 100
SKU: ADA757 Brand: Adafruit Guides (1)
Because the Arduino (and Basic Stamp) are 5V devices, and most modern sensors, displays, flash cards and modes are 3.3V-only, many makers find that they need to...
$8.15 AUD, inc GST
$7.41 AUD, exc GST

In stock, ships same business day if ordered before 2PM
Delivered by Tue, 2nd of Apr

Quantity Discounts:

  • 10-25 $7.11 (exc GST)
  • 25+ $6.89 (exc GST)
- +

3 from local stock, 1 supplier stock; your order will dispatch between Dec 1 to Dec 10. And yes, stock levels and lead times are accurate!

Favourite product

Shipping:

  • $6+ Standard (5+ days*, tracked)
  • $10+ Express (2+ days*, tracked)
  • FREE Pickup (Newcastle only - must order online*)

Shipping costs may increase for heavy products or large orders.

Exact shipping can be calculated on the view cart page.

*Conditions apply, see shipping tab below.

Because the Arduino (and Basic Stamp) are 5V devices, and most modern sensors, displays, flash cards and modes are 3.3V-only, many makers find that they need to perform level shifting/conversion to protect the 3.3V device from 5V.

We do have some other handy level shifters in the shop, from the DIP 74LVC245 to the fancy bi-directional TXB0108. However, neither of these are happy to work with I2C, which uses a funky pull-up system to transfer data back and forth. This level shifter board combines the ease-of-use of the bi-directional TXB0108 with an I2C-compatible FET design following NXP's app note.

This breakout has 4 BSS138 FETs with 10K pullups. It works down to 1.8V on the low side, and up to 10V on the high side. The 10K's do make the interface a little more sluggish than using a TXB0108 or 74LVC245 so they suggest checking those out if you need high-speed transfer.

While Adafruit designed it for use with I2C, this works as well for  TTL Serial,  slow <2MHz SPI, and any other digital interface both uni-directional and bidirectional. Comes with a fully assembled, and tested PCB with 4 full bidirectional converter lines as well as 2 pieces of 6-pin header you can solder on to plug into a breadboard or perfboard.

Technical Details

This product is listed in:

Raspberry Pi>Prototyping

Product Comments

Exact shipping can be calculated on the view cart page (no login required).

Products that weigh more than 0.5 KG may cost more than what's shown (for example, test equipment, machines, >500mL liquids, etc).

We deliver Australia-wide with these options (depends on the final destination - you can get a quote on the view cart page):

  • $3+ for Stamped Mail (typically 10+ business days, not tracked, only available on selected small items)
  • $6+ for Standard Post (typically 6+ business days, tracked)
  • $10+ for Express Post (typically 2+ business days, tracked)
  • Pickup - Free! Only available to customers who live in the Newcastle region (must order online and only pickup after we email to notify you the order is ready). Orders placed after 2PM may not be ready until the following business day.

Non-metro addresses in WA, NT, SA & TAS can take 2+ days in addition to the above information.

Some batteries (such as LiPo) can't be shipped by Air. During checkout, Express Post and International Methods will not be an option if you have that type of battery in your shopping cart.

International Orders - the following rates are for New Zealand and will vary for other countries:

  • $11+ for Pack and Track (3+ days, tracked)
  • $16+ for Express International (2-5 days, tracked)

If you order lots of gear, the postage amount will increase based on the weight of your order.

Our physical address (here's a PDF which includes other key business details):

Unit 18, 132 Garden Grove Parade
Adamstown
NSW, 2289
Australia

Take a look at our customer service page if you have other questions such as "do we do purchase orders" (yes!) or "are prices GST inclusive" (yes they are!). We're here to help - get in touch with us to talk shop.

Have a product question? We're here to help!

Write Your Own Review

Videos

View All

Guides

Raspberry Pi 5 Vs Raspberry Pi 4 Model B | Comparison & Benchmarking

The Raspberry Pi 5 is here and one of the biggest questions is, how does it stack up against the pr...
The Raspberry Pi 5 is here and one of the biggest questions is, how does it stack up against the pr...

Raspberry Pi 5 | Review, Performance & Benchmarks

The Raspberry Pi 5 is here! Our favourite credit card-sized computer has just gotten an update and ...
The Raspberry Pi 5 is here! Our favourite credit card-sized computer has just gotten an update and ...

Upgrade your Project for the Raspberry Pi 4

The New Version of the Raspberry Pi 4 has started going out to makers everywhere. If you are wanting...
The New Version of the Raspberry Pi 4 has started going out to makers everywhere. If you are wanting...

How to Use a Logic Level Shifter/Converter

So you’ve got your microcontroller/development board ready to go, you’ve got your sensor...
So you’ve got your microcontroller/development board ready to go, you’ve got your sensor...

Projects

safePower

I like working with the Pi Zero W and Pi 4 as they are very compact, very powerful and very cheap fo...
I like working with the Pi Zero W and Pi 4 as they are very compact, very powerful and very cheap fo...

ESP32 IR-Triggered Camera with Home Assistant Integration

I love the ESP line-up. I started by messing around with the ESP8266 and I completely fell in love w...
I love the ESP line-up. I started by messing around with the ESP8266 and I completely fell in love w...

LuMa 1 - The Neo Disco Ball

It is real and here it is! Including everything you need to make one a Luma 1 for yourself! S...
It is real and here it is! Including everything you need to make one a Luma 1 for yourself! S...

Educational Workshops

Raspberry Pi Workshop for Beginners

Welcome to the Raspberry Pi Workshop for Beginners! Here you'll be able to follow along with our s...
Welcome to the Raspberry Pi Workshop for Beginners! Here you'll be able to follow along with our s...
Feedback

Please continue if you would like to leave feedback for any of these topics:

  • Website features/issues
  • Content errors/improvements
  • Missing products/categories
  • Product assignments to categories
  • Search results relevance

For all other inquiries (orders status, stock levels, etc), please contact our support team for quick assistance.

Note: click continue and a draft email will be opened to edit. If you don't have an email client on your device, then send a message via the chat icon on the bottom left of our website.

Makers love reviews as much as you do, please follow this link to review the products you have purchased.