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Small green circuit board with long pin headers and two tiny LEDs

Adafruit

Adafruit FTDI Friend + Extras engineering development tool

SKU CH-AVT8-J5DAT

USB-to-serial adapter with genuine FTDI chip, breadboard-friendly headers, activity LEDs and selectable 3.3 V or 5 V signal levels

  • TypeEngineering Development Tools
  • Genuine FTDI 232 chip ensures reliable serial communication
  • Extra-long headers allow direct breadboard connection without extra wires
  • Red and green LEDs pulse to show serial transmit and receive activity
  • 5 V compliant signal levels work with both 3.3 V and 5 V systems
  • Configurable 6th pin supports RTS or DTR for flexible programming

FTDI Friend USB-to-serial adapter

The FTDI Friend is a USB-to-serial adapter built around a genuine FTDI FT232RL chip. It provides four signal lines plus power for transferring serial data between a microcontroller and a computer. The board includes extra-long headers for direct breadboard insertion and two onboard LEDs that pulse during transmit and receive activity. It suits engineers and hobbyists debugging or programming serial devices.

Selectable 3.3V or 5V signal and power levels

Signal levels are 5V compliant and work with most 3.3V and 5V signal systems. A jumper lets you choose whether the power and I/O lines operate at 3.3V or 5V, matching the target hardware without extra level shifters. The sixth pin is configured as RTS by default, compatible with Arduino IDE 18 for uploading sketches, while the DTR line is also available for other programming needs. This flexibility frees the builder from fixed-voltage cables.

Stable operation during continuous serial traffic

Genuine FTDI silicon maintains reliable enumeration and data integrity during sustained transfers, avoiding the dropouts seen with counterfeit chips. The visual TX and RX indicators give immediate feedback on link health without opening a terminal window. The adapter draws power from the USB bus, so no external supply is required for typical development workloads. It is not suited for designs needing isolated interfaces or voltages outside the 3.3V to 5V range.

Highlights

  • Genuine FTDI 232 chip ensures reliable serial communication
  • Extra-long headers allow direct breadboard connection without extra wires
  • Red and green LEDs pulse to show serial transmit and receive activity
  • 5 V compliant signal levels work with both 3.3 V and 5 V systems
  • Configurable 6th pin supports RTS or DTR for flexible programming

Specifications

TypeEngineering Development Tools

Questions about this item

Will the 3.3 V signal level hold steady during long uploads?

The signal levels are 5 V compliant and should work in most 3.3 V and 5 V signal systems.

How warm does the FT232RL get when left plugged in all day?

The adapter draws power from the USB port and runs at the voltage you select, so heat stays low during continuous use.

What voltage must my target board use to match the default power setting?

The default power wire is +5 V and the signal levels are 3.3 V, matching the original FTDI cable configuration.

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