Diodes has introduced the API782x family, a series of dual-channel digital isolators built for fast digital signal isolation in industrial systems. The parts are aimed at designs that need reinforced isolation, solid noise immunity, and flexible channel direction options without moving to a larger or more complex isolation scheme. In practical terms, they fit into the signal path between a controller and an electrically noisy or high-voltage section of the system, where keeping logic communication intact matters just as much as meeting the isolation rating.
API782x is a dual-channel digital isolator family used for isolating digital signals in systems such as solar inverters, motor controls, industrial automation equipment, and electricity meters. The family includes API7820, API7820F, API7821, and API7821F, all housed in a wide-body SO-16WW package and rated for 5,700 VRMS isolation under UL 1577.
Reinforced Isolation for Faster Signal Paths
One of the more useful things about the API782x family is that it is not positioned as a low-speed interface part. Diodes specifies data rates up to 100 Mbps, which means these devices can sit in a wide range of digital transmission paths without becoming the obvious bottleneck. That matters in industrial control systems where the isolation barrier is no longer just a safety requirement, but also part of the timing budget for the wider design.
The reinforced isolation claim is also central to the family’s role. Diodes says the devices meet reinforced isolation requirements in line with VDE, UL, and CQC standards, with certification processing listed for UL 1577, VDE V0884-17, and CQC GB4943.1. That makes the parts relevant in equipment where isolation is carrying both functional and compliance weight, especially when a controller on one side of the barrier has to communicate cleanly with a transceiver, gate-drive stage, or measurement block on the other.
Channel Options and Default States Matter Here
The split between part numbers is straightforward. API7820 and API7820F provide two channels in the same direction, while API7821 and API7821F provide one channel in each direction. The F-suffix parts default low on the output, while the standard versions default high. Those are not dramatic differences however they are the details that decide whether a part drops cleanly into an existing isolated signal path or forces extra logic around it.
That flexibility makes the family easier to map onto real control architectures. The application diagram in the announcement shows the isolator placed between an MCU and a CAN transceiver across an isolated power barrier, which is a good example of where channel direction and default-state behavior matter in practice.
Built for Noisy Industrial Environments
Diodes is clearly aiming these parts at electrically harsh environments. The API782x family is specified with minimum common-mode transient immunity above 150 kV/µs, along with low emissions and low power consumption. In motor drives, inverter stages, and factory control hardware, that kind of immunity is often what determines whether an isolated digital link remains dependable once switching edges and common-mode noise start building around the barrier.
There's also a longer-term reliability angle. Diodes claims more than 40 years of predicted isolation barrier lifetime based on its own calculations. That fits with the way these parts are being positioned for industrial equipment expected to stay in service for years.
Learn more and read the original announcement at www.diodes.com
Technology Overview
The API782x family from Diodes is a dual-channel digital isolator series rated for 5,700 VRMS isolation under UL 1577 and packaged in a wide-body SO-16WW. The devices support supply voltages from 2.5 V to 5.5 V, data rates up to 100 Mbps, and minimum common-mode transient immunity above 150 kV/µs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the API782x used for?
It is used to isolate digital signals in systems such as solar inverters, motor controls, industrial automation equipment, and electricity meters.
What variants are available in the API782x family?
The family includes API7820, API7820F, API7821, and API7821F. API7820/API7820F use two channels in the same direction, while API7821/API7821F use one channel in each direction.
What package does the API782x family use?
All API782x devices are offered in the SO-16WW wide-body package.
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