A good PCB layout practice is to keep the transmitter and receiver circuits separate, use a solid ground plane, and keep the signal traces short and away from noise sources. Additionally, use a common mode choke or ferrite bead to filter the RS-485 bus.
To ensure reliable communication in noisy environments, use a shielded cable, twisted pair, or a cable with a drain wire to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI). Also, consider using a common mode choke or ferrite bead to filter the RS-485 bus.
The maximum cable length supported by the MAX3486EESA+T depends on the data rate and cable characteristics. As a general guideline, the maximum cable length is approximately 4000 feet (1219 meters) at 115.2 kbps, but this can be affected by cable capacitance, attenuation, and noise.
To handle bus contention and fault tolerance in an RS-485 network, use a network topology with a single master device and multiple slave devices. Implement a collision detection mechanism, such as a timeout or a watchdog timer, to detect and recover from bus contention. Additionally, consider using a fault-tolerant protocol, such as a token-passing protocol, to ensure reliable communication.
The power consumption of the MAX3486EESA+T in sleep mode is typically around 10 μA. However, this can vary depending on the specific application and operating conditions.
MAX3486EESA+T datasheet
by Maxim Integrated Products
