RAK7431 RS485 Bridge Relays ModBUS Data over the LoRaWAN Network

Last year with covered Dragino RS485-LN RS485 to LoRaWAN converter that extends the range of RS485 wirelessly up to 15+km thanks to LoRaWAN connectivity. Rakwireless has now launched a similar product with RAK7431 Modbus RS485 to LoRaWAN bridge.

RAK7431 key features and specifications:

• MCU- STM32L071 industrial-grade MCU with low-power consumption (4uA sleep)
• LoRa
  • Semtech SX1272 LoRa transceiver
  • Frequencies – RU864, IN865, EU868, US915, AU915, KR920, AS923
  • Tx Power – 20dBm (Max)
  • LoRaWAN 1.0.3 protocol stack, supports Class A, Class B & C
  • Polling mode, transparent mode and packet mode
• RS485
  • 6-pin RS485 terminal block
  • Support up to 16x RS485 devices, with up to 32 instruction sets
  • Baud rate – Configurable 9600 to 115200bps
  • Can power RS485 devices via a dedicated output
• USB – 1x Micro USB configuration port
• Misc – Reset key, 3x LEDs
• Input Voltages – 8-48V DC input via 2-pin terminal block; 5V via Micro USB
  
• Dimensions – 93.6 x 100.3 x 24mm
• Protection Grade – IP31 (Protected against solid objects over 2.5mm
  and against vertically falling drops of water or condensation).
• Temperature Range – Operating: -30°C ~ 65°C; storage: -40°C ~ 85°C
• Compliance – IEC61000-4-2, IEC61000-4-4 and 18KV HMB ESD protection

Internally, the hardware is comprised of three main modules/board with WisBlock Base RAK5005 baseboard, WisBlock Core RAK4201 with STM32 MCU and LoRa, and WisBlock IO RAK5802 RS485 Modbus to LoRa bridge.

The company offers three mounting options with wall, DIN rail, and magnetic mounting, and the device ships with a high-gain antenna.

In a typical setup, several RAK7431 converters would be connected to RS485 sensors over wires, and communicate wirelessly with an LPWAN gateway such as RAK7249 macro outdoor gateway which sends/receives data to/from the cloud over MQTT, and everything would be managed from a cloud management platform such as RAK WisDM.

You’ll find documentation on Rakwireless website, and RAK7431 can be purchased on the company’s online store for $65 plus shipping.

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