EKM 485Bee - Zigbee Wireless Node for RS-485 Mesh Network - EKM Metering Inc.

EKM 485Bee - Zigbee Wireless Node for RS-485 Mesh Network

$150.00

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EKM 485Bee Wireless Adapter for RS-485 Network - Zigbee (XBee) to RS-485
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Description: Hardwired RS-485 to Wireless Zigbee Mesh Network

Voltage: 6 to 24 volts DC

Model: 485Bee v2.1.5

Make any EKM-Omnimeter into a wireless submeter.

The EKM-485Bee replaces the hardwired links in your RS-485 network with wireless zigbee mesh links.

Hardwired links between Omnimeters and the EKM Push or USB to RS485 converter using shielded twisted pair wires, will always be more reliable than wireless links. See below for more information. *

The 485Bee is usually optional. Use wireless 485Bees if you are unable to run wires either easily or economically between meters or between meters and the communication converter. You can have one meter per 485Bee or 126 meters per 485Bee to make a mesh network.

Works with our 9600 baud Omnimeter Models only.

Range of 200m with the supplied antenna. This can be extended to up to a mile line-of-sight by using focused high gain antennas.

This item includes the 485Bee, the 900 MHz DigiMesh RP-SMA Radio, and the 900 MHz antenna.

The 485Bee baseboard powers the radio and supplies RS-485.

Radios come pre-configured to replace the RS-485 communications wire.

These are designed to be used in areas where it is difficult to run an RS-485 communication wire.

You will need at least 2 of these to create both ends of the Zigbee mesh network.

Requires 6 to 24 volt DC power to operate. Power can be supplied via the center-positive 5.5mm x 2.1mm barrel jack or via the terminal block connections. Power supply is not included and must be sourced separately. We offer a wall wart style 12 Volt Power Supply for this purpose. We also offer a 12 Volt DIN Rail Mountable Power Supply option, for 485Bees that are installed in or near the Omnimeter, Push3, and/or enclosure.

The 485Bee can also share a 12V power supply with a Push3 by using one of these 12V Splitters.

LED Indication of Power, RSSI, RS-485 In, and RS-485 Out.

Check out the Communication Diagram showing how the 485Bee can be used to create a wireless zigbee mesh network to connect all of your meters together. You can have up to 20,000 485Bee Radios in 1 mesh network (essentially unlimited). Each 485Bee will strengthen and boost the signal of the mesh network. 485Bees can also be setup to be on different channels if you want to have separate networks in the same physical area.

* It is possible to get close to 100% good communication with wireless 485Bees, but in some environments this will not be possible. There are a number of steps you can try to increase the reliability of your wireless network (line of site communications, raising the 485Bees off the ground, the direction of the antennas, moving the 485Bees to better locations, installing intermediate 485Bees which will act to boost and repeat the signal, etc). The EKM Push3 makes up for this because it will read your meters as fast as possible, then once a minute send out the latest good read. So even if you only have a few good reads you will have a full data set.

For more information about our products and services, we encourage you to visit our online Knowledge Base, which provides spec sheets, videos, tutorials, FAQs, diagrams, and more.

Spec Sheet: Wireless 485Bee Spec Sheet

PVC pipe enclosure example: Wireless 485Bee installed in PVC pipe enclosure for a simple watertight enclosure

  • 5 stars: 1 (50%)
  • 4 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 3 stars: 1 (50%)
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J
Jody Stoker

Worked flawlessly. Literally plug and play.

J
John

A bit pricey, should be in the $35-$45 range

C
Charlie

Cuantos medidores puedo conectar a una sola antena radio 485BEE.

EKM Metering Inc.

Puede conectar hasta 126 Omnimeters o ioStacks a una sola radio 485Bee. Puede tener hasta 20,000 485Bees en una sola red. Por lo tanto, puede tener esencialmente una cantidad ilimitada de Omnimeters o ioStacks conectados a una sola puerta de enlace EKM Push3 cuando usa radios 485Bee.

Translation: How many meters can I connect to a single 485BEE radio antenna?

You can connect up to 126 Omnimeters or ioStacks to a single 485Bee radio. You can have up to 20,000 485Bees in a single network. So you can have essentially an unlimited number of Omnimeter or ioStacks connected to a single EKM Push3 gateway when using 485Bee radios.

R
Randal Youngberg

Is it possible to use an extension cable on the antenna (standard coax type?), and how much will that attenuate the signal?

EKM Metering Inc.

Yes, it seems possible, we have not tried it here ourselves though. You can search for "low loss RPSMA extension". Im not sure how much this will affect the signal, I guess it would depend on the length of the extension and the grade of the extension cable.

Instead of extending the RPSMA connection we tend to just locate the 485Bee remotely from the Omnimeter or from the Push, just run a CAT 5 cable to the 485Bee that carries 12VDC in one pair and RS485 in the other pair. The RS485 is small enough that you can fit it inside of an enclosure made of PVC pipe. You will get the best signal strength between 485Bees the higher they are off the ground, with the best line of sight possible, away from any objects or buildings.

C
Chris Saksida

Is the $100 cost per item, or for a pair (as two is required for this to operate)

EKM Metering Inc.

The pricing is for one radio unit. We sell them individually as some people will need multiple radios for multiple meters at a single location.

W
Will

Can this be mounted outdoors, and do you have a mounting enclosure for it?

EKM Metering Inc.

Yes, you can mount the EKM 485Bee outdoors if you put it in an enclosure.  Moisture is the enemy, so you will need to locate it in a sheltered area, or in a really watertight enclosure.  We like to make our own enclosure out of a piece of 2" PVC pipe.  We use a 2" pipe cap, a 2" length of pipe, a 2" threaded x slip fitting, a 2" threaded cap.  We just drill a hole in the threaded 2" cap that is big enough to accept a CAT5 data cable.  The CAT5 cable is used for the RS485 data as well as the 12VDC to power the 485Bee.  The advantage of this is that you then have a 485Bee inside of a pipe enclosure that you can mount to a tall pole if you need to get the best line of sight connection to all other 485Bees in your network.  If all of that seems like too much effort, you could also just put the 485Bee inside one of our Large Watertight Enclosures: https://www.ekmmetering.com/collections/enclosure/products/watertight-enclosure-with-hinged-and-latching-lid-ul-listed-6-7-x-10-63-x-4-33

A
Admin

Is it possible to feed one push with two omnimeters, one wireless and one hard wired? If yes is there a diagram showing how this would need to happen?

EKM Metering Inc.

Yes, you can connect up to 50 Omnimeters to a single EKM Push gateway.  Some Omnimeters can be hardwired to the Push, others can be connected wirelessly (in this case the Push being hardwired to a 485Bee).  Here is a diagram showing how multiple Omnimeters and 485Bees (https://help.ekmmetering.com/support/solutions/articles/6000085076-wireless-rs485-communication-via-zigbee-mesh-network) can connect to a Push.

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