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

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 Rial 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