A Repeater is recommended when your property is having connection issues with the Transceivers that are the farthest from your Gateway. There are multiple things that can cause this issue including Building Material, Distance Limitations, and Amount of Devices.
Building Material
The Material Directly around where the Transceiver is placed will affect its ability to transmit and receive signals. If your building is primarily made out of stone and/or metal then Repeaters will be necessary to increase the strength of the signal in certain areas.
Distance
Our equipment is able to transmit and receive signals up to 200ft with line-of-sight communication. Typically we dont recommend going over 150ft due to the variability of connection due to many different factors. If you do have to go above this distance and the device is having a hard time connecting to the Gateway a Repeater may be needed.
Amount of Devices
A Repeater is recommended for every 70 devices that you plan to operate at your property.
For a full guide go to RE4 Repeater Installation
The RE4 Repeater is intended for indoor use only. It operates within a temperature range of -20°C to 60°C (-4°F to 140°F). Ensure that the device is placed in an environment within these temperature limits to guarantee reliable and sustained performance.
When installing the RE4 Repeater, carefully consider its placement to maximize signal reception and transmission. Avoid locations with potential signal interference, such as dense walls, large metal structures, or electronic equipment emitting electromagnetic interference. Proper placement ensures the repeater can effectively amplify and relay signals within the submetering network.
Be mindful of devices or materials that can obstruct or degrade wireless signals. Examples include concrete walls, metal structures, and electronic appliances like microwave ovens, refrigerators, and Wi-Fi routers. Placing the RE4 Repeater strategically can help minimize signal disruptions from these sources.
Currently there are no options that we provide for storing Repeaters outdoors. It is not recommended to put them into weatherproof boxes as this can hamper the repeaters function to communicate with other devices. The RE4 operates within a temperature range of -20°C to 60°C (-4°F to 140°F). Ensure that the device is placed in an environment within these temperature limits to guarantee reliable and sustained performance.
Follow the Installation Guide for instructions on how to program the RE4
Power and Cost Calculator
If you ever need to calculate the cost of electricity for our Repeaters or Gateway you can use this Tool.
Power and Cost Calculator
Just input your variables into the top of sheet and the tool will calculate the numbers and give you information about how they will operate on your property.
The above calcuations are based on worst case scenarios for network layout. It assumes that every repeater will be involved in routing every message that is sent on the network. This is possible but is not typical. It also has a network retry rate of 15% built in. This is a higher than average retry rate. For stronger network layouts the values above can be improved. All of the above calculations are estimates and actual usage may vary.
The RE4 has a Power light and a RF light the will flash different colors and combinations.