The Raspberry Pi PoE+ HAT is an updated version of Raspberry Pi PoE HAT and has announced its release in early June. The older device is facing a silicon supply shortage due to pandemic and this has led Adafruit to come up with a new version. Hence, they have developed a solution, which is the new Raspberry Pi PoE+ HAT. Costing the same as the older one, the new board costs $20. It is compatible with both Raspberry Pi 4 and Raspberry Pi 3B+. Besides, one can use this HAT for adding PoE+ capability to a Raspberry Pi’s ethernet port.
Features of Raspberry Pi PoE+ HAT
- The board can be used to power a Raspberry Pi through an ethernet cable if power source equipment is installed on the ethernet network.
- Further, this 802.3at-2003 PoE standard-based board delivers more power than its predecessor.
- The power delivered is about 5V DC/ 4A i.e.; about 25W.
- The board works at an input voltage of about 37-57V DC and a current of 5A which is two times that of Pi PoE HAT.
- Moreover, this 65 x 56.5 mm board features a fully isolated switched-mode power supply and fan control.
- The device has a 25 mm × 25 mm brushless fan that delivers 2.2 CFM.
In addition, the new board consists of a Microchip PD70224ILQ device which is an ‘ideal diode’ rectifier that has replaced the diode rectifier in Raspberry Pi PoE HAT. Thus, the heat dissipation is lower in the new Pi PoE+ HAT, than the previous board. The new board also has an advanced transformer, which is planar and is produced by Bourns.
Power over Ethernet PoE
PoE is a technology that allows networks to carry electrical power for a device. PoE has several advantages that include flexibility, reliability, scalability, time and cost savings. Firstly, one can save time and cost on using PoE as no installation of an electric power cable is required. “So, one can use the Raspberry Pi PoE+ HAT to place a Raspberry Pi at a remote location using a single cable for both power and data.” Secondly, as devices can be placed at positions not requiring an electrical source, PoE offers flexibility. Lastly, as PoE power is central and universal it can be counted as reliable.
Available by early June at approved resellers, one can purchase this board on the official product page. The source for all images and technical specifications is the product site.
Sanskriti Sawant is a student of Electronics and Telecommunication engineering. She is passionate about Computer architecture, VLSI and plans to major in them. She is working on HDL languages and FPGA’s.
