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  3. Which is better: RFM69 or NRF24L01+?

Which is better: RFM69 or NRF24L01+?

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  • NeverDieN NeverDie

    @Moshe-Livne said:

    The power consumption in idle is still something to consider

    According to JeeLabs, " The RFM69 draws 0.1 µA in sleep mode." Say, isn't that lower than for the NRF24L01+?

    Or, by "idle," were you referring to something else?

    Moshe LivneM Offline
    Moshe LivneM Offline
    Moshe Livne
    Hero Member
    wrote on last edited by
    #15

    @NeverDie I mean in reality... people here measured 30uA compared to 3uA in similar nrf setup. could be the result of many things, might be just a kink that has to be ironed in the software.

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    • NeverDieN Offline
      NeverDieN Offline
      NeverDie
      Hero Member
      wrote on last edited by NeverDie
      #16

      I haven't measured it myself, so I'm very open to everybody's data. Hopefully more people will post results of their own measurements and a pattern will emerge suggesting what's truth.

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      • S Offline
        S Offline
        shabba
        wrote on last edited by
        #17

        Just curious if anyone has tested the power consumption yet? But to be honest only one of my sensors is battery powered so I'm not overly concerned :-)

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        • fetsF Offline
          fetsF Offline
          fets
          wrote on last edited by
          #18

          @francois where did you get your antenna for rfm69. DIY ?

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          • M Offline
            M Offline
            mrmin24
            wrote on last edited by mrmin24
            #19

            Hi,

            Anyone got the Ethernet gateway going with RFM69? I am struggling and I am not sure, but I think there are a few issues in the V1.5 for RFM69.

            @NeverDie, a 78mm piece of wire works well for antenna.
            *Edit - Sorry, this is assuming 915MHz. See https://www.easycalculation.com/physics/electromagnetism/antenna-wavelength.php and choose quater wavelength

            NeverDieN 1 Reply Last reply
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            • M mrmin24

              Hi,

              Anyone got the Ethernet gateway going with RFM69? I am struggling and I am not sure, but I think there are a few issues in the V1.5 for RFM69.

              @NeverDie, a 78mm piece of wire works well for antenna.
              *Edit - Sorry, this is assuming 915MHz. See https://www.easycalculation.com/physics/electromagnetism/antenna-wavelength.php and choose quater wavelength

              NeverDieN Offline
              NeverDieN Offline
              NeverDie
              Hero Member
              wrote on last edited by
              #20

              @mrmin24 said:

              Hi,

              Anyone got the Ethernet gateway going with RFM69? I am struggling and I am not sure, but I think there are a few issues in the V1.5 for RFM69.

              @NeverDie, a 78mm piece of wire works well for antenna.

              Does it make any difference what the wire diameter is? I'm assuming the thicker the better?

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              • M Offline
                M Offline
                mrmin24
                wrote on last edited by
                #21

                @NeverDie Probably, but I don't think you should stress too much. The power is not "that" high.

                See http://ham.stackexchange.com/questions/140/good-wire-for-wire-antenna for what seems like valid response.

                NeverDieN 1 Reply Last reply
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                • M mrmin24

                  @NeverDie Probably, but I don't think you should stress too much. The power is not "that" high.

                  See http://ham.stackexchange.com/questions/140/good-wire-for-wire-antenna for what seems like valid response.

                  NeverDieN Offline
                  NeverDieN Offline
                  NeverDie
                  Hero Member
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #22

                  @mrmin24 said:

                  @NeverDie Probably, but I don't think you should stress too much. The power is not "that" high.

                  See http://ham.stackexchange.com/questions/140/good-wire-for-wire-antenna for what seems like valid response.

                  Right, I'm just not t sure how to account for the "skin effect".

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                  • FrancoisF Offline
                    FrancoisF Offline
                    Francois
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #23

                    @fets yes ons DIY. I am using 433mhz radio and I just wound the wire around screwdriver the thickness of the wire is 5.8mm and it is working for me.

                    NeverDieN 1 Reply Last reply
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                    • FrancoisF Francois

                      @fets yes ons DIY. I am using 433mhz radio and I just wound the wire around screwdriver the thickness of the wire is 5.8mm and it is working for me.

                      NeverDieN Offline
                      NeverDieN Offline
                      NeverDie
                      Hero Member
                      wrote on last edited by NeverDie
                      #24

                      @Francois said:

                      @fets yes ons DIY. I am using 433mhz radio and I just wound the wire around screwdriver the thickness of the wire is 5.8mm and it is working for me.

                      Is it just bare copper, or does it have some kind of thin insulator on it like magnet wire has?

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                      • FrancoisF Offline
                        FrancoisF Offline
                        Francois
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #25

                        @NeverDie it is just bare copper wire.

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                        • DwaltD Offline
                          DwaltD Offline
                          Dwalt
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #26

                          Bare or insulated wire will work the same. I use insulated on my 433mhz transmitter/receiver node to prevent the antenna from shorting anything on the board, just in case.

                          Veralite UI5 :: IBoard Ethernet GW :: MyS 1.5

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                          • fetsF Offline
                            fetsF Offline
                            fets
                            wrote on last edited by fets
                            #27

                            @francois nice job

                            NeverDieN 1 Reply Last reply
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                            • fetsF fets

                              @francois nice job

                              NeverDieN Offline
                              NeverDieN Offline
                              NeverDie
                              Hero Member
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #28

                              @fets said:

                              @francois nice job

                              +1

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                              • NeverDieN Offline
                                NeverDieN Offline
                                NeverDie
                                Hero Member
                                wrote on last edited by NeverDie
                                #29

                                Here a theory as to why the RFM69x might be better, at least for some people. Broadly speaking, RFM69x apparently has better range under regular conditions. "Well," you say, "I don't need better range. I live in a matchbox. My existing range is fine." Yes, when you're batteries are providing 3.3v, maybe it is. But what about when they're low and supplying closer to 1.8v, or whatever your cutoff is? How good is your range then?

                                So, my hope is that RFM69x will be sufficiently awesomer that it will have at least as good a range at, say, 1.8v as an NRF24L01+ does at 3.3v.

                                To be a good, reliable engineering design, you need to build your nodes/system for the worst case: i.e. their range is still effective even when all their batteries are on the verge of cutting out.

                                So, you could compensate for NRF24L01's lesser range by deploying repeaters, if necessary. However, you might avoid that cost and higher latency and possible deployment/maintenance hassle if you funnel those dollars into nodes that have better radios in the first place.

                                Anyhow, just thinking out loud here, of another angle on how to decide which is better for you.

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                                • NeverDieN Offline
                                  NeverDieN Offline
                                  NeverDie
                                  Hero Member
                                  wrote on last edited by NeverDie
                                  #30

                                  Looking into it, it's beginning to look as though the RFM69HW can't be scaled back on Tx power by much, if any. That's because, allegedly, it's PA has to be turned on if it is to work at all. So, this may explain why some people are opting for the RFM69W instead.

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                                  • FrancoisF Francois

                                    Hi I am using both at this stage and is busy change all my nodes over to the RFM69 and I don't have issue with range like I do with the NRS24L01+. I order my radio from Anadruino (http://www.anarduino.com/) to date I did not had any problems with the deliveries I get it relative fast. Also, it is easy to fit the radio on an Arduino mini pro see picture 1. Your footprint with the RFM69 is must smaller than it is if you fit the Arduino and NRF24l01 like I did with this LED dimmer and PIR Sensor see picture 2. The only problem I have at this stage is my power consumption is still high and I don't know why it is this high 3mA.

                                    Picture 1:
                                    upload-098ae33c-2c84-4cf2-8361-11ef71e094dc

                                    Picture 2:
                                    upload-93f251ef-24d1-4735-9f27-2336934df5ed

                                    NeverDieN Offline
                                    NeverDieN Offline
                                    NeverDie
                                    Hero Member
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #31

                                    @Francois said:

                                    Hi I am using both at this stage and is busy change all my nodes over to the RFM69 and I don't have issue with range like I do with the NRS24L01+. I order my radio from Anadruino (http://www.anarduino.com/) to date I did not had any problems with the deliveries I get it relative fast. Also, it is easy to fit the radio on an Arduino mini pro see picture 1. Your footprint with the RFM69 is must smaller than it is if you fit the Arduino and NRF24l01 like I did with this LED dimmer and PIR Sensor see picture 2. The only problem I have at this stage is my power consumption is still high and I don't know why it is this high 3mA.

                                    Picture 1:
                                    upload-098ae33c-2c84-4cf2-8361-11ef71e094dc

                                    Picture 2:
                                    upload-93f251ef-24d1-4735-9f27-2336934df5ed

                                    Francois,

                                    What pin-mapping did you use? i.e. For each pin you used on the RFM69W, which pin on the RFM69W to which pin on the pro mini?

                                    I have the parts, and I'm ready to wire one up. I'll try thinking it through from scratch, but it would be nice to compare notes also.

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                                    • FrancoisF Offline
                                      FrancoisF Offline
                                      Francois
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #32

                                      @neverdie I just using jumper wire to connect the radio to the Arduino mini pro see picture. This is working for me now as it is fast to get a sensor up and running.Also, it have a small footprint as well.

                                      upload-a4bf229a-8612-4f62-83c5-631787aaac0f

                                      NeverDieN Z 3 Replies Last reply
                                      1
                                      • FrancoisF Francois

                                        @neverdie I just using jumper wire to connect the radio to the Arduino mini pro see picture. This is working for me now as it is fast to get a sensor up and running.Also, it have a small footprint as well.

                                        upload-a4bf229a-8612-4f62-83c5-631787aaac0f

                                        NeverDieN Offline
                                        NeverDieN Offline
                                        NeverDie
                                        Hero Member
                                        wrote on last edited by NeverDie
                                        #33

                                        @Francois said:

                                        @neverdie I just using jumper wire to connect the radio to the Arduino mini pro see picture. This is working for me now as it is fast to get a sensor up and running.Also, it have a small footprint as well.

                                        upload-a4bf229a-8612-4f62-83c5-631787aaac0f

                                        Thanks! I've been wracking my brain, but for the cost in time and money I can't think of (or find) anything better, so I'm going to roll with what you did. A+

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                                        • FrancoisF Francois

                                          @neverdie I just using jumper wire to connect the radio to the Arduino mini pro see picture. This is working for me now as it is fast to get a sensor up and running.Also, it have a small footprint as well.

                                          upload-a4bf229a-8612-4f62-83c5-631787aaac0f

                                          NeverDieN Offline
                                          NeverDieN Offline
                                          NeverDie
                                          Hero Member
                                          wrote on last edited by NeverDie
                                          #34

                                          @Francois said:

                                          @neverdie I just using jumper wire to connect the radio to the Arduino mini pro see picture. This is working for me now as it is fast to get a sensor up and running.Also, it have a small footprint as well.

                                          upload-a4bf229a-8612-4f62-83c5-631787aaac0f

                                          @Francois
                                          Thanks again for the photo. I recently wired this up using an RFM69W, not HW, and it seems to work.

                                          However, I did find hat I needed to define pin D10 as an output pin using pinMode, or else it created aggravation. Setting it this way fixed that problem:
                                          pinMode(10,OUTPUT);

                                          I seemed to be getting unexpected current flowing through the DI00 wire, which seems to be connected to Pro Mini pin D2 (?) if I'm looking at your photo right. How are you initializing that pin in your code? Are you just defining D2 as an input pin, or is there more to it than that? Also, I'm guessing that at some point in your code you are attaching interrupts to D2?

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