{"product_id":"inhero-mr-2-solar-mesh-repeater-board-rak4630-sx1262-mppt-red-ce-gepruft","title":"Inhero MR2 – Solar Mesh Repeater Board (Multi-Chemistry, MPPT, RED\/CE-tested)","description":"\u003ch3\u003eInhero MR2 – Solar Mesh Repeater Board\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSupports Li-ion, LiFePO₄, lithium titanate (LTO) and Na-ion batteries, including low-temperature charge-current limiting\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eINA228 coulomb counting provides measured SOC values (essential for LiFePO₄) and remaining-runtime forecasts for periods of bad weather\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAuto sleep\/wake-up on undervoltage to prevent brown-outs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUniversal solar input 3.6–24 V, automatic panel voltage detection, buck\/boost, MPPT\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBME280 environmental sensor and RV-3028-C7 RTC on board\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eQuiescent current: 6.0 mA at 4.2 Vbat \/ 7.7 mA at 3.3 Vbat\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e0.98 Wh energy consumption per day in real repeater operation (24-hour measurement)\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuilt for winter operation: measured energy balance over 24 h, 3 and 7 days plus a remaining-runtime forecast straight from the board\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFirmware: currently \u003cstrong\u003eMeshCore\u003c\/strong\u003e only (ready-made builds available) – \u003cstrong\u003eMeshtastic support is planned\u003c\/strong\u003e but not yet available\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlways included: solar connection cable, battery cable, mounting screws and BLE adhesive antenna\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCE-certified\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eMeshCore CLI\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll board parameters are accessible at runtime via the MeshCore CLI – locally over USB serial, or remotely through the MeshCore app's admin access, without physical access to the device.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:.9em;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em .8em .3em 0;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003ccode\u003eset board.bat\u003c\/code\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em 0;\"\u003eCell chemistry: lifepo1s | liion1s | lto2s | naion1s | none\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em .8em .3em 0;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003ccode\u003eset board.batcap\u003c\/code\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em 0;\"\u003eNominal capacity in mAh (100–100000)\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em .8em .3em 0;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003ccode\u003eset board.imax\u003c\/code\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em 0;\"\u003eMax. charge current in mA (50–1500)\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em .8em .3em 0;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003ccode\u003eset board.fmax\u003c\/code\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em 0;\"\u003eLow-temperature charge-current limiting: 0% | 20% | 40% | 100%\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em .8em .3em 0;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003ccode\u003eset board.mppt\u003c\/code\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em 0;\"\u003eMPPT on\/off\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em .8em .3em 0;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003ccode\u003eset board.leds\u003c\/code\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em 0;\"\u003eBoard LEDs off\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em .8em .3em 0;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003ccode\u003eset board.tccal\u003c\/code\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em 0;\"\u003eCalibrate battery temperature sensor (NTC) against BME280\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.6em .8em .3em 0;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003ccode\u003eget board.conf\u003c\/code\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.6em 0 .3em 0;\"\u003e\u003ccode\u003eB:lifepo1s F:20% M:1 I:500mA Vco:3.50 V0:2.90\u003c\/code\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em .8em .3em 0;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003ccode\u003eget board.telem\u003c\/code\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em 0;\"\u003e\u003ccode\u003eB:3.34V\/248.6mA\/14C SOC:78.5% S:6.12V\/162mA\u003c\/code\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em .8em .3em 0;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003ccode\u003eget board.cinfo\u003c\/code\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em 0;\"\u003e\u003ccode\u003ePG \/ CC\u003c\/code\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em .8em .3em 0;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003ccode\u003eget board.selftest\u003c\/code\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em 0;\"\u003e\u003ccode\u003eINA:OK BQ:OK RTC:OK BME:OK\u003c\/code\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em .8em .3em 0;vertical-align:top;\"\u003e\u003ccode\u003eget board.stats\u003c\/code\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"padding:.3em 0;\"\u003e\u003ccode\u003e-24\/-18\/-15mAh C:280 D:304 3C:295 3D:313 7C:271 7D:286 BAT M:41% T:14d3h\u003c\/code\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExample outputs are shown on the right. \u003ccode\u003eget board.stats\u003c\/code\u003e returns the energy balance over 24 h, 3 and 7 days from the INA228 coulomb counter; \u003ccode\u003eT:\u003c\/code\u003e is the remaining runtime until cutoff, calculated from the 7-day average of the daily deficit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDescription\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Inhero MR2 is a LoRa mesh repeater board based on the RAK4630 (nRF52840 + SX1262) with an integrated solar charge controller – usually referred to as a solar node or solar repeater in the community. It is populated with a BQ25798 buck\/boost charge controller with MPPT and JEITA temperature management, an INA228 coulomb counter, an RV-3028-C7 real-time clock, a BME280 for temperature, humidity and barometric pressure, and a TPS62840 step-down converter for the 3.3 V rail. Connectors: two U.FL sockets for LoRa and BLE, USB-C for service and firmware updates, JST-PH 2.0 for battery (3-pin with NTC) and solar (2-pin). Dimensions 45 × 40 mm, four M2.5 mounting holes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe solar input accepts 3.6 to 24 V with a maximum open-circuit voltage of 25 V. The MPPT operates autonomously; no adjustment to the panel voltage is required. Buck\/boost charging works even when the panel voltage is below the battery voltage. Consumption in repeater operation averages 12.3 mA at 3.3 V, measured over 24 hours with typical radio traffic; that corresponds to 295 mAh or 0.98 Wh per day. At full duty cycle under EU868 g3 the calculated figures are 19.8 mA and 1.57 Wh\/day. In Central Europe, 2 Wp with vertical south-facing mounting and no shading is reliably sufficient; built-up or partially shaded sites require 3–5 Wp. Some MR2 units even run year-round on 1 Wp at exposed, vertically south-facing locations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWinter operation\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePanel sizing is decided by winter, not by summer: irradiation in December in Central Europe is roughly an order of magnitude below the June average. That is precisely why the MR2 measures its energy balance instead of estimating it. \u003ccode\u003eget board.stats\u003c\/code\u003e returns charge and discharge balance over 24 hours, 3 and 7 days, plus a remaining-runtime forecast from the 7-day average of the daily deficit. A shortfall becomes visible before the node goes down – and remotely, through the MeshCore app's admin access, without having to visit the site. In freezing conditions the charge controller limits the charge current via the NTC or blocks it entirely; the repeater itself keeps running on solar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe battery chemistry is set once during installation via the CLI (set board.bat) and defines the charge cutoff and sleep voltages. If the battery voltage drops below the chemistry-specific threshold, the INA228 triggers a hardware interrupt. The board enters a deep sleep below 500 µA; the charge path remains active, and the real-time clock wakes the board hourly to check the voltage. Restart only occurs 200 mV above the shutdown threshold.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe state of charge is determined by the coulomb counter rather than estimated from the battery voltage. The MeshCore app calculates percentages from a Li-ion discharge curve, so the firmware reports the measured state of charge as an equivalent Li-ion voltage. As a result, the app shows the correct value even for LiFePO₄, LTO and Na-ion. This requires the battery capacity to be stored during installation (set board.batcap) and a one-time full charge as the 100% SOC reference point.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor Li-ion and LiFePO₄, the charge controller limits the charge current as a function of temperature via an NTC; in freezing conditions the charge current is reduced or blocked entirely. The repeater itself continues to be powered from solar – only the charge current is limited.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/docs.inhero.de\/en\/mr2\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e→ Full documentation: docs.inhero.de\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/liekmarflow\/MeshCore\/releases\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e→ Firmware downloads (MeshCore builds for the MR2)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eChoosing your configuration\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe MR2 always ships as a complete set: \u003cstrong\u003esolar connection cable, battery cable, mounting screws and BLE adhesive antenna are included with every variant.\u003c\/strong\u003e The only choice is the battery cable version – there is nothing to add and no compatibility to check.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBattery cable with bare wire ends\u003c\/strong\u003e – if you assemble protection module and cell yourself\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBattery cable with LiFePO4 protection module\u003c\/strong\u003e – for LiFePO₄ cells, cutoff at 3.75 V and 2.1 V\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBattery cable with Li-ion protection module\u003c\/strong\u003e – for Li-ion and LiPo cells, cutoff at 4.275 V and 2.8 V\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth protection module versions include a temperature sensor matched to the MR2 and come fully soldered and tested – you only connect the cell. In the community these protection modules are usually just called a \u003cstrong\u003eBMS\u003c\/strong\u003e; technically they are 1S protection circuits (PCM) without cell balancing – balancing is not required in a single-cell setup, and charge control is handled by the onboard BQ25798.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat's in the box\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIncluded with all variants:\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1× Inhero MR2 board (hardware rev. 1.1)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShort connection cables with bare wire ends and JST sockets (board side)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e4× stainless steel A2 mounting screws, Ø 2.5 × 4.5 mm, T8 drive\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1× solar connection cable, JST-PH 2.0 2-pin, 20 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1× BLE adhesive antenna 2.4 GHz, U.FL, 10 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1× battery cable, JST-PH 2.0 3-pin, 20 cm, in the chosen version (bare wire ends or with pre-soldered protection module)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNot included with any variant:\u003c\/strong\u003e battery, solar panel and 868 MHz LoRa antenna. 18650, 21700 or 26650 cells are the usual choice; matching solar panels are available in the shop. The BLE antenna covers only the 2.4 GHz service link, not the LoRa radio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eFirmware \u0026amp; software\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe MR2 is currently supported by MeshCore only.\u003c\/strong\u003e Ready-made, tested MeshCore builds are available for download. \u003cstrong\u003eMeshtastic support is planned\u003c\/strong\u003e, but no Meshtastic firmware for the MR2 exists yet. If your network runs on Meshtastic today, please check before purchasing whether MeshCore is an option for your use case.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe MR2 ships exclusively with the \u003cstrong\u003eOTAFIX bootloader\u003c\/strong\u003e. No application firmware is pre-installed by design – you flash the firmware yourself. No programming adapter is required.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo flash, press the reset button \u003cstrong\u003etwice in quick succession (double reset)\u003c\/strong\u003e. The board then enumerates as a USB drive on your computer; copy the firmware onto it as a \u003ccode\u003e.uf2\u003c\/code\u003e file via drag and drop. After copying, the board restarts automatically.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReady-made \u003cstrong\u003eMeshCore builds\u003c\/strong\u003e for the MR2 are published as releases, currently \u003cstrong\u003eInhero MR2 v1.16.0\u003c\/strong\u003e based on MeshCore v1.16.0. The releases contain three build variants – repeater, repeater with RS232 bridge, and sensor node – each as \u003ccode\u003e.uf2\u003c\/code\u003e, \u003ccode\u003e.hex\u003c\/code\u003e and \u003ccode\u003e.zip\u003c\/code\u003e with SHA256 checksums, plus quick-start guides in German and English.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/liekmarflow\/MeshCore\/releases\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e→ Firmware releases for the Inhero MR2\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInclusion of MR2 support in the official MeshCore project is being prepared. Until then, please use the builds linked above. As soon as Meshtastic support becomes available, we will announce it here and in the documentation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eTechnical specifications\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRadio module: RAK4630 (nRF52840 + SX1262)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMCU: nRF52840, ARM Cortex-M4, 64 MHz\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLoRa frequency range: 863.1–869.9 MHz\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBluetooth Low Energy: 2.402–2.480 GHz (service mode only)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCharge controller: BQ25798, buck\/boost, MPPT, JEITA\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSolar input: 3.6–24 V, max. open-circuit voltage 25 V\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUSB charging: 5 V via USB-C (shared input with solar)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCharge current: 50–1500 mA, configurable via CLI\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePower monitor: INA228, coulomb counter, 100 mΩ shunt, max. 1.6 A\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReal-time clock: RV-3028-C7\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEnvironmental sensor: BME280 (temperature, humidity, barometric pressure)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStep-down converter: TPS62840, 3.3 V, max. 750 mA\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBattery chemistries: Li-ion 1S, LiFePO₄ 1S, LTO 2S, Na-ion 1S\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFirmware support: MeshCore (available), Meshtastic (planned)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConsumption in repeater operation: 12.3 mA at 3.3 V = 295 mAh\/day = 0.98 Wh\/day (24-hour measurement, typical radio traffic)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eQuiescent current, active idle: 6.0 mA at 4.2 V \/ 7.7 mA at 3.3 V\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeep sleep: \u0026lt; 500 µA (charge path active, RTC wake-up)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInterfaces: 2× U.FL, USB-C, solar, battery. (UART\/I²C and SWD as solder pads on the rear)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDimensions: 45 × 40 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMounting: 4× M2.5 holes, 35 × 40 mm spacing\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBootloader: Adafruit nRF52 OTA-Fix, UF2-capable\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDelivery \u0026amp; shipping\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShipping within Germany via DHL Paket (insured, with tracking)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDelivery time: usually 2–4 business days\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e⚠ Important safety notes\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNo reverse-polarity protection:\u003c\/strong\u003e The board has no hardware reverse-polarity protection on the battery or solar input. Reversed polarity causes immediate, irreversible damage. Always check polarity before connecting.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMind the cell chemistry:\u003c\/strong\u003e The cutoff thresholds of LiFePO₄ and Li-ion are not compatible. Choose the battery cable version to match your cell.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNTC required:\u003c\/strong\u003e For Li-ion and LiFePO₄, an NTC must be connected or the solder jumper for the onboard NTC must be closed. Otherwise the charge controller blocks charging.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNo short circuit on the solar input while USB is connected:\u003c\/strong\u003e Both share the same input via a Schottky diode.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLTO 2S:\u003c\/strong\u003e An external balancer is required for continuous operation; the board does not balance.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eESD-sensitive assembly – handle only with appropriate ESD protection.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlways connect an antenna when operating the LoRa\/BLE transceivers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eCompliance (RED 2014\/53\/EU)\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe hardware has been tested for conformity with the EU Radio Equipment Directive (RED 2014\/53\/EU) by an accredited test laboratory and is CE-compliant. The final transmission characteristics (transmit power, frequency, duty cycle) depend on the firmware installed by the user and the antenna chosen. The operator is responsible for configuring transmit power and antenna gain so that the applicable EU limits (EN 300 220, ERC\/REC 70-03) are met.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eManufacturer (information pursuant to EU General Product Safety Regulation 2023\/988)\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInhero GmbH, Gewerbestraße 19, 08115 Lichtentanne, Germany\u003cbr\u003eEmail: info@inhero.de\u003cbr\u003eProduct identification: Inhero MR2, hardware rev. 1.1\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Inhero GmbH","offers":[{"title":"Battery cable with bare wire ends","offer_id":57326502642039,"sku":"MR2-SET-OE","price":99.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Battery cable with LiFePO4 protection module","offer_id":57326502674807,"sku":"MR2-SET-LFP","price":103.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Battery cable with Li-ion protection module","offer_id":57326502707575,"sku":"MR2-SET-LI","price":103.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0965\/2230\/5911\/files\/MR-2_front_rect.jpg?v=1782388115","url":"https:\/\/shop.inhero.de\/en\/products\/inhero-mr-2-solar-mesh-repeater-board","provider":"Inhero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}