Water meter reading using LORA

Question

We need to get reading of meter using LORA.

Previously, we have used NodeMCU with Wifi module but it contains short range. We need long range which will be around 10 km to 20 km, So we must need to go with LORA.

Below is our working flow,

1. We will get pulse from meter
2. Micro Controller will manipulate and send data using LORA.

Which Micro Controller, we need to use to transmit data using LORA?

One more thing, This should be running atleast 8 to 10 years with battery cell and send data around 10 km to 20 km.

Could anyone suggest that microcontroller with LORA module? (e.g. NodeMCU, Raspberry PI, Microchip, attiny, tinylora, arduino)

3. Micro Controller will receive data using LORA, store it and send it through wifi or GSM or LTE module.

Which Micro Controller, we need to use to receive data using LORA? (e.g. Raspberry PI, Arduino)

Answer 1

LoRaWAN is one of the best technologies for collecting data from water meters. This is because LoRaWAN networks operate in sub gigaherz bands and apply low (~14dBm) TX power. This enables long (even 8-10 years) battery life if the meters report their counter only one or 2 times a day. However, bridging 10-20km distance for water meters is not realistic at all. (In theory, if you have line of sight and both the meter and the gateway use special, high gain antennas, it may work, but such solution would not scale.) In practice, water meters are installed at problematic locations (underground in a water meter shaft, in the basement, in deep indoor environment, etc.) Under these conditions, the distance between the meter and the gateway cannot be longer than a few hundred (300..700) meters. The only solution to this challange is to build a more dense network of gateways. LoRaWAN has been designed to scale even at the size of a country and can collect data through thousands of gateways.

If you accept the limitations (1-2 msg per day, distance ~500m) of LoRaWAN, then I would recommend you buying one of the existing LoRaWAN pulse sensors that has been tested on the field and is already part of the LoRaWAN ecosystem. There are plenty of those on the market.

Answer 2

I definitely agree with @hardillb. It is indeed a shopping list kind of question. But as always, new users on any platform are subject of this kind of question. It goes away with time.

Now, in order to try to answer your question, there are some things we need to consider:

1. 10~20km range is quite long range. Not impossible, tough. 10km range can be achieved with very popular LoRa modules as the E32-433T30D. You will need to check the regulations about tx power in your country.
2. 8~10 years of battery life is quite long time. Not impossible, tough. I worked on some nrf52 based beacons and we can run the device for over 5 years on CR2032s.

I may now say something that you might not want to hear. Your task is absolutely impossible. If you need this kind of range, you will need power. And if you need power you have lower lifetime. Simple as that.

If you are not willing to reduce drastically the amount messages sent from the device or the range you might need to use a chunky battery. I dont think there is a low-cost, "IoT sized" solution for this problem.