RS485 Industrial Lightning Detection Sensor

An IP68-rated Industrial Lightning Detection Sensor with RS485 Modbus RTU interface, 5–28VDC input, -40 to 80°C operating range and 40km estimated lightning distance range.

The Seeed RS485 Industrial Lightning Detection Sensor detects cloud-to-cloud, cloud-to-ground and intra-cloud lightning within a range of up to 40km (24 miles).

It reports the distance of the latest strike, strike count, relative energy, noise and disturber count, making it suitable for weather stations, industrial safety systems and outdoor environmental monitoring.

The sensor uses an RS485 Modbus RTU interface and works with the SenseCAP LoRaWAN® Data Logger for low-power, long-range data transmission over LoRaWAN® networks.

Features

• 40km Lightning Detection: Detects cloud-to-ground, cloud-to-cloud, and intra-cloud lightning activity within a radius of up to 40km. It provides an estimated distance of the latest strike, helping users monitor nearby thunderstorm activity and judge whether a storm front is approaching or moving away.
• Comprehensive Lightning Data: Provides real-time lightning activity insights including strike count since last read, latest strike distance estimation, and relative strike energy. It also records noise and disturber events to assess signal quality and environmental interference. In addition, the device supports rolling statistics over 10, 30, and 60-minute windows, along with 60-minute noise and disturber counts for trend analysis and system evaluation.
• RS485 Modbus RTU Output: Provides an RS485 communication interface with Modbus RTU protocol for reliable industrial data acquisition and long-distance transmission. It supports standard Modbus register access and features built-in surge protection, ensuring stable connectivity with data loggers, gateways, PLCs, and other monitoring systems.
• Low-Power, Wide-Voltage Operation: Supports a 5 ~ 28 V DC power supply range. In RS485 mode, the device consumes less than 1.2 mA quiescent current at 12 V DC and less than 6 mA during lightning detection. The low power design makes it suitable for remote, battery powered, and solar powered monitoring systems.
• Rugged Outdoor Protection: Designed for outdoor and industrial use with an IP68-rated compact wall-mount housing. It supports -40 to 80°C operation, 0-100% humidity, reverse-power protection, and built-in TVS/ESD protection for exposed field and industrial environments.

Specifications

Product Model	S-Lightning-01A
Output Interface	RS485 (Modbus-RTU)
Power Supply	5–28 V DC
Power Consumption	Quiescent current <1.2 mA @ 12 V DC; Maximum current during lightning detection <6 mA @ 12 V DC
Lightning Detection Range	0–40 km (0–24 miles)
Detected Lightning Types	Cloud-to-ground, intra-cloud, and cloud-to-cloud discharges
Detection Parameters	Strike count since last Read; 0-65535 count
Noise Count Since Last Read;	0-65535 count
Disturber Count Since Last Read:	0-65535 count
Distance Estimation:	0-40 km
Energy of Last Strike(relative):	0-2097151 (Relative EM wave intensity index)
Strike counts over 10,30,and 60 minutes:	0-65535 count
Noise counts over 60 minutes:	0-65535 count
Disturber count over 60 minutes:	0-65535 count
Operating Temperature	-40 to +80 °C
Operating Humidity	0–100% RH
IP Rating	IP68
Installation	Wall mounting
Cable Length	2 m
Dimensions	111 × 25.5 mm (length × diameter)
Protection	Reverse-polarity protection; built-in surge, TVS, and ESD protection
Supplier Code	100092529

Wiring Diagram

Resources

• Product datasheet

Package Contents

• 1x RS485 Industrial Lightning Detection Sensor
• 1x Mounting bracket
• 2x Plastic screws
• 2x Metal screws