Have you ever wondered what are RS485 humidity sensors made for? Before providing you some use cases for them we have to understand two things. RS485 stands for a wiring type that Modbus protocol uses. This means that it can communicate with multiple devices that are connected to the same cable network.

RS485 humidity sensors are therefore well known standard Humidity Sensors with integrated Modbus communication. The Modbus has been published in 1979 and is still one of the most used protocols in the industry, smart homes, etc.
1. What humidity detectors measure?
Our planet Earth has an extraordinary atmosphere which leads to numerous weather phenomena that affect our lives. To understand these phenomena we have to understand the interaction between humidity and temperature. It is known that temperature affects humidity and that both directly affects people’s health and well-being. Relative humidity, which is measured by standard humidity sensors, is commonly used by meteorologists, give the means to understand this interaction.
Relative humidity represents the percentage of water vapor in the air which changes when the air temperature changes. This means as air temperature increases, air can hold more water molecules, and its relative humidity decreases. Temperature therefore directly relates to the amount of moisture the atmosphere can hold.
This is the reason why the humidity sensor can not operate without the temperature sensor as well and that leads to a conclusion, that every humidity sensor, including RS485 humidity sensors, will always measure the exact relative humidity and temperature of the room.
Indoor humidity is important for our well-being. If the humidity and the temperature are set to optimal, we will feel much better, no matter if it’s a workplace, home, or a shopping center. We covered what’s the best humidity and temperature for a different room in our past blog.
2. Best use practices for humidity sensor implementations
INDOOR IMPLEMENTATION
Indoor sensors are mostly used to control the temperature and humidity of our rooms, offices, etc. The housing for indoor humidity and temperature sensor doesn’t need to be very strong. The Andivi’s Modbus indoor sensor ANDRFFT/R-MD/S has a housing with an IP20 protection class which is more than enough to have peace of mind that the product is suitable for indoor use.
The humidity sensors can be placed almost everywhere, as they are not so sensible as air quality sensors.
With indoor humidity and temperature monitoring, we can achieve the best living environment which can be controlled by our central building management system. The sensor can control room thermostats, heating, and cooling systems, windows, etc.
OUTDOOR IMPLEMENTATION
Mostly used in industry, hotels, business buildings, sports facilities,… Why? Because those sensors are usually more robust and can be placed inside of the ventilation, machines, paint shops, etc.
Such an implementation of indoor sensors gives the technicians a lot of data about the room temperature and humidity. With such precise and direct data, the machines can operate so that they reproduce the best living environment. This has a very positive effect on our lives, energy, concentration, and also to think positively. Great air quality is the key to success.
Andivi can offer you a very special Modbus duct humidity and temperature sensor ANDARFT/R-MD/S which can be used in any outdoor implementation without any hesitations. All sensors are also compatible with various Modbus controllers.
Discover more about the different types of Modbus sensors or learn about how to choose the right Humidity Sensor for your needs.
Here, you can explore all the variations and models of our Modbus Temperature And Humidity Sensors.
Please do not hesitate to contact us.