UpBlue Connect
UpBlue Connect is the plug-and-play hardware line of UpBlue. It is for the places a PC cannot reach: an energy meter in a cabinet, a machine in a corner of the hall, a sensor far from the server room.
The first UpBlue Connect device reads Modbus RTU over RS485. A server can normally not read Modbus RTU — it has no serial port, and RTU cables should be short. The UpBlue Connect device is placed directly at the meter or machine, reads the values there and sends them on over Wi-Fi.
Two ways to connect
| Mode | How it works | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Via a collector (advised) | The device sends its values over the local network to your UpBlue Collector, which sends them to UpBlue. | You have a Collector running. All data of the site flows through one place. |
| Cloud (direct) | The device sends its values directly to UpBlue over Wi-Fi. | Quick results, or sites without any PC or server at all. |
Our advice: use a Collector when you have one. Direct mode is perfect to get started quickly.
Setup
The device is configured over USB, from the browser. No software installation needed.
USB setup works in Chrome and Edge. Firefox and Safari do not support connecting to USB devices from the browser.
Connect
Open your organisation in the UpBlue Management Environment and go to the Collectors page.
Plug the device into your computer with a USB cable and select it in the browser.
Mode
Choose Cloud (direct) or Via a collector (local).
Wi-Fi
Pick the Wi-Fi network the device should use and enter the password.
Finish
Give the device a name, for example the name of the meter it is connected to. In collector mode, also select the Collector.
The device is now online and appears in your collector list with a Device badge.
Setup failing halfway? Factory-reset the device and run the wizard again.
Configuration
The device comes with its own Modbus connection. Configure it like a normal Modbus connection: slave ID, serial settings (speed, data bits, stop bits, parity), endianness and word order. For a known device (brand and model), these settings are prefilled — adding a rule is then just picking a parameter.
Rules
Rules work like Modbus rules: register, address, datatype, poll rate and transformations.
Because the device is small, there are some limits:
- Maximum 32 rules per device
- Minimum poll rate of 1 second
- The string and boolean bit-mapping datatypes are not available
Updates
The device updates its firmware the same way a Collector updates: remotely, from its page in the UpBlue Management Environment. No need to plug it in again.