RS485 add-on (Accessory for The Pill by Shelly)

The RS485 Add-on is a communication accessory for The Pill by Shelly that provides RS485 bus access and Modbus RTU support. It lets you read and control existing equipment such as PV inverters, battery systems, heat pumps, energy meters and professional sensors — without replacing hardware that already works. The module clips directly onto The Pill and measures just 36 x 31 x 11.5 mm, so it fits easily inside a panel or an existing enclosure. Important: the RS485 Add-on cannot operate on its own. It requires The Pill by Shelly and the 5 Terminal Add-on (accessory for The Pill by Shelly), which it connects through. Set up and controlled easily through the Shelly Smart Control app or your preferred smart home system — The Pill reads the RS485 data and makes it available in Home Assistant, Homey, SmartThings, Google Home and Amazon Alexa. Shelly devices work 100 % locally and only need a local network to function. Use cases, Energy and solar: read PV inverters, battery systems and energy meters over Modbus RTU for real-time production, consumption and status data. Heating and ventilation: monitor and remotely control heat pumps, ventilation units and thermostats with an RS485 interface. Building automation: consolidate data from multiple zones across offices, retail spaces and server rooms in one view. Professional automation: collect operating data from machines, process sensors and PLC-adjacent devices directly in the panel. Legacy retrofit: turn pumps, controllers and meters without network access into IoT devices with remote monitoring and alerts. Fewer boxes on site: skip the separate RS485-to-Ethernet gateway or controller unit. Connectivity and communication. RS485 A/B data lines with Modbus RTU support. Terminals: 24V (input), 5V (input/output), GND, A and B. 5V output for powering connected sensors and peripherals. 24V or 5V supply for The Pill through the same terminal block. RS485 is robust over long cable runs and well suited to panels and professional environments. Requires The Pill by Shelly and the 5 Terminal Add-on — it does not work as a standalone device.