Raspberry Pi PoE+ HAT features 25.5W PoE+

Raspberry Pi announced a second-gen “Raspberry Pi PoE+ HAT” that keeps the $20 price while advancing to 802.3at PoE+ for powering the Pi with up to 25.5W. A new diode rectifier enables cool running.

For the first time we can recall, Raspberry Pi Trading has announced a new product without supplying an order button. The replacement for the original Raspberry Pi PoE HAT will be available in June for Raspberry Pi 3B+ and 4 models, selling at same $20 price as the original.

The Raspberry Pi PoE+ HAT enables greater Power-over-Ethernet delivery to the Pi by moving up to PoE+ (802.3at) technology in addition to supporting standard PoE (802.2af). This enables up to 25.5W power draw compared to 15.4W, as well as 5A maximum output current compared to 2.5A.

Raspberry Pi PoE+ HAT with Pi

The new PoE+ HAT “runs cooler” than the original thanks to an improved Microchip PD70224ILQ diode rectifier, writes RPi CEO Eben Upton. There is also a new current sense capability.

Upton seemed particularly proud of the HAT’s new planar transformer from Bourns. The transformer has replaced the usual wire bundle, resulting in a slimmer HAT height for applications that can dispense with the standard fan. “And,” adds Upton, “it has the added benefit of looking like an artefact from the future.”

PoE+ HAT’s new planar transformer

The original PoE HAT stumbled out the door with a flaw in the regulator that led the company to offer a free refund for users experiencing problems. Since then, high demand and more recently, industry-wide supply chain issues, have caused delays in shipments.

Raspberry Pi decided on a preview announcement to allow customers waiting for their PoE HAT order to arrive to decide whether to wait for the original or switch over to the new HAT. Upton says that supply chain issues have not yet affected “mainline Raspberry Pi computers. An EENews Embedded report from May 20 that quoted Upton suggested the Pi supply problem was a bit more serious than that, although specific shortages were mentioned only for the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4.

Further information

The Raspberry Pi PoE+ HAT will be available in June for $20 on the Raspberry Pi Products page. More information may be found in the blog announcement.