Solenoid Valve Controller (LoRaWAN) – Milesight UC511 DI 868M

The Milesight UC511 DI 868M is a LoRaWAN controller built for irrigation and water distribution systems where you need consistent valve switching and measurable water usage. It drives two 2-wire DC 12V latching solenoid valves and counts pulse-output water meters via two digital inputs, so irrigation can be controlled by time and verified by actual delivered volume.

In practical deployments, one UC511 is often used to run two independent zones. A common setup is to open a zone on a schedule and stop it automatically once a target volume is delivered (for example, “Zone 1: 500 liters”), using meter pulses as the stop condition. This is widely used on farms, in horticulture, and on commercial sites because flow rate changes with pressure, line length, filters, or partial clogging—so runtime alone rarely delivers the same amount of water every day. The second valve can serve another irrigation line or area with its own schedule or volume target.

The pulse inputs are also used for real-world monitoring. If measured volume rises unusually fast or exceeds a threshold within a time window, the system can trigger an alert—often the earliest sign of a leak, a burst line, or a valve that isn’t closing properly. On municipal sites such as parks and sports fields, the same data supports automated watering while keeping zone- or site-level consumption records for accountability and cost control.

For outdoor installs, the UC511 features an IP68-rated enclosure and M12 connectivity designed for wet, harsh environments. It can execute preset commands autonomously during temporary network outages, helping irrigation continue as configured. Commissioning is handled via NFC using a mobile app, and multicast helps roll out changes efficiently across groups of controllers.
This version uses an internal antenna, simplifying installation when you don’t want an external antenna run.