Raspberry Pi Power Over Ethernet Switch HAT

As Pi Makers and Firmware Bakers, we love making all kinds of different projects with our Raspberry Pi Boards, from power-hungry custom laptops for portable productivity to minimalistic sensor networks to relay data on large properties. However, this is not always as easy as some might make it out to be in project tutorials, as these boards do a fair amount of power, and if you want your Remote Pi Project to operate at full functionality, then you’re going to need to figure out a good way to deliver the power that your Pi needs. This is why we’ve quickly learned to love the cool new Pi Supply PoE Switch HAT, which takes all of the best features from the Pi Supply ATX Style Switch Module, and adds even more functionality for better, more versatile Pi Projects.

Affectionately called the “PiPoE”, this fancy little module basically takes the awesome Raspberry Pi ATX Style Power Switch Module and adds even more functionality with Power Over Ethernet capabilities. This allows you to not only control your Pi remotely via the Ethernet port, but also provide it power through that very same port. And while this may not be the most amazing HAT you’ve ever heard of if you primarily build projects that range within your home or small areas, this is truly an amazing feature for any projects that need to be installed in remote or faraway places. Now, instead of having to make a plan with specialised long-distance power delivery schemes, you can use a single cable to give commands and power to your Pi – all via the common and relatively inexpensive Ethernet or Patch cables.

So, whether you have been wanting to build yourself a workstation in your barn or workshop in a remote location on your property, neaten up an minimise the cabling with a single wire travelling to your various projects, or if you have another idea in mind of how to use this clever power and data delivery method, the Pi Supply PoE Switch HAT is ready to offer a whole new world of remote functionality for all kinds of exciting Raspberry Pi projects.

Please Note: This Pi PoE HAT is designed to be used in conjunction with a proper PoE capable router, modem or injector, so it’s important to ensure that you have the right equipment before purchasing this module. Additionally, as with any PoE devices, it’s always best practice to turn off the power before connecting the ethernet cables. Although this module is protected against power spikes, there is still a small chance that a surge could occur if you plug cables in while the PoE line is powered up.

Extra Note: Although this Pi PoE HAT is designed to supply just enough power for standard operations, it may not be able to support extra peripherals or power-hungry applications. If this is the case, you could consider using solar, battery or other power sources for the peripherals if necessary, while using the PoE HAT to supply just the Raspberry Pi Board.

Extra Extra Note: While this PoE HAT is built to be as compatible and versatile as possible, it is important to realise that this HAT does in fact use GPIO 17, 22, 23 and 24, which means that those GPIOs may not be usable with other HATs too. Furthermore, the height of this HAT is slightly higher than usual, and so you may need to get a 40-Pin GPIO Extender/Riser in order to place another HAT on top of this one.

Additional Resources:

• Next up is this Pi Supply PoE Switch HAT Pinout, which contains information on the pins used, as well as some extra insights that should help you understand more about this HATs nuances.
  
  
• Once you’ve gotten your fresh new Pi Supply PoE HAT, the first place to go to get it all setup is the PoE Switch HAT Getting Started Page, which takes users through the setup process, as well as extra features that this cool HAT offers.
  
  
• For more advanced usage, the Pi Supply PoE Switch HAT GitHub Page is a wealth of information, and includes all of the extra non-typical functionality, schematics, reports and other valuable insights.
  
  
• If you’re struggling to ascertain whether this PoE HAT will be able to power your projects, we’ve found this handy Raspberry Pi Power Usage Guide by Raspi.tv, which covers the actual expected power usage when various Pi Boards are performing various functions. Remember that this PoE HAT is capable of delivering around 1.3A or 6.5W in total.

Finally, if you want to enjoy a visual demonstration of this fantastic little Pi HAT, then the following video from Chris at Pi Supply offers a great unboxing and introduction to this awesome little expansion module: