Charge Any Device over USB with Raven-A and uRaven-A PoE Power Adapters

LAVA’s Raven Series is a line of power adapters that can charge devices through Power over Ethernet (PoE). The Raven adapters split the power and data signals provided over PoE and output them to different ports. The line consists of four different adapters but this article will focus on the Raven-A and uRaven-A PoE Power Adapters.

The Raven-A and uRaven-A take the PoE signal and send the power portion to USB-A ports.  (The Raven-A has two ports, while the uRaven-A has one.) The advantage of USB-A ports is that you can plug a device’s own charger into the Raven adapter to charge and power a device. It doesn’t matter whether the device has a USB-C, Micro USB or other type of USB power port, provided the charging cable also has a USB-A connector on the other end. This makes the Raven-A and uRaven-A universal chargers. They can be used with almost any lithium battery-powered device that charges over USB, whether it be a mobile device or a peripheral of some kind. The Raven-A and uRaven-A are designed to work out of the box with Android and Raspberry Pi devices. However, to work with Apple products, jumpers inside the adapter must be adjusted for the iOS device to charge properly.

The Raven adapters also provide a separate Ethernet port for the wired network connection provided by PoE. The adapters are capable of 10/100 Fast Ethernet and provide a more reliable network connection than Wi-Fi. This Ethernet connection can be run to one of the connected devices if it has a LAN port or a separate device with Ethernet capability, such as a desktop PC.

The reason that the uRaven-A only features one USB-A port is because it also provides overcharge protection to the connected device through Continuously Active Battery Modulation (CABM). CABM indirectly monitors the device as it is charging. When the battery nears a full charge, CABM turns off charging and lets the device discharge for a preset number of hours. Modulating the charge this way ensures the battery never goes over 100% and maintains the battery’s health. Constant overcharging can lead to battery degradation and, in extreme cases, lead to battery bloating, which can cause severe damage to the battery. CABM ensures you get additional years of use out of your device.

PoE provides additional benefits. With PoE, the Raven adapter can be installed up to 328 ft (100 m) away from the PoE-capable network switch or injector. This allows greater options for placement. There is also a cost advantage as you don’t need to hire an electrician to install dedicated AC power lines. Also, if you’re using the Raven adapter in a commercial building, there’s a good chance it already has the infrastructure for Ethernet. If the lines are Ethernet but not PoE, a third-party PoE injector can easily upgrade the setup for compatibility with the Raven adapters.

The Raven-A and uRaven-A can charge and power up to two devices over USB through PoE. The PoE Power Adapters split the PoE signal back up, sending the power signal to USB-A ports and the wired network connection to an Ethernet port. The Raven-A has two USB-A ports, while the uRaven-A has one USB-A port. The uRaven-A also features overcharge protection with CABM to extend the lifespan of the connected device’s battery.