RX480E-4 Module Guide
Do you need wireless control for four devices at once? Press one button, one device responds. Press another, a different one responds.
RX480E-4 is a 433 MHz wireless receiver module with four independent signal output pins (D0–D3). It runs on DC 3V–5V and pairs with a QIACHIP transmitter using the on-board learning button. One remote gives you four separate trigger signals — and one detail matters before you buy: when button value 8 is pressed, D3 goes high.
What RX480E-4 Does
RX480E-4 turns each remote button press into a separate output signal. Four buttons, four output pins:
- Button value 8 → D3 goes high
- Button value 4 → D2 goes high
- Button value 2 → D1 goes high
- Button value 1 → D0 goes high
(Key value 8421 is the standard 4-button encoding on QIACHIP remotes.)
The four outputs are independent, but the working mode — momentary, toggle, or latching — is set for the whole module at once, not per pin. You pick the mode when you pair, and the module keeps it after power off.
The D0–D3 pins are signal pins, not power pins. They tell your relay module or MCU which button was pressed. The power for your real load comes from elsewhere.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Input voltage | DC 3V–5V |
| RF frequency | 433.92 MHz |
| Output pins | D0, D1, D2, D3 (signal level) |
| Working modes | Momentary / Toggle / Latching |
For every parameter, mode, and wiring diagram, see the full instruction manual.
Note: The module is sold as RX480E-4 on our store. The instruction manual still uses the older label RX480E-4A — same module, same pins, same mapping (value 8 → D3).
When to Choose RX480E-4
Choose RX480E-4 if all of these are true:
- You need four independent output signals.
- Your transmitter uses 433 MHz.
- Your wiring or firmware expects button value 8 on D3.
- Your circuit runs on DC 3V–5V.
If your wiring or code expects value 8 on D0 instead, look at RX480E-4C — same module, reversed pin mapping. If you only need one output channel, look at RX480E-1A. If your transmitter uses 868 MHz, look at RX480E-868.
The One Thing to Check Before You Buy: Pin Mapping
RX480E-4 and RX480E-4C look the same and cost the same. The only real difference is which output pin lights up for each button value:
| Remote button value | RX480E-4 output | RX480E-4C output |
|---|---|---|
| 8 (1000) | D3 | D0 |
| 4 (0100) | D2 | D1 |
| 2 (0010) | D1 | D2 |
| 1 (0001) | D0 | D3 |
If you already have Arduino code or a wiring diagram, check which pin your code reads for button 8 — then pick the matching model. Do not buy first and rewrite your code after.
What You Can Build
A four-channel LED test bench
This is the first build for every RX480E-4 project.
- Power the module with DC 3V–5V.
- Connect four LEDs to D0, D1, D2, D3.
- Pair a QIACHIP transmitter (momentary, toggle, or latching).
- Press each remote button and confirm the right LED responds.
The goal is to confirm the pin mapping on your actual module before you connect anything expensive.
A four-channel relay module array
Once the LED test works, D0–D3 can each trigger a relay module (not a bare relay coil).
Signal path:
- Remote button
- RX480E-4 D0–D3
- Four relay module signal inputs
- Your real loads
Each real load — a lamp, a small pump, a fan — gets its power from the relay module's own supply, not from RX480E-4. RX480E-4 only tells each relay module that a button was pressed.
An Arduino multi-channel trigger
D0–D3 can connect straight to four Arduino or ESP32 digital input pins.
Signal path:
- Remote button
- RX480E-4 D0–D3
- Arduino / ESP32 input pins
- Your code decides what each signal does
RX480E-4 gives the MCU four clean signals. Everything else — timing, logic, which device turns on — is your code.
⚠ What RX480E-4 Cannot Do
- D0–D3 are signal-level outputs, roughly 5–20 mA each. They cannot directly drive a bare relay coil, a motor, a water pump, a solenoid lock, or a high-current lamp.
- It cannot pair with an 868 MHz transmitter. For 868 MHz, look at RX480E-868.
- In latching mode, the pins take turns going high — it is not four channels independently on at the same time. Confirm the working mode fits your project.
- Do not assume RX480E-4's pin mapping on RX480E-4C. They look identical, but the output order is reversed.
How RX480E-4 Compares to the Other Models
| RX480E-1A | RX480E-4 | RX480E-4C | RX480E-868 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Output channels | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Frequency | 433 MHz | 433 MHz | 433 MHz | 868 MHz |
| Input voltage | 2V–5V | 3V–5V | 3V–5V | 5V–24V |
| Pairing button | External KEY pin | On-board | On-board | On-board |
| Output pins | OUT | D0–D3 | D0–D3 | D0–D3 |
| Transceiver | No | No | No | Yes |
If you need value 8 on D0 instead of D3, look at RX480E-4C. If you only need one output channel, look at RX480E-1A. If your transmitter uses 868 MHz, or you need a module that can also transmit, look at RX480E-868.
Not sure which one fits? See Which RX480E Model Should I Choose?.
Conclusion
If four independent channels are what you need and your code reads button 8 on D3, RX480E-4 is the match. Get it here. If you still have questions, leave a reply below.