Meshtastic Solar Radio Node - Rak Wireless, Solar Controller, and More

Hello, my name is James. First off, I build these exactly how I make my own - only with the best materials! What might stand out first is the antenna. This is a ALFA 915mhz antenna and it is known in the meshtastic community to be one of the best base station antennas of it\'s size and utilizes 5 dbi gain. Second is the solar panel. This solar panel is a 5v 1.2 watt panel and is waterproof, scratch-resistant, and UV resistant. Inside are 10 high-efficiency monocrystalline cells with 22+% efficiency. They output around 200mA at peak power which is more than enough for this system. Inside the box I install a solar controller. You may be wondering why I would use this separate solar controller and not the solar controller that is built into the rak board. Well, I have a few reasons. First, the Rak board does not pull power from the solar panel to charge the battery until the battery drops to about 90%. The added solar controller will always send power to the battery no matter the battery voltage. Second, the Rak board solar controller is not stable with partial, inconsistent shading. This causes it to constantly go on/off as voltage drops and spikes. The controller I use behaves better with fluctuating voltage and current from small panels and partial shade. The chip inside monitors input voltage and adjusts charge currents to ensure panel voltage does not drop below the battery voltage. This allows the chip to continue harvesting power even under low light or fluctuating conditions. This increases stability and reduces battery cycling which may wear out the battery faster. If the battery were to fail, the solar controller would be able to sustain power to the Rak board much better than it\'s own controller. This would prevent boot issues such as boot-looping and possibly having to reset the rak board. Lastly, the added solar controller prioritizes system load vs charge current more intelligently by buffering tx bursts through it\'s power path network (prioritizing the solar panel) and not dumping it directly on the battery. The Rak board controller however is not input prioritized and pulls heavily from the battery during tx spikes. From the solar controller, the power is directed into a mini RAK Wireless board. This board is small and very efficient with power. This system combined with the 5000mAh battery can last about 3 weeks or more without any solar input! On the bottom of the box you may notice two things. The center bronze colored piece is a 1/4-20 capped rivet. This will allow you to mount this node as shown using a trail camera tree mount, tripod, or on any standard 1/4-20 threaded bolt or mount. I include four zip tie mounts and four mounts that you can screw or bolt the box onto anything you want using the four corner holes on the back of the box. To the right of the rivet is a pressure relief/vent valve. This is to help stabilize the pressure. If this valve was not installed, the waterproof seal around the door may rip from increased inside pressure and cause the box to not seal anymore. It also reduces moisture build up on the inside. All nodes I make are IPX4 waterproof which basically means it\'s waterproof other than being able to be submerged. If you have any questions I\'ll do my best to answer them quickly and to thebest of my knowledge. Thank you

I now have a pole mount available! This mount works with both 1.25\" and 1.66\" outside diameter poles. It is rated to withstand 100 mph winds with ease. This mount is 3d printed with ASA material which retains its color, mechanical strength, and surface integrity under long-term sunlight exposure compared to other 3d print materials, making it the top choice for outdoor applications. Heat-set threaded inserts are installed to reduce the overall complexity of this mount and help make installation a breeze without losing important hardware. All hardware is stainless steel. The only tool I do not provide is a Philips screwdriver. Hex key is included.Meshcore firmware installation available on request - please send me a message after purchase. The RAK4631 will be flashed as a repeater. Meshcore Repeaters are not able to be connected to your phone via bluetooth. You will need to control the repeater through a bluetooth enabled meshcore device.
Shipping is usually through UPS Ground however may be through USPS Ground Advantage or a combination (UPS SurePost).

Quick overview of what is included:

- Waterproof Enclosure

- ALFA Antenna

- 1.2 Watt Solar Panel

- Mini RAK Wireless Board

- Solar Controller

- 5,000 mAh Battery

- Bluetooth Connectivity

- 1/4-20 Threaded Mounting point

- 4 Cable Tie/Zip Tie Mounts

- 4 Screw/Bolt up Mounts

Pole Mount Option does not include the cable tie or bolt up mounts.

Things that are NOT included:

Cable/Zip Ties

Tree Mount

GPS sensor

Dimensions of solar node:

Enclosure Height without Antenna - 6 Inches

Enclosure Width - 4 3/8 Inches

Enclosure Depth - 3 Inches

Total Height with Antenna - 13 1/8 Inches