Need some advice on solar power setup...for 3 cams and an ubiquity nanoM5 for power supplied to all.

[observant1]

I've played around with the solar energy calculator in the ToolBox that has several different tools for configuration, but trying to figure the daily record time, and extra power for PTZ cam plus two motorized varifocal, that wont be zoomed in and out much after the customer gets bored playing with the cams, I'm trying to keep the batteries up without overbuilding the solar supply.
Lets say two cams at 6 watts plus 1 ptz (watts?) that can vary a good bit if the customer wants to play with it, and 1 ubiquity locoM5, plus a 4-5 port poe switch that could be powered by DCV or installing an inverter (which I'd rather not do)
I'm thinking two12v batteries in series (24vdc) gel cell, with 100 -200 watt solar panels? Location is near Birmingham AL, Atlanta GA is a location that is available for reference on configurators that need location info.

I've looked at SunGold, and Harbor Freight just to compare a few things. Anyone built something similar? - PS we had a 35 ft phone pole set on her property to attach everything with direct burial cat6 cable feeding two 6x6 post to install the fixed/varifocal cams. The PTZ would go on the phone pole along with the solar system and poe switch, and ubiquity nanoM5.

 

[biggen]

With IR emitters active (if your cameras have them) I'd figure at least 4Wh per camera. I'd figure at least another 5Wh for the PTZ so you are looking at 13Wh with just cameras. Radio will eat up another 4-6 Wh as well since it will be running 24/7. Switch will add another ~8Wh so I'd say your load is about ~27Wh.

27Wh X 24hours = ~650Wh/day.

Using this site: PVWatts you can determine how much sunlight would be expected to hit your panels for any given location. Its accurate too since it takes into account historical weather data. You need to plan for December usage since that is the month with the least amount of sunlight. For Birmingham AL, a 100w panel would only produce 8kWh for the month of December or 266Wh a day averaged over the month. Seeing as how you need at least 650Wh a day but a single panel can only produce 266Wh/day, you would have to use three 100w panels just to run the equipment. That's dumping very little into the batteries with only 3 panels. 3 panels x 266Wh/day = ~800Wh/day - 650Wh/day usage = 150Wh/day going into the batteries. So basically, if it rains for a full day you are out of power quick with only three 100w panels depending on how much power you managed to store before the rain came.

You would need to double the panels (6-100w panels) just to build up a days worth of charge + power the equipment during the day after a rain/cloudy day. Of course, you can go with larger panels (you should). This is a rather large project. We haven't even talked about how many batteries you would need.

 

[observant1]

Thanks very much for the response and calculations.
It gives me a good place to start. She had a solar panel put on one of the gates to her drive, and seemed surprised the installer added a battery charger off an electrical outlet inside the battery box.
I was under the impression at 1st she was gonna have an electrical outlet installed at the pole she had set near the back of her property, but wants to go full solar. It changed my plans just a bit.

 

[observant1]

Been looking at some pole mount solar panels along with the BSM, batteries_ 24v and a couple of 300w panels. Idon't want to under build as I'd like to power 2 cams + 1 really good ptz tha radio and posible an inverter if I can't find a ptz that will operate off DCV. (many have 12v DC input or 24vac in. or poe/ poe+

The post above seems from someone that's had to do the calculations before.

Damn tired of reading on my time. Gotta sign out and re-watch some of the Bama/LSU game. --RollTide

 

[biggen]

Been looking at some pole mount solar panels along with the BSM, batteries_ 24v and a couple of 300w panels. Idon't want to under build as I'd like to power 2 cams + 1 really good ptz tha radio and posible an inverter if I can't find a ptz that will operate off DCV. (many have 12v DC input or 24vac in. or poe/ poe+

The post above seems from someone that's had to do the calculations before.

Damn tired of reading on my time. Gotta sign out and re-watch some of the Bama/LSU game. --RollTide

I gave you some calculations to get started. Just need to add up all your equipment. I still say that running power would be better and probably cheaper. Hell, even running conduit and just putting in several runs of Cat5e for PoE would be better if you are under 330'.

Don't use an inverter. Its a huge power loss. You need to feed from 24v/12v DC. As you say, most of the Dahua cameras comes with a 12V dongle. Tycon makes a wide range of power converters. Here is a 24VDC to 12VDC converter: 24VDC to 12VDC 15W DCDC Voltage Converter (TP-VR-2412)

 

[observant1]

It's about 1/2 mile across the lake on her property to where she wants the 3 cameras. I was under the assumption she was going to supply AC to that location. She had talked about providing ambient lighting, pumping water to her 20,000 dollar bushes she had planted...etc.
She was surprised when I informed her that the gate to her drive was not fully powered by solar, because the guy that built it has a trickle charger plugged into the AC outlet we ran for the radio, switch and cameras at that point of her property. (It's over 500 acres).
She doesn't understand anything very technical but seems to stop just short of getting a professional evaluation of what it would take to do everything she wants.

So really at this point, I got paid for the cameras at the gate we just finished. Not sure I'm gonna try for anything else unless she has someone provide power for our camera needs. The balls in her court.

 

[observant1]

I do really appreciate you getting me started on solar calculations and such. I may throw out a proposal that so high I can't say no, and she calls some local solar companies to compare things. Money is not the issue with this woman. (I'll leave it at that)

 

[observant1]

I gave you some calculations to get started. Just need to add up all your equipment. I still say that running power would be better and probably cheaper. Hell, even running conduit and just putting in several runs of Cat5e for PoE would be better if you are under 330'.

Don't use an inverter. Its a huge power loss. You need to feed from 24v/12v DC. As you say, most of the Dahua cameras comes with a 12V dongle. Tycon makes a wide range of power converters. Here is a 24VDC to 12VDC converter: 24VDC to 12VDC 15W DCDC Voltage Converter (TP-VR-2412)

Thanks. If i forgot to say it.

 

[observant1]

I thought I'd bring up this old thread because it looks like while my bid for the solar setup (no cams, switch or radio included) was the lowest she received, she is leaning heavily toward getting power installed at the pole. (I don't do solar but would have)
This will allow us to put what we need in the back of her property without any worry over power issues. Now I just need to convince her to add a proper nvr to compensate for the pentabrid that is very limited in ip cams and processing power. I think I'm gonna suggest adding the 5216-16p-4ks2e nvr from Empire Candy. None of the cameras I'm gonna add need separate ports on the back of the nvr, but she'll have room to add or upgrade with the quad core 320Mbps processing over her existing dvr (which she'll also keep in service)

The nvr was reviewed here- IPC review of NVR5216-16P-4KS2E