User's Manual

MicroPower Technologies
1-877-536-0128 | micropower.com
8
Solar Consideraons
Since the wireless camera is powered by solar energy, the crical impact of DIRECT sun direcon and shadows on
the solar panel cannot be overstated.
In the Northern hemisphere, when selecng a locaon for the wireless camera, the solar panel must be mounted
on the SOUTH side of a pole or structure, and be facing SOUTH.
In the Southern Hemisphere (below the equator), the direconal consideraons will be reversed.
The solar panels should also be installed at an opmum angle to capture the maximum amount of solar energy
possible. In general, the Southern US should angle the panel about 35-45 degrees from the pole, Mid US about 25
- 35 degrees from the pole, and with the Northern US / Canada, 10 - 20 degrees from the pole (solar glass almost
enrely facing the horizon)
Areas with insucient direct sunlight will eventually result in camera outages, though it may take from 5 days to
several weeks to occur. Examples of such areas might be:
• Mulple solar panels on a pole, spaced too close together, or with other equipment on the pole creang
shadows on the solar panel glass
• Panels mounted underneath a tree canopy or foliage which does not receive adequate sunlight
• Installaons next to a tall building that cast a shadow over the camera during the day. (Parcularly during the
most important mid-day charging period)
• Solar panel mounted under a roof or roof edge that does not allow enough direct sunlight
Keep in mind that the cameras include
a baery backup system capable
of operang the camera 24 hours a
day, for over ve days in complete
darkness. If the system is receiving
some light, but at levels that are
below the “break even” point, the
operaon me may be potenally
extended for weeks before a camera is
nally no longer capable of remaining
operaonal 24/7. Thus, it is important
to be aware that a camera may
appear to operate ne in poor lighng
condions, when in fact it is slowly
discharging over a long period of me.
As this is a solar powered camera, sucient dayme lighng is absolutely crical to the long-term successful
operaon of the system. Addionally, making sure there are no shadows cast on the panel during the day also
plays a crical role to success. Solar panels, by their nature, are sensive to and negavely impacted by shadows
(even very small ones) on the panel, these shadows may also come from other equipment mounted on a pole, such
as wiring, other solar panels, or mounng hardware. Some of the most common dicules that occur in the eld
can usually be aributed directly to solar panel shadowing.
Note: As an installer, the best way to idenfy the charging rate, baery levels, and signal performance, is to use our
the hub’s built-in HTML interface to determine if the system is performing well or not in a given installaon.