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External Battery Module
16. External Battery Module
The External Battery Module (EBM) is an accessory to extend the battery life of Plug & Sense!. The extension
period may be from months to years depending on the sleep cycle and radio activity. The daily charging period is
selectable among 5, 15 and 30 minutes with a selector switch and it can be combined with a solar panel to extend
even more the node’s battery lifetime.
Typical scenarios for this accessory are remote places where a power supply is not available or places where a
solar panel is not suitable, like tunnels or cloudy environments.
Note:
Nodes using solar panel can keep using it through the External Battery Module (EBM). The EBM is
connected to the solar panel connector of Plug & Sense! and the solar panel unit is connected to the solar
panel connector of the EBM.
16.1.
Technical specifications
•
26 A·h high performance non-rechargeable battery
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Dimensions: 122 mm x 82 mm x 84 mm (without mounting feet)
•
Operating temperature range: -30 ºC to 70 ºC*
•
Low self-discharge rate
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IP65 waterproof, polycarbonate enclosure
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On/Off switch
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Operating mode selector (3 different modes)
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Solar panel voltage: up to 18 V
•
2 different solar panel options available
*
Temporary extreme temperatures are supported. Regular recommended usage: -20, +60 ºC.
The EBM is specially designed to minimize its power consumption and maximizing its efficiency and the energy
delivered to the node. This way, the internal electronic is in an ultra-low power state most of the time. The pictures
below show a general view of the EBM main parts.
Figure: External Battery Module
As shown above, the EBM has 2 sockets: One for the solar panel and one for the Plug & Sense! node. An extension
cord will be used to connect the EBM and the node.