MicroPower SLV-C306-1011-IR, Руководство по установке, Страница: 8 / 40

MicroPower Technologies
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Solar Considerations
Since the wireless camera is powered by solar energy, the critical impact of DIRECT sun direction and shadows on
the solar panel cannot be overstated.
In the Northern hemisphere, when selecting a location 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 directional considerations will be reversed.
The solar panels should also be installed at an optimum 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
entirely facing the horizon)
Areas with insufficient 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:
• Multiple solar panels on a pole, spaced too close together, or with other equipment on the pole creating
shadows on the solar panel glass
• Panels mounted underneath a tree canopy or foliage which does not receive adequate sunlight
• Installations next to a tall building that cast a shadow over the camera during the day. (Particularly 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 battery backup system capable
of operating the camera 24 hours a
day, for over five days in complete
darkness. If the system is receiving
some light, but at levels that are
below the “break even” point, the
operation time may be potentially
extended for weeks before a camera is
finally no longer capable of remaining
operational 24/7. Thus, it is important
to be aware that a camera may
appear to operate fine in poor lighting
conditions, when in fact it is slowly
discharging over a long period of time.
As this is a solar powered camera, sufficient daytime lighting is absolutely critical to the long-term successful
operation of the system. Additionally, making sure there are no shadows cast on the panel during the day also
plays a critical role to success. Solar panels, by their nature, are sensitive to and negatively 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 mounting hardware. Some of the most common difficulties that occur in the field
can usually be attributed directly to solar panel shadowing.
Note: As an installer, the best way to identify the charging rate, battery 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 installation.