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Raspberry Pi

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  • 04-10-2015 12:22pm
    #1
    fear corcaigh
    Registered Users Posts: 152 ✭✭


    Sorry if this is in the wrong forum, wasnt sure where to put is.

    Mods feel free to move it.

    Looking for help with the requirements for a solar powered Pi for an FYP.

    I want to place a number of Pi's on street lamps. I am going to have 2 WiFi dongles running, one in monitor mode the second connected to a network. The idea is to estimate the traffic flow on a certain stretch of road.


    I have been looking at http://www.modmypi.com/electronics/solar-energy-panels/2w-solar-panel-80mm-x-180mm/?search=solar. Can this be plugged into the Pi directly. Should I have a battery back up bearing in mind I don't need it running for 24 hours a day, 10 to 12 would do fine.

    Is it possible for the panel generate power from the light off the street light.

    I would preferably want a solar panel that I can just plug into the Pi and We are ready to go.


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    #2
    Tom Dunne
    Registered Users Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭Tom Dunne


    fear corcaigh wrote: »
    I have been looking at http://www.modmypi.com/electronics/solar-energy-panels/2w-solar-panel-80mm-x-180mm/?search=solar. Can this be plugged into the Pi directly.

    I would say most likely not (though, admittedly, I am not 100%). Firstly - the red/black connector is usually power. Is that supplying power or taking power? Secondly, if it is supplying power, what is the rating etc. of that supply? Is it sufficient for the Pi? Again, not 100%, but I would guess not. I would say you need some sort of regulator between it an the Pi.

    I've bought a number of add-on cards for the Pi and pretty much every one of them needed a kind of adapter board. I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same with this one.
    fear corcaigh wrote: »
    Is it possible for the panel generate power from the light off the street light.

    No idea. But it does sound intriguing.
    fear corcaigh wrote: »
    I would preferably want a solar panel that I can just plug into the Pi and We are ready to go.

    One thing I have found over the years with the Pi is that it is never that straight forward. If only it was that easy....:)


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    #3
    syklops
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,966 ✭✭✭✭syklops


    fear corcaigh wrote: »

    I want to place a number of Pi's on street lamps. I am going to have 2 WiFi dongles running, one in monitor mode the second connected to a network. The idea is to estimate the traffic flow on a certain stretch of road.

    A few years ago I built a device using a Pi and two wifi dongles. During our research we found that the Pi can handle reliably one wifi adapter. Add an additional and you need a powered hub.

    I have been looking at http://www.modmypi.com/electronics/solar-energy-panels/2w-solar-panel-80mm-x-180mm/?search=solar. Can this be plugged into the Pi directly. Should I have a battery back up bearing in mind I don't need it running for 24 hours a day, 10 to 12 would do fine.

    I would preferably want a solar panel that I can just plug into the Pi and We are ready to go.

    The solar panel will get some but not a lot of power from the street lamps. It would be better served by actual daylight. To utilise this energy I recommend having a battery to save it and then you will should get your twelve hours. Make sure you have code to powerdown the Pi when it loses power and bring it back up on boot and resume your data gathering.

    Is it possible for the panel generate power from the light off the street light.

    [/QUOTE]

    Also, to do this legally you will need a permit to attach anything to the streetlights.


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    #4
    AnCatDubh
    Registered Users Posts: 6,392 ✭✭✭AnCatDubh


    I wondered about such a project in recent times (solar powered pi) and thought about using a solar powered power bank to power the pi over regular mini usb type power. I didn't do further research but just wondering if you have considered such a solution or discounted it as an idea of a crazy man :D


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    #5
    PrzemoF
    Registered Users Posts: 1,931 ✭✭✭PrzemoF


    http://www.adafruit.com/products/390
    https://learn.adafruit.com/usb-dc-and-solar-lipoly-charger

    Use Raspberry pi A+ - it's the least power hungry version.

    I dont think you can get the power you need for a street lamp.

    I did a A+ + 2500 mAh bettery test - see here: https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=100647&p=697702

    You could probably get much better running time as you won't need a display taking 100mA


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