Tutorial for the Easy Meshtastic Solar Enclosure

Ғылым және технология

Today's video will show you the process of putting together the new solar enclosure from RAK Wireless for use with Meshtastic including flashing the Meshtastic firmware to the WisBlock and setting up the Meshtastic app to get communicating!
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💥PARTS LIST [FREE SHIPPING IN THE USA!!]💥
Enclosure: (Sold out due to popularity! Be sure to reserve one in the next shipment using the link below!)
store.rokland.com/products/ra...
WisBlock Meshtastic Starter Kit:
store.rokland.com/products/ra...
Battery Option 1 (3000mAh):
store.rokland.com/products/ma...
Battery Option 2 (2000mAh):
store.rokland.com/products/pk...
Antenna:
store.rokland.com/products/5-...
Antenna Cable:
store.rokland.com/products/3-...
Pole mount (if mounting to pole)
store.rokland.com/products/ra...
Wall mount (if mounting to a wall)
store.rokland.com/products/ra...

Пікірлер: 57

  • @jasongreene303
    @jasongreene303Ай бұрын

    The only comment I would like to offer is don't have any connections, holes, etc on the top of the box to prevent water ingress. Do it all underneath, which will allow for a drip loop in the feedline. Pro's and hams do installs this way. Also, use a drip when going into the side of a box, structure, building, etc. Even though there isn't any activity near me, I truly enjoy this project, and I am really looking forward to a solid version since it seems to be really buggy right now. Don't get me wrong, I really appreciate the folks with the vision and their time put into getting this far along!

  • @The_Comms_Channel

    @The_Comms_Channel

    Ай бұрын

    The challenge with this one is the M8 connector is on the opposite side so I opted to just keep the antenna connector on top and keep less stress on the antenna connector with the stiff LMR-400.

  • @Coffeenerdtools
    @CoffeenerdtoolsАй бұрын

    Great enclosure and great info. Thanks man!

  • @The_Comms_Channel

    @The_Comms_Channel

    Ай бұрын

    Sure thing! Glad the video was helpful!

  • @hansmaier3689
    @hansmaier3689Ай бұрын

    Very expensive and hard to get in Europe 😢

  • @ScottPlude
    @ScottPludeАй бұрын

    This product is 99% perfect, and your videos are amazing. I need to find a mount the allows for aiming the solar panel/enclosure up to face the sun.

  • @The_Comms_Channel

    @The_Comms_Channel

    Ай бұрын

    Where are you located? Check my previous video. It worked quite well, even slightly tilted down.

  • @dafunkmonster

    @dafunkmonster

    Ай бұрын

    They sell a horizontal mount, too, so you can mount the enclosure on a horizontal pipe.

  • @arall1337
    @arall133723 күн бұрын

    In summer, doesn't it get too hot inside the case for a lithium battery? These usually operate up to 60ºC (140ºF). Thanks for all your videos, awesome info!

  • @Stealthy_Martian
    @Stealthy_MartianАй бұрын

    Can you do a guide or talk about how to get the gps module to work with the wisblock? I am having the worst time getting it to work.

  • @sbateson67
    @sbateson675 күн бұрын

    Can you give a build list for this as I would like to put one up but use it in the UK .

  • @Goosey816
    @Goosey816Ай бұрын

    What kind of pole are you mounting this to? How high is it? And what kind of distance do you get?

  • @drdiesel1
    @drdiesel1Ай бұрын

    With a black solar panel south facing and directly connected to a sealed enclosure how does that not get way too hot for a lithium battery inside?

  • @KH07734
    @KH07734Ай бұрын

    Anyone have the pin out for the environment chip connections on v3?

  • @tsp2jxd
    @tsp2jxdАй бұрын

    Does the long RP SMA connector/cable add any loss? Why not mount the box closer to the antenna?

  • @The_Comms_Channel

    @The_Comms_Channel

    Ай бұрын

    Cable is LMR-400 so the loss is minimal

  • @hubapptechnologies5708
    @hubapptechnologies5708Ай бұрын

    How could I fix bug error code 36 from iOS (MacBook)? After downloading to my local file, I attempted to install the flasher firmware to the Wisblock (copy and paste/drag and drop), however, it was not transferred and I got error code 36. Could you help me to solve this issue, please? I use iOS (Mac and iPhone) only. Thanks

  • @Error5036
    @Error5036Ай бұрын

    First. also cool

  • @kangaroojoey55

    @kangaroojoey55

    Ай бұрын

    I second how cool you are being first

  • @The_Comms_Channel

    @The_Comms_Channel

    Ай бұрын

    😎

  • @francescoatria1086
    @francescoatria1086Ай бұрын

    Is it possible to add the rj45 module to replicate your "home build"?

  • @The_Comms_Channel

    @The_Comms_Channel

    Ай бұрын

    I've explored that, but it's a tight fit. I'll see what is possible though.

  • @slappomatthew
    @slappomatthewАй бұрын

    Mine is already deployed on a hilltop neighbor's roof. l swapped in a SMA connector as god intended, plugged in a 18650 holder, and the solar and slapped a amazon whip antenna on top. no reason to run a coax as at this freq the loss in stupid high on coax.

  • @The_Comms_Channel

    @The_Comms_Channel

    Ай бұрын

    You can absolutely run quality coax at this frequency. It's 3' of LMR400 which is only 0.2db of loss at this frequency.

  • @makanimike

    @makanimike

    Ай бұрын

    how is the solar panel performing and keeping that 18650 topped up? Does it delivery enough power? Have you had 3-4 cloudy days in a row already?

  • @The_Comms_Channel

    @The_Comms_Channel

    Ай бұрын

    It does well. Check out my previous video.

  • @slappomatthew

    @slappomatthew

    Ай бұрын

    @@makanimike I live in San Diego. we have 3-4 cloudy days a year. ive only had it depolyed for a couple days now though. AFAIK its doing well.

  • @jeremydumoit4487
    @jeremydumoit4487Ай бұрын

    I wonder if anyone has made stl files for 3d printing either of the mounting kits? Both are sold out with no option to preorder

  • @The_Comms_Channel

    @The_Comms_Channel

    Ай бұрын

    I'll check with them, but I imagine they'll have some more on the way with the next shipment.

  • @KH07734
    @KH07734Ай бұрын

    I have my node on the roof using solar and although I have a 5v 6watt panel, The 3000 mah battery doesn’t seem to hold the charge. I have swapped several batteries so it must be the charger circuit board or the batteries are not right.

  • @lokivision

    @lokivision

    Ай бұрын

    if it won't charge it higher than 85%, that's normal. it's better for battery health.

  • @holdfastjoe8841

    @holdfastjoe8841

    Ай бұрын

    one of mine will charge to 90% but most are like lokivision said, 80-85% standard

  • @holdfastjoe8841
    @holdfastjoe8841Ай бұрын

    In my neighborhood we have about 20 of these between us. We all have trouble with them shutting off when in repeater or router mode. Seems like they only stay alive long term in client mode

  • @The_Comms_Channel

    @The_Comms_Channel

    Ай бұрын

    There's currently a bug if you disable Bluetooth in router or repeater mode. If you put them in those modes, be sure to keep Bluetooth on.

  • @holdfastjoe8841

    @holdfastjoe8841

    Ай бұрын

    @@The_Comms_Channel oh! We did not know that, thanks

  • @holdfastjoe8841

    @holdfastjoe8841

    Ай бұрын

    @@The_Comms_Channel and of course we all disabled bluetooth to try to extend battery life. Our strategy is to not run with solar, just have swappable battery packs. The rak is so efficient using two 18650s gets it thru 30 days easy so we aren't bothering with solar things

  • @The_Comms_Channel

    @The_Comms_Channel

    Ай бұрын

    @@holdfastjoe8841 Sure thing! I didn't know either for quite some time. On the plus side, it put me in the best shape of my life with all of the times this bug made me hike to our remote node 😂

  • @holdfastjoe8841

    @holdfastjoe8841

    Ай бұрын

    @@The_Comms_Channel I took all of my repeaters down until I ran them in client mode for a few months to see if they would stay on. Once they made it through 60 days I put them back up. Next time I swap batteries I'll take the laptop with me and switch them back to router mode. Repeater mode hides itself so we can't monitor battery levels so we were planning to use router mode until this happened

  • @ioeman8478
    @ioeman847829 күн бұрын

    what enclosure is this the there is only 1 on rak website i want to make sure i get the correct one

  • @The_Comms_Channel

    @The_Comms_Channel

    29 күн бұрын

    store.rokland.com/products/rak-wireless-solar-unify-enclosure-ip67-150x100x45mm-pre-mounted-m8-5-pin-rp-sma-connector-pid-910421?ref=tc2

  • @ioeman8478

    @ioeman8478

    29 күн бұрын

    @@The_Comms_Channel thank you my vpn was blocking ads.

  • @TUBEORATER
    @TUBEORATERАй бұрын

    I put that same antenna on a mast and my baofeng ar152 picks up more nodes than the mast.

  • @holdfastjoe8841

    @holdfastjoe8841

    Ай бұрын

    So are you saying that antenna is bad? Sorry I'm not a ham guy I'm not sure what you mean

  • @TUBEORATER

    @TUBEORATER

    Ай бұрын

    @holdfastjoe8841 One would think a frequency specific antenna on a mast would work better than a uhf-vhf indoors. I didn't find it to be the case. Not bad, just not that good.

  • @artemkalinchuk
    @artemkalinchukАй бұрын

    Don’t you need a ground plane for your antenna?

  • @The_Comms_Channel

    @The_Comms_Channel

    Ай бұрын

    Dipole antennas don't require ground planes.

  • @artemkalinchuk

    @artemkalinchuk

    Ай бұрын

    ⁠​⁠​⁠@@The_Comms_ChannelI didn’t see a dipole antenna.

  • @The_Comms_Channel

    @The_Comms_Channel

    Ай бұрын

    The antenna you saw is a dipole

  • @ricksanchez538

    @ricksanchez538

    Ай бұрын

    Your video is a dipole antenna, it attracts dipoles like this fella

  • @tsp2jxd

    @tsp2jxd

    Ай бұрын

    @@The_Comms_Channel how do you know what antenna he was looking at while watching your video? 😂😂😂

  • @TUBEORATER
    @TUBEORATERАй бұрын

    Don't configure to repeater unless you want to keep it that way.

  • @holdfastjoe8841

    @holdfastjoe8841

    Ай бұрын

    I have 5 and didn't have any trouble changing them from repeater back to router or client

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