The point to multi-point (PtMP) wireless access points and point-to-point (PtP) wireless backhauls are installed high up on a tower and the tower location is chosen to give good line of sight (LoS) of the antennas for subscribers.
No Power at the Tower
With many tower installations electrical power is not available at the #tower location. This is a common problem for Wireless Internet Service Providers #wisps. There are power kits available from many manufacturers, which provide the electrical energy for the #installation. The power generation kit has four components.
· Solar panel, typically 100 watts.
· Wind turbine, typically 100 watts.
· Battery, typically 24 volts.
· Battery charger and voltage regulator that produces all voltages required by the equipment installed on the tower, and might be 12v, 24v, 48v and 110v.
“Power not available at the tower location ... is a common problem for Wireless Internet service providers.”
The photo shows a hillside installation with PtMP and PtP #antennas. The equipment is powered using #solarpanels and a #windturbine, and the energy is stored in #batteries.
Calculating power consumption
The #wireless and access control equipment has low power consumption probably around 20 watts. The power generation and storage system can be designed for 100 watts of charging and use to ensure that the battery is always being charged. The Ampere/hour rate of the battery determines how long the equipment can operate without being charged. A battery can be chosen to power the equipment for one week so even when no power is being generated (night-time with no wind) there is a sufficient reserve of power stored in the battery.
“A battery can be chosen to power the equipment for one week so .... there is a sufficient reserve of power.”
The power equipment and batteries are installed at the base of the tower for the equipment. The equipment housing will also require #environmental conditioning. This may be a heater for equipment installed in a freezing climate, or a cooling fan for equipment installed in a hot climate. Some installations will require both due to a wide temperature swing between summer and winter. Some types of batteries will require venting so an extractor fan is required to remove gasses produced by the battery.
Installing power monitoring equipment at the tower will provide monitoring of the status of power generation and battery storage remotely over the #network.
Where to look for products
A WISP searching for suitable power equipment can contact this company;
We have purchased through this distributor:
and received good service.
______________________________________________________________________
Readers are invited to share this information with others. If any reader has a question regarding this information please contact us via our contact page.