This is a semi-portable solar unit that I made here in Metro Manila, Philippines. It features an 80 watt polycrystalline solar panel from cdrking, a 40 amp hour deep cycle solarmaster battery from motolite, a 10 amp charge controller from cdr-king, a watt-meter which monitors the battery and power usage, a 100 watt AC inverter from cdrking and a 3amp DC-DC 5v USB adapter. The solar panels tilt angle can be easily changed by adjusting a screw that goes through the arms either side.
I had the idea to make this unit after my time as a volunteer driver with Oplan Hatid, at Villamor Airbase. Aside from transporting survivors to their families, I also setup and maintained a wifi network which was used by volunteers to lookup maps, appeal for donations and even just kill time while waiting for a plane to land with more survivors.
While Vilamor airbase was a great host, Oplan Hatid did hit a few bumps along the way , I won’t go into the “politics” of it, but the group was moved a few times and there were occasions when power wasn’t easily available. Thats when I had the idea of creating a portable solar unit that could be loaded onto the back of a truck and taken to any location to immediately provide a redundant wifi network, small device charging and other basic power needs. What do I mean by redundant wifi network? Essentially using multiple routers and 3g providers like Globe, Sun & Smart to ensure maximum uptime with minimal maintenance.
Post time: Jan-08-2017