Hey Team,
The Chicago CAREDN group is planning to deploy on a water tower this summer. The current plan is three nodes, a point to point, and two sectors. Plus a PTZ IP camera. The water tower is 180' tall, and we plan to deploy at the very top. By the time the cables are run, we are probably going to be somewhere between 230 and 250' from the power source. I've done a bunch of looking and have settled on a Mikrotik powerbox pro to power them all, and am leaning toward the basebox5 for the nodes. That device needs 57v in, and with that can power the rest of the nodes. Total power consumption should be 36w for the nodes, plus another 25w for the camera.
The IP camera is PoE at compliant, and for the nodes, I'm planning on using the Ubiquiti instant PoE adapters so that I can use the higher voltage as as much as possible, and only step it down to the passive poe at each of the nodes.
Do I have to run class 1 120vac and put the power adaptor up on top of the water tower, or can I put in like 60vdc at the ground and run it class 2 up the water tower?
Or do I just bite the bullet, spend more money, and run each ethernet line up the tower individually?
We are using the ubiquiti tough cable pro as we already have most of a spool from a past installed, but we would need another spool to homerun all of them.
I'm trying to figure out what are the best solutions, and then figure out the most economical of those to go with.
The Chicago CAREDN group is planning to deploy on a water tower this summer. The current plan is three nodes, a point to point, and two sectors. Plus a PTZ IP camera. The water tower is 180' tall, and we plan to deploy at the very top. By the time the cables are run, we are probably going to be somewhere between 230 and 250' from the power source. I've done a bunch of looking and have settled on a Mikrotik powerbox pro to power them all, and am leaning toward the basebox5 for the nodes. That device needs 57v in, and with that can power the rest of the nodes. Total power consumption should be 36w for the nodes, plus another 25w for the camera.
The IP camera is PoE at compliant, and for the nodes, I'm planning on using the Ubiquiti instant PoE adapters so that I can use the higher voltage as as much as possible, and only step it down to the passive poe at each of the nodes.
Do I have to run class 1 120vac and put the power adaptor up on top of the water tower, or can I put in like 60vdc at the ground and run it class 2 up the water tower?
Or do I just bite the bullet, spend more money, and run each ethernet line up the tower individually?
We are using the ubiquiti tough cable pro as we already have most of a spool from a past installed, but we would need another spool to homerun all of them.
I'm trying to figure out what are the best solutions, and then figure out the most economical of those to go with.
Everything depends on the design of the water tower. With all of the equipment installed on the top there is a greater chance for interference, and the radios are not typically able to provide coverage for areas close to the tower. One option might be to separate the sector nodes down along the side of the water tower if that is permitted. Those sectors should provide coverage closer to the tower, and they should be shielded from each other and the other equipment on top of the tower. An option for power might be to design a standalone solar power unit for each node, so that they are not dependent on cable locations for power. Just a thought.
TThat does bring up a good point. I work in an.... Electrically adjacent field. I'm neither an engineer nor an electrician but I work with both every day. I'm used to using that value as it is how an engineer would size a circuit, but maybe I'm causing myself too much of a headache. Perhaps it would be more prudent to set the poe priorities such that the camera is last, and then just use standard poe at / af.
Thoughts?
I've also gotten some advice to look at 802.3bt, but that would add over 300 to the budget, and for the price i would be nearing the cost of a solar setup.
Email sent.
I was wondering the same thing.
How far is it to the closest 120VAC outlet to the top of the tank?
73, Chuck
I just wanted to provide an update about how we plan to achieve this.
We verified that the nearest 120v outlet is at the base of the tower about 180' point to point, or about 220' as you can run a cable. If there is an outlet at the top, and it doesn't seem like there is, then we are not going to be able to use it.
We are going to run a cable that has an ethernet bundled in with some additional dedicated current carrying conductors. We are going to install a meanwell din rail power supply in the room at the base, and inject roughly 56vdc into the cable. Worst case scenario, we will get about 50v out at the top. In the powerbox pro switch / termination enclosure at the top, we will terminate those two conductors into the switch. That switch will then have more than enough power to provide PoE to the rest of the devices up top. Additionally, we will be able to monitor the network from the ethernet at the base of the tower, and can offer AREDN services at that location for the city.
All the best,
Casey
KV3T
So, it looks like you're going grid power. However, If you decide to do solar, and want some of my test numbers, then let me know, (arednog@proton.me). I haven't cleaned up these reports I've been doing, but I've run your proposed setup more than a couple times, and can provide some raw numbers if you want. I currently have my hands full with 50 other things launching this mesh in my own town, but I made sure to long-term test the panels and batteries to death...I know batteries are always the weak point. A local electronics company said that I was so cool and handsome, (not as handsome as Chuck), and they sold me (7) 24 volt/80 watt panels, (that actually hit 101.5 watts) for $60 each, (minus the first test one, it was a whopping $70, (They couldn't sell them for some reason, and I was told their cost was $161...and yes, they are also enthusiastic about getting a node installed on their strategically placed building)). That $70 test panel has been running a hAP, (LAN and mesh RF on), a Rocket M5 and a PTZ cam since 03/13/23, and I'm convinced the setup would run indefinitely- It maxes out at maybe 10 watts for half a second, ( .25 amps is avg day draw, and .36 amps is the highest I've recorded, which was at night with IR blasting).
I also finally found a LEGIT used LiFePO4 battery vendor, (near you actually), and have purchased 13+ from him so far, (after I was impressed with the first round of testing during the winter outside...yes we actually got cold this year in TN...for a day or so). They're grade A, 20 aH/12 volt, and I pay ~$55 each shipped/taxed. I'm building/testing: 24 volt (2 in series) and 12 volt (2 parallel w/24v boost) pairs, and I always get over 18 aH, (~16 aH when it was 10-25 degrees that one day). I see no measurable loss from the boosts/bucks. Let me know if you need his info or the test data from the past 4+ months.
It sounds like you've got things handled up there in C*****, but I gotta get out of here before someone sees me talking to a C*****ian. I share your happiness and concerns, as we're doing the same thing... just here is in God's country, so I'm sort of cheating.
Hope everything works out, and updates are greatly appreciated. -Thomas-
Have you thought about running a R6 https://store.ui.com/collections/operator-edgemax-control-points/products/edgepoint-r6 (I can ship you a used one if you would like)
It sounds like your all ready going that route! Run a 2 conductor cable with a shield and drain lead "ground it". Select an adjustable 24v power supply that will alow you to adjust the voltage, at the top of the tower (with a LOAD).
I think that one of the "control point" units will alow for internal selection of between 24v poe and 48v poe for ports. EP-R8!!!
https://store.ui.com/collections/operator-edgemax-control-points
keep in mind that you could also run fiber Optic up the leg of the tower.
73 de kj6dzb Mathison