This guide will cover some of the basic requirements to power a Verkada camera using solar energy, as well as provide it with internet connectivity using a cellular-based connection.
It's strongly recommended to test all equipment at the planned location for a few days or weeks to ensure everything is working as originally planned. There are usually unexpected variables that you will run into such as a solar panel not producing the expected power or devices consuming more power than originally planned.
Equipment list:
Solar panel
Battery to store solar energy with a DC power output
802.3af or 802.3at PoE switch or injector (802.3at is required for the PoE heater to function on outdoor Verkada cameras)
Ethernet cables
Cellular connected cradlepoint (required, assuming an ISP connection isn't available)
Surge protector (recommended)
Water-resistant hardware enclosure for battery, cradlepoint, PoE switch or injector (strongly recommended)
Backup gas powered generator (optional)
Verkada camera running on solar energy
Things to keep in mind when selecting which type or capacity of equipment to use:
Amount of devices being powered and their expected power consumption
Amount of direct sunlight expected to hit the solar cells on the solar panel
Amount of time sunlight may not be available
Possible weather conditions the deployment may be exposed to such as wind, rain, snow, or sleet
Weight and size of equipment (if the deployment needs to be fully mobile)
Camera power consumption by model:
D30, CD51 (Indoor), CD61, CD62 (Indoor): 11W
D40, CD31 (Indoor), CD41 (indoor): 6W
D50, Dome (CD) Series Outdoor, Bullet (CB) Series Outdoor: 12W, 20W (extended temperature range)
D80, CF81: 13W, 24W (extended temperature range)
If you still have further questions regarding your deployment after reading this article, please contact Verkada Sales.