Actual power consumption of EAP-225 Outdoor?

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Actual power consumption of EAP-225 Outdoor?

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
Actual power consumption of EAP-225 Outdoor?
Actual power consumption of EAP-225 Outdoor?
2020-06-20 18:05:31
Model: EAP225-Outdoor  
Hardware Version: V2
Firmware Version:

I am installing a mesh of EAP225 Outdoor AP's in an environment without access to commercial power.  So each AP needs its own batteries and solar charger.  In this context, it would be very helpful to know the actual power consumption of the AP, espcially when it is not being used by any clients (ie no traffic passing through it).  Each AP will have at least one mesh connection to another AP though.

 

The "official" specified power consumption is 10.5 watts.  But my sense is that they actually draw quite a bit less than that most of the time.  Does anyone have any real data?

 

Thanks!

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Re:Actual power consumption of EAP-225 Outdoor?
2020-06-20 19:44:27

Hi @DanL,

 

Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for you.  But I was curious how you plan to do this.  I took a quick look for battery to PoE injectors, but didn't find any.

 

Are you going to:

 

1) DC FLA, AGM, or LiPo battery pack

2) Solar Charge Controller

3) DC to AC Inverter

4) AC to PoE Injector

 

If  so, you're going to have a lot of conversion losses.  But if it is sunny where you live, you might just get away with a deep cycle marine battery, a small solar 12V charger, and a small inverter.  Still, I wouldn't want to have to replicate that setup for each AP.

 

FYI, I belong to this Solar Panel Chat forum which is great, you should check it out.  I have a 12.2kW Grid Tied PV Array at my home.  91.2% of my consumption last year was offset by my solar production.

 

www.solarpaneltalk.com

 

-Jonathan

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Re:Actual power consumption of EAP-225 Outdoor?
2020-06-20 23:25:10

@JSchnee21 My conclusion after a bunch or research and experimentation is that there is no "perfect" way to install an EAP225 Outdoor with solar power only.

 

I have one installed powered by my "main" solar system, where I also have my cellular modem, (for backhaul) and one end of the aftermentioned CPE-210 link.  At that end, I have 400 watts of solar panels, a 40 amp MPPT charge controller, and 270 amp hours of 12 volt LiFePO4 battery.  I use all of that to power a small inverter, which in turn powers an 8 port PoE switch, which in turn powers all of the other devices (the CPE-210 through an active to passive PoE converter).

 

At the remote site where the other CPE-210 is, I have 100 watts of solar panels, a 10 amp MPPT charge controller, 24 amp hours of LiFePO4 battery (I am currently using 2 Talentcell AF120A1's), and I use a direct 12 volt to 24 volt passive PoE injector to power the CPE-210 (Tycon Power Systems TPDCDC-1224, available on Amazon) and a small inverter to power the factory injector for the EAP-225 (right now.  I know that is inefficient, and I may change to another Tycon).  All of the electronics and batteries are mounted in a BUD steel NEMA box.

 

But now that I have all of that working, thanks to you guys, I need to deploy another 5-6 EAP-225's.  And I want the cleanest possible installation for each.  I am using a nifty little 30 amp solar panel with built in MPPT charge controller to trickle charge batteries for other applications (like the pump on my diesel tank, and a gate opener), and I would love to use the same one for these AP installations.  Coupled with the little 12 AH 12 volt LiFePO4 batteries that I am using elsewhere, and that same Tycon injector, I think I will be set.  But if the thing really draws 10.5 amps continuous, then that little panel won't be enough to keep the batteries charged during a storm in the winter.  Thus my question.  I think they really draw more like 300 or 400 mA at 12 volts at least most of the time...

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