In this video, I tackle the challenge of a completely remote, off grid surveillance camera system powered 100% with solar power. I produced a video on this in 2016 but a lot has changed in the last 4 years. Follow along as I install an affordable, reliable, and high quality system that anyone can use in a remote location for security surveillance, a live action feed, keeping an eye on livestock, or any number of other uses. #solarpowered #ubiquiti #ubnt #solarpoint
2:15 – Planning & Preparation
4:08 – Minimum System Requirements
4:39 – Component Selection
10:20 – Installation
11:40 – Solar Panel & Mount
13:39 – Enclosure & Batteries
15:32 – Radio
15:47 – Charge Controller
16:16 – Wiring
17:01 – Camera
17:08 – Bridge
17:48 Setup & Configuration
20:18 Performance & Conclusions
Ubiquiti UVC-G3-Bullet Camera –
Ubiquiti SunMax SolarPoint Charge Controller –
Ubiquiti Nanobeam AC Gen 2 Radio –
Altelix NEMA Enclosure –
Newpowa 100W Solar Panel –
Newpowa Pole Mount –
Mightymax 12V 9Ah Batteries –
Fuse Holders –
Buss Bars –
(Optional) Ubiquiti LiteAC 120 Degree Radio –
(Optional) Ubiquiti J-Pole –
For solar system consulting and design work, email me at [email protected]. $75 for system design or $125 per hour general solar consulting.
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C. S. Matlock
This is weirdly exactly what I’ve been thinking about building, you wizard.
LDSreliance
Awesome! I knew it all along.
ZACH
This set up is like $1000 for each camera and super technical. A little extreme. Any wireless camera with solar charger is plug and play for under $150.
LDSreliance
Yes, there are cheaper options. But you can’t really compare this to a cheap solar camera.
ZACH
@LDSreliance .. I will say that I am disappointed with my Reolink cameras, which pick up every bug but miss people. If they get cold the wireless ones stop working. The resolution is ok but the wireless ones only record ten seconds at a time and miss a lot. For live viewing they are fine though. The do have 1080 resolution if your WiFi is fast enough.
LDSreliance
Yeah I think it just comes down to what your needs and expectations are. My wife is the one that primarily watches our daughter and she isn’t very technical. So she would get frustrated pretty quick if she was using a cheap camera that had bugs and limitations and wasn’t as reliable. We have some Reolink and Wyze cameras and they are great indoors where there is a strong WiFi signal, but I haven’t had much success getting a reliable outdoor cheapo camera to work.
Tanner Rollins
I built similar, except mine has a 12v router. So it truly is stand alone, Off grid internet station, then the camera connects to the installed router. Have a 10 and 20 ft pole that a big yagi antenna is mounted to to get the best connection available for the router. All mounted on a portable stand. I use to watch deer feeders. Hasn’t missed a lick in 2 yrs.
LDSreliance
I assume the router is cellular? Like a Cradlepoint? I would absolutely go that route if I couldn’t get a WiFi feed. Sounds like a good system!
Jairo Gonzalez
Awesome…..I would love to see your solar wireless internet CCTV set up…Would you be so kind as to share some pictures or a video.
Thank you.
J0nni3
The wireless bridge setup over less than 5m is pretty useless, normal WiFi had done the exact same for a few hundred bucks less…
Wireless Bridges (or as ubiquity calls it “air fibre”) is only useful above 50m. Everything below that can be done with a wifi AP and a WiFi device.
You just built a multi-gigabit connection for camera streaming wich takes less than 50 megabits…
LDSreliance
I agree. Like I said, there were easier and cheaper ways to do this. The point of the video was to demonstrate a fully remote, off grid setup. I don’t have a large yard and I don’t live in a rural area. Thus I cannot perfectly simulate those conditions.
Daniel Foley
The cool thing about this setup is if you use a nanobeam for both the AP and the Station side you can deploy this somewhere like on a ranch or other type of large property and as long as there is a line of sight the range is over 10 miles. air fibre devices are for high bandwidth back hauls that cost about $1,500 per antenna.
SuperNova
Nice Video- good info without having to listen for 5 minutes about what you had for breakfast
LDSreliance
Thanks! I have gotten better over the years with that. Appreciate the feedback.
Jairo Gonzalez
Man…….that’s bad azzzz.
Congratulations on the set up.
https://store.ui.com/collections/operator-sunmax/products/sunmax-solarpoint
I will be setting one of this systems for a my sprinter van.
Thank you for your great video.
LDSreliance
You are welcome! Glad you liked it. This would work well in a van.
Live4Live
Good video thanks for posting,
LDSreliance
Thanks for watching!
Live4Live
I’m working on a project and I will get back to you.
LDSreliance
OK, sounds good.
Naveen S
Super sir
PraterPrints
Awesome video! Exactly what I was looking for.
LDSreliance
Thanks! I really appreciate it and I am glad you found it helpful. Please give the video a thumbs up if you haven’t already.
JMVALLECEBALLOS
I have a project and this gave me a good starting point. I like more info as I have seen lots your videos and they have helped me a lot . thank you.
LDSreliance
Thanks! Glad it helped you. And thanks for subbing.
JMVALLECEBALLOS
@LDSreliance but I still need you advice
LDSreliance
OK, what do you need?
Danilo Tabao
Can I hook it to my solar system by sunrun inc.?
LDSreliance
I don’t know anything about that solar system, sorry.
iamthemoss
Great video, great skills, I work in IT as well, mainly on the software and enterprise side. I’ve been trying to come up with a way to blanket my 25 acres in 2.4 Ghz wifi for security cameras and sensors. You’ve given me some good ideas. Unlike your solutions, I am looking at creating wireless bridges (solar powered) but using Reolink Argus 2 solar wireless cameras. I’ve used them before and they are really good for the money. Keeping my bridges only allows me to be flexible with wireless sensors and cameras
LDSreliance
As you know with IT there are usually 100 different ways to design a solution. Whatever works for your budget and expertise! I am glad I could give you some ideas. Thanks for watching.
Christian Postier
Great write up, thank you for taking the time to do so.
LDSreliance
You are welcome. Thanks for watching!
mac11380
Nice, the only thing different I would say to do, is mount the cam under the panel so it can block the rain and the sun. Great job.
LDSreliance
Yes, definitely. If my pole were taller I would have done that. Unfortunately, putting the camera underneath on this particular setup would have put it around 4-5 feet high which isn’t ideal.
mac11380
@LDSreliance Makes sense, maybe a little umbrella from a tropic drink over the cam would do the trick…..lol
LDSreliance
Haha, well the camera is designed for outdoors so I’m not super worried about it. But that would be a funny sight to see!
Infinite Space
Hey! We want to set up a 1080p 60fps camera in a remote location. What kind of solar panel(s) would we require? Also, I’m not sure if you have any experience with this, but we want to be streaming it 24/7, but there is limited cell service in the area. Would a satellite dish be optimal?
LDSreliance
Email me at [email protected]
Infinite Space
@LDSreliance will do, thank you!
J L
Nothing nicer than working with great equipment. Great video !. My only concern is security. In my option a NVR should never be connected to a wireless client, and that any outdoor wireless client should be connected to a dedicated outdoor AP with nothing but “public” cameras or media considered non private ( no internet service ). Unfortunately this is inconvenient to users but isolating venerable networks can save a lot of issues. My indoor reolink system is has no wireless cameras and is off of internet. A different AP ( physically limited in propagation as it’s located in basement ) provides in house iNet services. It’s all a headache.
LDSreliance
Yes, security is always an issue. It is maddening.
Chris Francis
Awesome
LDSreliance
Agreed. Thanks for watching!
Eboué Béécham
Excellent video and instruction. My education has been furthered. Will emulate your setup. Thanks very much Sir
LDSreliance
Awesome! Glad you found it useful. And thanks for the sub!!
Ian Clendaniel
This is great, I’d been looking to leverage a SunMax charge controller for a very similar setup on my property where I don’t have power available. My only question/comment is you state you needed 16ah of capacity and went with a lead acid setup that has 18ah of capacity, should you not have doubled that to ensure you weren’t drawing them down to a point of reducing the life significantly?
LDSreliance
When I calculated my needs, I already factored in the depth of discharge. But good comment!
This camera has never once run out of power or stopped responding. Great setup. I wish Ubiquiti would pursue this line of products further.
Ian Clendaniel
@LDSreliance Agreed, I’d originally intended to use a generic mppt charge controller and a switch but stumbled on the sunmax and it eliminates a piece of gear entirely. Good to know on your DoD not being a problem. I have leftover 100ah lead acids from my camper after upgrading it to lithiums so should have no worries with reserve capacity, just debating on whether a 100w panel will be enough overhead with 2 cameras and less sunlight hrs.
LDSreliance
That will be on the low side. A 100W panel will have a tough time recharging a single 12V 100Ah battery if it discharges to 0% or close to it. If you discharge it to 50% you will be fine most of the year except for the winter months or during overcast situations, etc. If it were me I’d get a second solar panel.
Ian Clendaniel
@LDSreliance It should never discharge it that low based on my calcs unless I had a week or more of no sun. Only using that large a battery as they’re onhand and ‘free’ but if I see an issue I’ll either swap to a larger panel or add a second.
LDSreliance
Sounds good. Good luck!