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Solar-Powered Axon Mote

The Axon Mote, beyond it's features as a robot controller, was designed to act as a remote data logger and wireless mesh node. Typically, this would require long periods of unintended time (weeks, months, or even years!) and thereby require a large long lasting battery.

The Axon Mote however is designed to be optionally powered directly from USB, so you can use anything designed to charge your cell phone (i.e. you don't need to buy a battery for your Mote). This includes power banks, and even solar power chargers. Almost every other mcu on the market, including the Arduino, requires you to buy an additional battery + charger.

As a simple demonstration, the The Axon Mote is attached to a solar powered phone charger in the image below. Just plug in the USB and it's automatically on. (you can also power the Mote by battery or your laptop USB port)



The charger shown is the ReStore RA4 Portable 14W Solar Panel Charger , which basically gives you 5V and about 2A in bright sunlight. There are several companies that sell a very similar product, such as this Anker� 14W Dual-Port Portable Charger and a 16W one from ALLPOWERS .

If those are too large for your project, follow this link for yet additional solar chargers: solar USB phone chargers .


Axon Mote powered by a solar USB charger

Keep in mind that indoor lighting - even with the large 14W solar charger - isn't enough power even the two LEDs on an The Axon Mote. In that situation, you'd be better off with a solar powered battery bank positioned in a window in your home (charges in the day, battery for the night).

Note that solar panels are only as good as the weakest cell. So if just one of the four panels is shaded, it would be as if all panels are shaded in terms of power output.


Axon Mote stored in charger phone pocket

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