DIY Solar Powered LoRa Repeater (with Arduino)

Today I'll be building a solar powered LoRa signal repeater to extend the range of my LoRa network. This can easily be used as the basis for a LoRa mesh network with a bit of extra code and additional repeaters.

Even if you're not into LoRa networks all of the solar power hardware in this video can be used for any off-the-grid electronics projects or IoT nodes!

CORRECTION: The large solar panel is *10 watts* and not *5 watts*.

/* Voltaic */

/* Maduino */

[DavyBot]

Correction: The RadioHead library DOES implement those methods now via: setSpreadingFactor, setSignalBandwidth, and setCodingRate4. So those functions aren't necessary with recent releases of RH.

It also has methods setHeaderTo/setHeaderFrom which will set the TO/FROM addresses on packets which means you don't have to waste that first byte as the sender ID. If you use those, call setPromiscuous(true) so that the repeater can accept packets with any TO address.

[PhG]

Of course we're interested in the source code !!

[SOURIENT_JR]

Excellent project buddy. It gave me a basis for solving a distance problem. Thank you for sharing! Congratulations!

[josemanuelcastro]

Great project! I’m trying the same with the ttgo lora board. Thanks for sharing.

[LucidFabrics]

Your videos are underrated; you need more visibility. I hope to see more.

[ZephodBeeblebrox]

I just found your project. I'm thinking about doing this over this weekend. I have 433tx and 433rx boards. I'll see about doing a video about it...

[Bishop]

Very interested in this. Excited for your next update

[speedymartin]

Thanks for the video, I was searching for an off-grid soloar system to power my LoRa ESP32 APRS repeater. This video gives me some guiding. Not exactly sure what a good and cheap system is to power the system in the dark winter days.

[p]

Mysensors project is the best implementation of Lora RH. All addressing, repeating, iot gateway, p2p mode, payload, message confirmation etc is done for you.
Save you load of time writing the radio code..

[philscruggs]

Nice work thanks for making a video on this!

[freeinhabitant]

The first question that came to my mind was whether or not messages could be encrypted for privacy.

[Patapom]

How do you connect the solar panel to charge the battery?

[NatorDM]

I'm concerned about the heat here in Texas, specifically the battery any ideas? These last few weeks I've heard of stories where Lithium batteries were starting fires. Is there a way to cool off the batteries? I was thinking of putting the controller and battery inside a small Electrical Junction Box that is white and waterproof. Using an extended antenna, and a solar panel on the outside (the only two holes in the box) but I'm super concerned about heat. I'm wondering if using another battery type would make it more sureproof/fire proof. Also the junction box is white so that should help a bit, but I'd imagine heat is still a serious issue even with that. O2 absorbers inside as well, and I really don't want to do this but I'm not super tech savy but is it possible to maybe rung a super long weatherproof wire. So the solar panel is in the sun and the device is, but the battery is maybe either buried or is inside a house? You earned yourself a sub. Thanks and great video!

[Marce]

Nice videos but why you dont share your code ? I think many people would like to test what you are made in this video so the code or link to your projekt please :)

[rickyvalverde]

Did you do the off grid messaging system, I’m working on this project now with a few tweaks

[human-capitalllc]

GReat video, thanks. MInd sharing the code?

[alainsaaiman]

They expload! when exposed to air??? Thanks, now I got to try it :D

[JNET_Reloaded]

with just ttgo lora do i need a mesh or will it work adhoc with anoother 1 of the same? using meshtastic?

[havetechshreekrishna]

Hey nice video and subscribed to your channel. Looking for your next video.

[rdsmith]

Would you be interested in building and testing a large solar powered repeater network, that covers a large area of very rough terrain? I’d be willing to purchase/provide all of the necessary components, testing data/results, footage, and give you the rights to use solely on your YouTube channel. I have yet to see anyone actually build one out and test it. If it worked well enough, it would potentially be used by a rural volunteer fire department, where radios and very few repeaters (limited by funds) are spotty, at best.