batteries to power SG?

[Barbara Helm]

Hi Motus folk,

very impressive paper on Colombia to Canada.

I had a question about the types of battery you use to power SGs in
rather remote place. We will move temporary SGs to different sites and
would be interested in batteries that last a while and are still not
insanely heavy. And ideas would be greatly welcome.

Cheers

Barbara

--
Barbara Helm
University of Groningen & University of Glasgow
b.h...@rug.nl
barbar...@glasgow.ac.uk

[ana.gonzalez]

Thanks Barbara!

The Motus team in Birds Canada recommended 100 amp-hour deep cycle batteries. We looked for the equivalent in Colombia.

One battery wasn't enough to power our receiver so we used two. They were heavy. About 60 lb each I'd say. 

Just in case, we learned the hard way to connect batteries, solar panel and receiver in our backyard to be sure everything was working before taking everything up the mountain...

All the best,

Ana

[Barbara Helm]

Wow, thanks but crazy - I suppose that required a mule?

How long did the set-up last with the two batteries?

If there's anyone with more light-weight solutions, I'ld be curious to hear ...

All, have a nice day

Barbara

--
https://motus.org/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Motus Wildlife Tracking System" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to motus-wts+...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/motus-wts/b12e73a4-a510-4948-8691-132cb7044d09n%40googlegroups.com.

[grinsek...@gmail.com]

Hey,

we used a mobile Sensorgnome a few times, so I thought I might share our experience here :-). In order to power one of our regular solar receivers with 3 or 4 6-element Yagi Antennas, we use two solar panels (100W, 12V), roughly 1m*50 cm each, connected to two regular car Batteries of 100 Ah. The two batteries are especially useful covering times with limited sun in autumn and spring and as a backup if one of the battery fails at some point.

We used a very light setup, only one omnidirectional antenna and accordingly 1 funcube, the beaglebone and nothing else in the box as mobile receiver, powered by a 12V 74 Ah Battery. This setup was easy to carry around, but we only installed it while working during the day and brought it home every night to recharge. A good solution for a remote place, but not useful if you wish to run it over longer periods of time!

We used this light version of a SG once again, but this time with a car battery. As the receiver was located at our tagging site during field work, we checked battery power every few days, and it lasted for about 2 weeks before we needed to change the battery.

I guess the options are somewhat limited to either carry stuff around every other week or use solar power if you wish to have a pop up receiver running for a longer time at a remote location.

best,

  Vera

[Stuart Mackenzie]

Hi Barbara,

 

Unfortunately most of the receivers and setups are quite power hungry, especially sensorgnomes. Their hunger increases with the number of antenna (funcubes).

 

Depending on how many antenna you have, you might be able to get away with a small battery pack – Luc, cc’d, has some guidance on portable SG’s with small battery packs here - https://groups.google.com/g/sensorgnomads/c/Nnm8Cc2QxK4. Unfortunately this setup was designed more for short-term manual tracking, or tag deployment purposes. I’m not sure how long they would last in an automated setting.

 

If you only have one or two antenna, you might be able to get away with a smaller deep-cycle battery that is easier to carry. I don’t suggest hooking up any station to a battery for any length of time without a solar supplement and the receiver powered through a charge controller. Otherwise you’ll have to check-on/replace the battery regularly.

 

Generally the successful model for powering all stations, regardless of receiver type, is overkill. We’re routinely using Trojan 31-AGM - https://www.trojanbattery.com/pdf/datasheets/31AGM_Trojan_Data_Sheets.pdf , and power systems as described here - https://archived.sensorgnome.org/@api/deki/files/8448/=Solar_Power_for_Remote_Field_Camps_and_Motus_Sensorgnomes.pdf. Many remote/high latitude sites double the battery bank.

 

This setup has been very reliable even at high latitudes in winter.

 

We’re happy to chat if you need to figure out a more reasonable option for remote hilltop work including our best advice on burro management.

 

We are working on completely revised instructions/guidance to station setup/maintenance, but it’s taken a back seat recently to some more urgent matters. We’ll hopefully have this ready soon. Generally helpful, but outdated guidance is available with subsections here - https://archived.sensorgnome.org/Automated_VHF_Telemetry/ and here - https://archived.sensorgnome.org/Powering_your_SensorGnome/

 

 

Cheers,

 

Stu

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/motus-wts/53cd81a7-5fde-d745-1ccb-d137ff136441%40glasgow.ac.uk.

[René Janssen]

Hi guys,

Is nobody using or aware of Lithium ion accu packs? That would be more light than AGM accus with lead inside (what is very heavy). Ofcourse solar panels are great, but under the canopy of a forest it would bring to much energy I assume. The 26 Ah battery packs on 3.7V will run not longer than maybe 1 day. But maybe there is already something better? The EasyAcc is quit noiseless.  

If I am well, Barbara likes to use one omnidirectional antenna (so: only one dongle). Ofcourse the Pi is staying battery consuming and even one Funcupe dongle...  Maybe smaller AGM batteries bringing now and than... but that is not the best to do...

René

Op wo 14 okt. 2020 om 18:15 schreef Stuart Mackenzie <smack...@birdscanada.org>:

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/motus-wts/6c62467e4d48431ebe65493834a70ac7%40exchange.bsc-eoc.org.

[Noort, Bart]

Hi Rene, Barbara

 

You should not use mAh or Ah, but try using Watt-hour (Wh) (ask the people who sell the batteries!)

 

The EasyAcc 20000 has approx. 74Wh (20Ah at 3.7V yeah, but not at 12V, that’s why Wh is better)

A 75Ah AGM battery (€150,-)has approx. 900Wh of which 450Wh is usable (never fully drain a Leadacid battery)

 

I don’t have the exact numbers but a rpi3 with one funcube will draw a little less then 5W so the EasyAcc will be completely empty in 15h

The 75Ah AGM less then 90h.

 

That excludes self-discharge (approx. 5% per month) and temperature which will have effect on these numbers!

 

You could try LifePo4 batteries, they are approx. 50% lighter but a 90Ah battery will cost you €1900,- (2 grand!)

You can more or less fully empty LifePo4 batteries so it will run double the 90 hours, but that’s still only 6-7 days.

LifePo4 are considered dangerous too (they are safer dan LiPo but…)

 

You could use a timer of some kind to shut down the pi to safe some juice but this will be an extra item to maintain(and power).

 

I’m sorry but solar panels or a small windmill, or both are probably the way to go.

 

 

Bart Noort

Researcher

 

-------------------------------------

Wageningen Marine Research

Ankerpark 27 | 1781 AG | Den Helder | The Netherlands

www.wur.nl/marine-research

-------------------------------------

 

T: +31(0)317 48 00 41

E: bart....@wur.nl

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/motus-wts/CAPRVRSqWrpq%3Dr0OGsbvqBC7PdVb8EcH%3DroLTsYTfVLAAysMXFA%40mail.gmail.com.

[Barbara Helm]

wow folks, battery science ... bird migration seems a piece of cake in comparison;-)

Thanks for all the advice!

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/motus-wts/AM6PR01MB46969439EF6201DC305256FBE5020%40AM6PR01MB4696.eurprd01.prod.exchangelabs.com.