HOLK Networks
Concept
Solar-powered network nodes
A power concept for a communication node that must keep a small radio running away from mains electricity.
Project overview
A power concept for a communication node that must keep a small radio running away from mains electricity.
What problem are we solving?
A mesh node that only works when it is plugged into a building is not an off-grid node. Power is part of the network design.
How does the technology work?
The concept is modest: a panel, a charge store and a radio that can sleep. The node wakes to forward a message and then returns to a low load. HOLK TECH has not sized a panel, published a wattage or tested a site. No energy figures are shown, because none have been measured for this project.
System architecture
- A solar input.
- Local energy storage.
- A radio and controller that can sleep.
- The same forwarding role as any other mesh node.
Development phase
Concept. No outdoor node has been commissioned.
Current challenges
- Weather, shading and night-time load are not yet measured.
- The node should fail quiet rather than pretend to be reachable.
Next milestones
- Do not publish performance numbers until a node has been measured.
- A later prototype would be labeled as a prototype, with its limits written next to it.