Solar Mode allows a Track Box to be permanently operated in remote locations without any additional electronics. The Track Box can automatically detect when it is connected to a solar panel and will optimize the solar power output by adjusting its power consumption. 

Enabling Solar Mode

Solar Mode is enabled when the input voltage rises above 17V, this remains enabled until the next reboot of the Track Box. If the panel voltage drops below 10.5V, the Track Box switches to a lower power mode which will reduce the rate of battery charging but is always sufficient to cover the power consumption of the box itself. It automatically retries to step up to a higher power mode once every 20 seconds.

Solar Mode Power Consumption / Charging

In Solar Mode, the Track Box tries to maximize the solar cell power by adjusting its input power between 10W/8W/6W/4W depending on the power received from the solar panel.

At 4W, the internal batteries will not be charged, but the power consumption of the box itself is covered. At 10W, it takes about 10h to charge the Track Box from 0% to 90% when the reader is turned on. 

When in solar mode a solar panel will be indicated in the Timing Tab of RACE RESULT 12. A cloud or a sun indicates whether the panel is currently providing power, or not.

In normal solar applications with partly cloudy days, expect the battery to hover around 75%. This is due to the slower charging speed at a higher charge, once the battery is above 80% you would need several hours of perfect sun, to reach 100% battery.

Charging a Track Box that has been connected to a solar panel from mains power will take longer than usual, as the Solar Mode prevents the Track Box from exploiting the voltage. Reboot the Track Box first and then connect to a Mains Power supply to charge the Track Box.

Additional Considerations

• You can connect a Solar Panel directly to a Track Box, provided your panel meets the solar cell requirements below, No additional electronics are required.
• Make sure the solar panel is oriented for optimal performance. Be aware that output power suffers greatly if the panel is not fully exposed to direct sunlight (even the shade of a small branch could be enough to ruin your solar output power).
• On a warm sunny day with >12h of sun, the internal batteries may allow for 24/7 operation.
• For most installations, it is recommended to use AUTOSTANDBY during the night when no solar power is generated. This way you should have sufficient battery in reserve, even on overcast days.
• If the battery reaches empty, the Track Box will automatically restart as soon as the Solar Cell delivers sufficient power for operation again.
• When placed in direct sun on hot days the Track Box may get too hot to charge (see datasheet). In this case, it may make sense to use the Solar Panel to provide shade for the Track Box.
• In Solar Mode the read rate (how often the reader looks for transponders) will be reduced by 50% if the solar power input is low AND the battery is less than 75%. If either condition is not met, the Track Box will operate with the full read rate. This feature will save battery allowing for longer battery life. This may have an impact on races with high speed or high density but will have no noticeable difference for general application.

Solar Cell Requirements:

• 17V nominal "12V" Panel class - see attached datasheet for more details
• 25V DC MAX Voltage at no load (WARNING, never apply more than 25V!)
• min 10W (30W or 50W recommended)
• Use Switchcraft S10KS12 power barrel connector (positive - inner tip, negative - sleeve)

We recommend the following

https://www.newpowa.com/30w-12v-monocrystalline-solar-panel/

https://www.offgridtec.com/offgridtecr-30w-mono-12v-solarpanel.html  - sufficient for mostly good weather

https://www.offgridtec.com/offgridtecr-50w-mono-12v-solarpanel.html  - provides better reserves for bad weather