We were faced with a completely new task: making automatic storage lockers run independently of a direct connection to the power grid. The task came up because some beaches had no way to connect to a permanent power supply, and running the equipment off an uninterruptible power supply wasn't always convenient.
Developing a solar panel solution
So we started working out practical plans for getting automatic storage lockers to run on solar panels. Our experiments went on for two weeks. There were plenty of failed experiments and financial costs along the way to reaching the goal, but we did eventually arrive at a solution to this problem.
Changes made based on testing under different conditions
After that, we ran tests under a range of weather conditions. Based on the results, we made the following changes for more efficient solar panel operation:
- added controllers;
- changed how the uninterruptible power supply operates;
- increased the battery capacity.
We found that installing several of these panels provides autonomous operation of the complex even in the most remote installation sites, where there's no way to connect to a permanent power grid.
Solar panel for the complex (smart lockers)
