Brandon Howlett Turns PVC Piping and a Cheap Solar Light Into a Flexible Off-Grid Meshtastic Node
Given decent weather and a clear view of the sky, this fixed-location Meshtastic node will run and run.
Maker Brandon Howlett has become the latest to turn an off-the-shelf solar-powered garden light into an off-grid node for the Meshtastic LoRa mesh network — without using any 3D-printed parts, and with a high-efficiency fixed antenna.
"I've seen a number of solar node builds using the Harbor Breeze solar garden light, and I just wanted to share my version since I took a bit of a different approach," Howlett explains. "For starters, I don't currently have access to a 3D printer, so I wanted to use easily obtainable and workable materials. I also wanted to keep it as simple as I could while still being functional. One of my goals was to mount the antenna separate from the solar enclosure primarily so I could mount one straight and not have to rely on a hinged antenna, since they lose efficiency as you articulate them."
The Meshtastic network turns low-cost microcontrollers and LoRa transceivers into a free-to-use decentralized off-grid messaging system that allows devices to form a mesh — covering a wider area than a simple peer-to-peer direct-connection network. To boost signal coverage further, you can deploy repeaters and other fixed-location nodes — and if you give them a way to harvest energy, they can run indefinitely.
Howlett's take on the fixed-note concept takes a low-cost solar-powered light and reuses it as the base for a solar-powered RAKwireless WisBlock 19007 development board. This is connected to a whip-style dipole antenna, while everything is connected using cheap 1/2" PVC piping — with none of the 3D-printed parts typically found in other, similar projects.
"There are a few steps I took that I will likely approach differently on a future build," Howlett admits. "I just rolled with the ideas that came to mind, but I'm definitely not blind to knowing that there are probably much simpler or easier ways to accomplish a similar end result. Next time, I will paint the whole PVC mount first before adding any of the attachments or sealant to it, then I won't need to worry about covering anything for the painting process. Also, the paint doesn't stick super well to the silicone sealant."
The project is documented in full on Instructables, along with links to all parts used. Those interested in putting their own devices on the Meshtastic network, meanwhile, should check out our Meshtastic Device Design Challenge for a chance to win from a prize pool valued at over $7,000 — entries close on September 5.