Solar Powered Camera In Canada?

JH
John Honovich
•Nov 17, 2014
IPVM

A member is looking to deploy a solar powered camera in Canada (near Montreal).

Does anyone have experience in this region?

A key factor in solar power is the worst case insulation value (see our Solar Surveillance Guide).

The more likely sunless days are, the harder it is to do solar and the lower the insulation value.

Near Montreal, the value appears to be 2.4, as shown below:

By contrast, the US Southwest can be double that or more.

I suspect it's possible, given it can be done in Albany NY and Seattle WA, too relatively sunless areas. For example, see our chart from the solar guide:

Obviously, cost goes up.

Anyone with direct Canadian solar surveillance experience can confim / deny / add color?

KB
Kevin Bolles
•Nov 17, 2014

This is quite interesting we have several solar camera installs in Corpus Christi. We have had good luck with them but then again we have sun year around here and need very little batery power. One of the calculations we use is the PV watts websit which can help you with all of the calculations relating to battery, wire size, hours of use ect..

RD
Roman Dabrowski
•Nov 17, 2014

I think you'd be better to use a separate solar panel and battery array and then power the camera from that. The other issue is the very cold weather in Montreal and area and if it is an outdoor camera there will be a fair amount of power used to drive a heater. (and possibly a wiper blade). I would also consider looking at a Mobotix camera that has good outdoor cold perfomance with low power draw.

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