µArt.cz Meshtastic motherboard

Product detailed description

The Meshtastic motherboard with solar MPPT charger allows power supply via Li-Ion, Li-Pol, LiFePO4 or LTO batteries and is based on the proven RAK4630 module.

What makes this MPPT charger special? The entire solution is integrated on a single 70×43 mm board and supports the connection of solar panels with operating voltages from 7 to 30V and various types of batteries with nominal voltages below 5.6V. This means that the Meshtastic router can be powered:

• 1S Li-Ion and Li-Pol (commonly available, widely used batteries among Meshtastic enthusiasts),
• 1S LiFePO4 (high-capacity, long-life batteries popular in solar applications),
• 1S or 2S LTO (Lithium Titanate Oxide), which can be discharged and charged even at low temperatures below -10 °C.

As far as compatibility with Meshtastic firmware is concerned, the board works identically to the RAK4631 module mounted on the RAK19007 motherboard. So no special modifications or compilations are required - just upload the official firmware for RAK4631 and the device is ready to transmit (the author uploads the latest stable FW version to the board during testing, so you don't need to download or upload anything for the first run).

The solar panel voltage, battery type and charging current can be easily adjusted with soldering jumpers, so you'll need a soldering iron.

The board also includes connectors for easy connection of ^I2Csensors using the µŠup connector (for example, for temperature, humidity or pressure measurements), a USB-C connector (for data, not power), a RESET button for easy firmware updates, two indicator LEDs, access to UART RX and TX signals, a SWD (Serial Wire Debug) interface for debugging and three holes for mounting on M3 screws.

To get it up and running, you'll need:

• LoRa antenna for 868 MHz (IPEX connector on the board),
• Bluetooth antenna for 2.4 GHz (IPEX connector on the board),
• Suitable battery of your choice (Li-Ion, Li-Pol, LTO, ...) with electronic protection and
• Solar panel or power supply with any voltage from 7 to 30 V.

For more information and a detailed user manual, visit the author's blog at https://uart.cz/2043/solarni-mppt-nabijecka-pro-meshtastic/

Included in delivery:

• 1 pc µArt.cz Meshtastic base plate

Remark:

• This product is not a standalone functional unit and may require professional installation.
• Product images are for illustration purposes only and may sometimes differ from the actual appearance of the item. However, this does not change its basic properties.