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Power Systems for Repeaters

Repeater and Router role nodes keep the LoRa radio on continuously, which draws significantly more power than a client device that sleeps between uses. Reliable power is a first-class concern for any permanent repeater deployment.

Solar systems

Solar power is the standard for remote deployments without access to mains power. MeshCore and Meshtastic repeaters can run on surprisingly modest solar setups due to their low continuous power draw.

  • Solar panel: 10–30W panel, mounted to maximize year-round sun exposure. South-facing, angled at your latitude (in North America).
  • Battery: LiFePO4 chemistry strongly recommended. It handles temperature extremes, cold weather, and deep discharge cycles far better than LiPo. Size for 5–7 days of runtime without solar input for resilience through extended cloudy periods.
  • Charge controller: MPPT controllers are more efficient than PWM and better suited to variable solar conditions. Sized appropriately for your panel wattage.

Mains power

For rooftop or indoor repeaters with access to building power, a quality regulated 5V or 12V supply is simpler and more reliable than solar. Add a small UPS or battery backup to maintain operation during brief outages.

Software power optimization

Even with always-on radio requirements, you can reduce power draw in software:

  • Turn off GPS if the node does not need to report position (REPEATER role does this automatically)
  • Disable the screen/display if present
  • Disable Bluetooth: meshtastic --set bluetooth.enabled false
  • Use the minimum transmit power needed for coverage goals
  • Choose LongFast or a balanced modem preset rather than the most aggressive long-range preset (which increases airtime and thus power)

Monitoring battery voltage

For remote deployments, periodically check battery voltage to detect degraded performance before the repeater goes offline. Some Meshtastic nodes can report telemetry data including battery voltage over the mesh.

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