Rugged / Outdoor Hotspots?

[Bluelude1]

I have been trialing the use of mobile hotspots, this year, at a couple of commercial properties to download weather data for smart sprinkler controllers.

Initially I put them in the controller enclousure (which is water tight), but I am noticing that the batteries are swelling likely from the heat generated getting/keeping a cell signal and the nature of being in a box that doesn't have air flow.

These locations use them for 10-20mb of data a month so reliablity is FAR more important than transfer speeds.

Any suggestion on where I might be able to find a product that could be used in such scenerio? Everything I've kind of run across is all about speed speed speed.

 

[Trip]

Assuming you can get power to the location (either in the controller boxes, or otherwise), I would suggest a PoE-powered outdoor-rated cellular modem, either with WiFi built in, or connected to a PoE-powered outdoor-rated access point; the kind of stuff you'll find at EmbeddedWorks, 5GStore, etc. You would then load a pre-paid renewable data SIM in the router, join your smart sprinkler system to the network, and you're good to go. The hardware will run you a way higher bill than the chintzy Verizon/AT&T jetpacks, but you're paying for the ruggedness.

Here's an example of what I'm thinking; something like a Peplink Pepwave BR1. Does that get close to what you're hoping to find?

 

[OzarkEdge]

Here's an example of what I'm thinking; something like a Peplink Pepwave BR1. Does that get close to what you're hoping to find?

I wonder if the irrigation industry has a more economical solution for this application...

OE

 

[Trip]

I wonder if the irrigation industry has a more economical solution for this application...

I was wondering the same. There is stuff like what Wlink makes, and I'm sure countless others, but not sure how economical they'd be in comparison...

@Bluelude1 - Were you aware of any irrigation-specific products, or are you just trying to find something generic?

 

[Bluelude1]

I was wondering the same. There is stuff like what Wlink makes, and I'm sure countless others, but not sure how economical they'd be in comparison...

@Bluelude1 - Were you aware of any irrigation-specific products, or are you just trying to find something generic?

I was just trying to find something generic, but I'm open to the best available option.