Off-grid remote node sizing tool
Important — add 30–50% margin to every result shown here. This calculator models a specific hardware stack under idealized assumptions. It does not account for seasonal sun-angle variation, temperature derating on panels and batteries in extreme heat or cold, unexpected loads (firmware updates, IR floodlight spikes), or aging. Real deployments in marginal sun regions will underperform these estimates significantly.
UK-Ultra is recommended for most installs — lowest power draw, RP-SMA ports for directional antenna upgrade.
Camera load: 15W max / 10W avg at PoE · max 2 per node (USW Flex 46W budget)
Worst-case daily draw: 791 Wh · Coverage at full charge: 31.1h
Minimum required: 211W · Worst-case daily draw: 791 Wh
Auto-selected based on panel count. 2-panel setups require the 100/30 (no load output — adds Battery Protect to BOM).
Model realistic sun and weather patterns. These inputs drive the weather scenario math in Results.
US average: 4–5 hrs. Southwest: 6–7. Winter or northern: 2–4.
0.75 = 25% real-world losses (temperature, dust, wiring, MPPT error). NREL PVWatts default is ~0.79. 0.65–0.70 for hot climates.
Multi-day cloudy weather scenario
How many days of sustained overcast to model. 3–5 is typical for Pacific Northwest or winter northeast.
25% of good-day output. 0.10–0.25 = heavy overcast. 0.40–0.50 = light cloud cover.
Link Budget @ 5 GHz
400 ft (122m)
Path Loss: 88.2 dB
Link is strong (-56.1 dBm uplink). Clear line-of-sight assumed.
Assumes clear line-of-sight. Trees, buildings, or terrain reduce signal further (10–30+ dB). Always verify with Ubiquiti WiFiman before finalizing placement.
Per node
$1,232
1× nodes total
$1,232
Worst-case draw
32.9W
28W at PoE + injector loss
Pure battery runtime
31.1h
from full charge, no solar
Good-day output
750Wh
200W × 5h × 75% derate
Net daily balance
+101Wh/day
surplus charges battery; deficit drains it
Battery near depletion — BMS low-voltage cutoff will shut down the node before 3 days are up.
System goes offline after ~1.6 days. Add a second battery or second panel to survive 3 cloudy days.
Worst-case draw uses max camera watts (15W G6 Pro). Weather scenario uses 24h avg watts (~10W camera). Battery runtime uses usable Wh at 80% DoD.
| Mesh AP | UK-Ultra ↗ | $89 |
| PoE Switch | Ubiquiti USW Flex ↗ | $99 |
| PoE++ Injector | MobileMustHave 90W 12–48V DC ↗ | $99 |
| MPPT Controller | Victron SmartSolar 100/20 ↗ Built-in PV fuse. Bluetooth monitoring via VictronConnect. | $76.5 |
| Battery | 1× 100Ah LiFePO4 (1,024 Wh usable) ↗ | $159 |
| Solar Panel | 1× 200W 12V Monocrystalline ↗ | $159 |
| Enclosure | NEMA 4X weatherproof box IP66 rated. Size to fit battery + MPPT + fuse block. Stainless hardware recommended. | $75 |
| Battery Fuse (30A) | 30A blade fuse + inline holder Protects battery→MPPT wire. 30A covers max charge + load current at 12V. | $8 |
| G6 Pro Bullet ×1 | UVC-G6-Pro-Bullet ↗ | $479 |
Optional / situational
| Ethernet ESD Shield ×2(optional) | Ubiquiti ETH-SP ↗ Only needed for long outdoor cable runs exposed to lightning paths. Not required for short in-enclosure runs. | $25 |