In the Mount Gambier region, known for its extensive forest plantations, we installed several off-grid solar systems for fire-watching towers. This initiative was part of a fire-watching project by PANO, which involved installing cameras on towers to replace human monitoring and provide 24-hour surveillance for fires. Each installation featured a ground-mounted system with just six solar panels, a Victron inverter, and charge controllers, as well as two US5000 Pylontech batteries. The systems were housed in outdoor cabinets placed directly behind the solar panels. One challenge we faced was keeping the equipment cool while the enclosures were exposed to direct sunlight. Typically, it’s difficult for the systems to overheat, as the batteries can operate at temperatures up to +50°C and the inverters up to +60°C. Fortunately, even during the hottest days, we didn’t encounter any issues with the equipment.

Off-Grid Solar Solutions Powering Fire Monitoring Towers Across Eastern Australia