The charging architecture was developed around MPPT-based energy management to make effective use of the available solar input.
Start a Project ↗CASE 05OFF-GRID CONTROL HARDWARE
Engineering reliable control around an unpredictable power source.
An irrigation-system manufacturer needed control hardware that could operate from a small solar source while reliably driving 6 VDC solenoid valves without access to mains power.
APPLICATIONAgricultural automation
CORE REQUIREMENTSolar-powered control of 6 VDC solenoid valves
DEVELOPMENT SCOPEEnergy management, load control and protection
STATUSDeployed in field irrigation systems
01THE REQUIREMENT
Control and sensing where
there is no grid power.
The customer needed a control platform for remote agricultural installations without access to mains power.
The hardware had to operate from a small solar source while managing battery energy and driving 6 VDC solenoid valves as part of the irrigation system.
02THE ENGINEERING CHALLENGE
Limited energy. Variable input.
Demanding loads.
Available solar power varied with operating and weather conditions, making energy harvesting and storage management fundamental to the product architecture.
At the same time, the 6 VDC solenoid valves required a controlled burst of energy and protection from the electrical disturbances created by inductive switching.
03THE ENGINEERING
Power generation, storage and load control as one system.
ENERGY & CONTROL ARCHITECTURE
Solar InputVariable source
→Energy ManagementMPPT charging
→Battery StorageStored energy
→Supercap + DriverValve energy stage
→6 VDC ValvesSolenoid outputs
VALVE DRIVESupercapacitor-assisted switching↳
Stored pulse energy and inductive protection are handled within the output stage.
Battery storage and MPPT charging were managed as part of the same off-grid power architecture.
A supercapacitor-assisted driver stage was developed to provide the energy required to switch the 6 VDC solenoid valves, with protection for the inductive load.
Power and protection paths were designed so high-current load switching would not unnecessarily disturb the low-voltage control electronics.
04THE OUTCOME
Autonomous control for
off-grid field operation.
The resulting hardware combined MPPT solar charging, battery storage and a supercapacitor-assisted valve driver to provide autonomous 6 VDC solenoid control without mains power at the installation point.
The product was subsequently deployed as part of the customer’s field irrigation systems.
ENGINEERING CASES