Using an MV Low Voltage Power Adapter (MA-PWR-MV-LV) to power an MR76 from a 12 volt battery

[Simonmxt]

Hi, Has anyone tried using an MA-PWR-MV-LV to power an 802.2af Wireless Access Point (i.e. MR76) from a 12 volt battery source please?
Did it work? Is it supported? If not what did you end up using and what was the outcome please? Any issues?
Thanks in advance.

[Mloraditch]

I haven't done it, and would definitely believe it to be unsupported officially. It appears it may work given what it does, but for a supported option (beyond running a normal drop) you'd want to put an normal 802.3 injector in place and get normal power for it. MA-INJ-4 is the current model

[Simonmxt]

Hi Mioraditch, Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately AC power is not available at site.

[PhilipDAth]

Wow, interesting idea!

https://documentation.meraki.com/MV/Physical_Installation/MV_Low_Voltage_Power_Adapter_(LVPA)_Instal...

Also note that this is pure power delivery, so you would have to run the AP in MESH mode.

I have only ever used the power injectors (like MA-INJ-4) and told people that have to use an inverter to supply the AC input.

[Simonmxt]

Hi Philip, Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately AC power is not available at site. The design is a single AP handling RTSP from three cameras. The whole lot plus router has to run off a 12 volt battery. I'm surprised that this challenge hasn't come up before.

[PhilipDAth]

Inverters are pretty cheap.

https://www.amazon.com.au/Inverter-Converter-Charging-Socket-Laptop/dp/B0CGGT2J1L/

[Simonmxt]

Thanks again Philip. We explored the inverter option. We have a bunch of other equipment that also forms a part of the solution, which is also 12 volt powered. We have a DC-to-DC converter so we can up to 48 volts if necessary. All this is swinging from the top of a pole with a 200Ah battery. Our concern is that an inverter will just chew through the available power and the solar panel won't be able to keep up. Especially if we have a bunch of cloudy days in a row.

[PhilipDAth · Accepted solution]

Noted.

I think it would be worth a punt to buy the MA-PWR-MV-LV and see if it works.

[Simonmxt]

There doesn't appear to be any other option being offered and Product Management would be unlikely to endorse this approach because newer AP's have a higher power draw. However, this is still a valid Meraki use case regardless and there should be an off the shelf solution.

[PhilipDAth]

MVs can have a higher power draw than MRs due to the built in heaters in the outside models.

[Simonmxt]

100% agree. That is why this use case is very specific and limited to the MR76 model AP with a total maximum power consumption of 15 watts (802.3af).