The SolSat 5 has a built-in 2 Watt solar panel to charge the 2 x 3.4 Ah LiPo batteries.
However, if you wish to increase the battery charging capacity and prolong the battery life, an additional solar panel can be connected to the SolSat 5 via the 2-pin Bulgin power connection.
Keep in mind, the batteries have nearly 7ah of capacity and the built in charging circuit for the SolSat 5 Satellite Telemetry System is rated at 1 amp, so any external power supply over 1 amp has no additional benefit. Also, using higher voltages (over 6 volts) to charge the SolSat 5 will damage the electronics. Contact Solinst for more information if you are interested in adding a second solar panel.
An extra solar panel is recommended when you have more frequent transmission rates, or if you are deploying your system in a remote or hard to access area and want to extend the time needed between trips to the field for maintenance.
