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Abnormal power usage?

Home Forums Mayfly Data Logger Abnormal power usage?

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    • #19016
      Elliot Ma
      Participant

        We installed a Mayfly out at the border of a forest/marsh last week and everything went fine. I tested our loggers in our University’s greenhouse and it seemed like our batteries/solar panels were working just well. However, in the field, one of our loggers pretty much ran out of juice within the span of like an hour. We ended up replacing it with an entirely new logger just so we can troubleshoot the problem and it works just fine so the solar panel can’t be the problem, so now I’m a bit confused as to what could cause the voltage to drop so rapidly. Perhaps a battery issue? Or maybe the sensor was somehow operating constantly so it just drained really quickly.

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      • #19030
        neilh20
        Participant

          Hello Elliot, gosh too bad for the experience. Its a core issue of how to ensure there is enough power, and then also recover from low power events.  However to be able to get some help its best to post the details of the two systems.  Need to phrase the problem with enough detail that some one else might be able to comment.  Battery size and source, Solar panel wattage and source, Mayfly version and software. I would also suggest the graph of when it was operating well and then when it was drooping. Also of course the  aspect of the solar panel. The 5V Solar Panels don’t do very well in shade.

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