[arm-allstar] Overkill Controller Setup

Sat Dec 25 12:01:24 EST 2021

David, a lot of good ideas and suggestions.  Thanks, Mel
________________________________
From: David McGough <kb4fxc at inttek.net>
Sent: Friday, December 24, 2021 1:58:39 PM
To: Mel Frerking <m2566frerking at hotmail.com>
Cc: ARM Allstar <arm-allstar at hamvoip.org>
Subject: Re: [arm-allstar] Overkill Controller Setup

Hi Mel,

I'm powering my repeaters (which have the RPi DC-DC converters wired
directly to them) using 13.8V switchers.  I'm using mostly Jetstream
JTPS28 or MFJ-4128, 25A power supplies--for example:

http://www.randl.com/shop/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=38518

I've also got some mean-well industrial switchers, mainly for higher DC
output voltages (like 52V for LDMOS PA's).

I use one power supply per repeater.  All the power supplies are connected
to a WiFi interfaced remote AC power controller (like:
https://www.digital-loggers.com/lpc.html ).  So, I can power cycle or
completely turn off each actual repeater, should that be needed.  The
power controller runs scripting that "pings" all the local-to-the-cabinet
hardware and will auto power cycle, if required. In practice, this has
only happened twice, each time due to some MAJOR site problems that were
occurring at the time (site generator transfer switch blew up / wiring
fire!); unrelated to the RPi or Ubiquiti hardware.

I will mention that I link up and down the tall (2000ft) towers with
Ubiquiti BulletM5 radios, built in custom enclosures.  This network uses
RHCP helical antennas, like commonly found in drone FPV applications.
The power controllers do occasionally (maybe twice a year) need to cycle
the bullets, due to storm lightning surges.  I've never have a bullet
completely "fail." The automatic power-cycle gets them going again.  I
have lost one Bullet due to falling ice; it was physically GONE. All that
was left behind was a frayed piece of outdoor Cat5E cable!  Since that
point, I switched to using using heavy, rigid steel pipe for the mounts.
No more "missing hardware," so far.

In most cabinets I'm using APC UPS units, similar to the CS500 (or bigger,
depending on load requirements). The UPS is plugged in via USB to a
DEDICATED RPi3, which monitors the UPS using the apcupsd software. This
package in available for HamVoIP (pacman -S apcupsd).  This RPi can remote
power-off the other RPi boards (commanded via WiFi), if needed.  In a
power-off scenario, the remote power controller will bring everything back
up when the power returns.

Typically, the UPS only needs to keep the power up for about 45 seconds
before the site generators kick in.  All my sites have generators, so I'm
very lucky in that regard.  Most of my installations as described are now
8+ years old.  I started using RPi boards and HamVoIP about 6 years ago,
continually evolving for a couple years or so (several trips up the
towers...LOL).  For about 5 years now, I've continuously seen "six-sigma"
reliablity with these systems.  I'm happy!

.....The power supply solution I use at the data center is a topic for
another "book!"

Merry Christmas!

73, David KB4FXC

On Fri, 24 Dec 2021, Mel Frerking wrote:

> David,
>
> Let me ask a bonehead question that has probably been addressed on here
> before.  You mention "a robust power solution" and I am wondering if you
> are recommending something more along the lines of 1) more reliable
> power, 2) something along the lines of a mini-UPS, or 3) a way of
> powering down the pi gracefully during a power outage?
>
> Thanks and I certainly appreciate all of the insight and problem solving that you provide here.
>
> Merry Christmas, all.
>
> 73, Mel KB4MQ
> ________________________________
> From: ARM-allstar <arm-allstar-bounces at hamvoip.org> on behalf of "David McGough via ARM-allstar" <arm-allstar at hamvoip.org>
> Sent: Friday, December 24, 2021 12:18:52 AM
> To: "Mike Sullivan via ARM-allstar" <arm-allstar at hamvoip.org>
> Cc: David McGough <kb4fxc at inttek.net>
> Subject: Re: [arm-allstar] Overkill Controller Setup
>
>
> Hi Mike,
>
> Certainly, you can manually configure the HamVoIP installation to boot
> from an SSD drive.  Personally, with the money for the SSD, I would spend
> that money on a robust power solution instead.
>
> I've run into an assortment of hams who are just convinced that SD cards
> are unreliable---I've stopped trying to convince them otherwise.  My one
> comment has been that if you're buying quality SD cards and continually
> having failures, whatever is causing those failures will probably also
> cause the SSD drive to fail, too.  Remember: if at all possible, just like
> for any Linux system, perform a proper powerdown, if possible.
>
> I've still had *NO* SD card failures at all, even on systems I very
> heavily use, like my development boards and on hard to access repeaters.
> Several of these repeaters are now reaching 2 years since the last RPi3
> reboot!  I've got about 60 RPi4B boards now co-located in my "Pi Farm."
> No SD card failures at all.  Absolutely perfect performance.
>
> I'm using these DC-DC converters to provide the 5V power to the RPi3/RPi4
> boards:   https://www.ebay.com/itm/223524573272
>
> And, these SD cards:   https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MR6K8PD
>
>
> Note that these prices are about 50% higher now than last year...GRRRRR
> At least they're in stock.
>
>
> Merry Christmas!
>
>
> 73, David KB4FXC
>
>
> On Thu, 23 Dec 2021, "Mike Sullivan via ARM-allstar" wrote:
>
> > I'm planning on putting up a repeater using two mobile radios and a Pi with
> > Hamvoip and a RIM-Lite Maxtrac-RM interface. I know Hamvoip is designed to
> > be used with micro SD cards with limited writes to the card itself, but
> > would there be any harm in taking it a step further and using a case that
> > utilizes a M.2 SSD instead to guarantee reliability? I know it's way
> > overkill, but is there anything that will be affected other than my pocket
> > by doing this? I have a non-ham setup using a Pi 4 with an Argon ONE case
> > and M.2 SSD running Windows 10 that has been working flawless since
> > installed.
> >
> > Mike
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> > ARM-allstar mailing list
> > ARM-allstar at hamvoip.org
> > http://lists.hamvoip.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/arm-allstar
> >
> > Visit the BBB and RPi2/3/4 web page - http://hamvoip.org
> >
>
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>
> Visit the BBB and RPi2/3/4 web page - http://hamvoip.org
>