3G switch off in UK, has anyone tried a 4G USB router?

[DouglasW]

Hi everyone.

EE UK have announced that their 3G cell net service will stop by the end of March 2024. I have a solar powered remote Vantage Vue weather station that communicates with the internet via a MB Pro red with Huawei 3G E3531 USB router. I am assuming this will no longer work when the 3G signal goes.

Has anyone tried a 4G USB router with the MB Pro red?

Many thanks,
Douglas

[Großvater]

Hello,
I am from Austria.
I have been using a 4G router for many years,
My MB Red is connected to the router via WLAN

[DouglasW]

Thank you Großvater, that is one option I may need to use. During the summer, when there is electricity power to my holiday lodge, I already connect my MB Pro Red to a mains powered 4G router using WLAN.

Unfortunately my existing 120W solar panel 12v battery is not sufficient to power both the MBPR and my TP-LINK Archer MR400 4G router during the winter. I have even tried deactivating WIFI and connecting by ethernet cable but the current draw is too high. I would need to double the size of my solar panel and battery system to run it.

That is why I was wondering if a 4G USB dongle router plugged in to the MB Pro Red USB socket might work in the same way that my existing 3G USB dongle router does.

Thanks again,
Douglas

[Mattk]

There shouldn't be any issue powering a MB Pro (Red) and something like a Davis Envoy/WLIP from a solar system using a suitable 4G router, but probably needs to be a suitable router? Keep it simple, a low power device, minimal ports and if power does become critical then some LVD's in the system to maintain the sensor data menory, even though you might not be able to send it.

[DouglasW]

Matt thank you very much for your reply. You have hit the nail on the head. I need to find a suitable 4G router that consumes as little power as possible.

I bought a TP-Link Archer M400 as it had the lowest power consumption wattage I could find. Also its wifi could be switched off and the MB Pro Red connected by ethernet to save power. This worked fine in the summer but I am based in the NW of Britain with short, cloudy winter days. My solar panel has a peak wattage of 120 watts and faces due south. I have inclined it at 18 degrees off vertical as (at my latitude) it is then perpendicular to the suns's rays at mid day on the shortest day of the year for maximum efficiency in mid winter.

It puts out an average of 80 Wh per day in November, 58 Wh per day in December and 76 Wh per day in January. This is enough to power the MB Pro Red with Huawei USB 3G router dongle which consume 51 Wh per day. Even so, on 73 days the battery will not reach full charge (but will remain above 40% charge). Unfortunately the Archer MR400 $G router connected to the MB Pro Red by ethernet (with wifi switched off) consumes 405 Wh per day. This is way beyond the capacity of the solar panel/battery.

If I cannot find a more efficient low power 4G router I will just buy a 4G USB dongle Router and see if the MB Pro Red will recognise and work with it.

Many thanks to all for their advice.

Douglas

PS there is a very useful website that calculates solar power generation for various latitudes, sizes of panel, battery and power load.