Starlink Mini installation, cracking the 12 Vdc barrier . . . or not!

[Snackchaser]

David that's very cool and clever!  Sounds like you know the maker!  Do you think you could get the slicer file from him, or have him put it on Thingiverse?  Is it made from PLA filament?

BTW, I never mentioned it, but the rubber weather cap that comes with the Rj45 socket can be used under Furrion cap.  Mine has disappeared though!

Thanks, Geoff

[Coddiwomple]

Hey Geoff, I don't know him personally. You should contact him about the file. 

ABS?? Not sure what it is made of but seems to be really solid.

[Tideline77]

I didn’t want to start a new thread with this simple question , so I apologize for piggyback riding on your install thread
 

We are ordering the starlink mini while it’s on sale at $229

 

what other accessories do we need to order  from starlink when we enter our order ?

 

need to get it done with one order if possible

 

 

 

[Ronbrink]

1 hour ago, Tideline77 said:

what other accessories do we need to order  from starlink when we enter our order ?

You will pay a premium for any Starlink accessory, Amazon offers a lot of quality aftermarket products. At minimum: The SLM comes with a 15 meter cable, a shorter 5 meter will come in handy. The supplied power box is a 110 to 12V converter, you will likely want a setup to utilize 12V type outlets. 

[Geronimo John]

With our lithium battery voltage ranging up to 14.4 volts (when equalizing) would inclusion of a 12V voltage regulator be advised?  Something like was recently posted for the Max Fan by RidenFly?   It is rated at 60 watts as well.

[Snackchaser]

23 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

With our lithium battery voltage ranging up to 14.4 volts (when equalizing) would inclusion of a 12V voltage regulator be advised? 

No, a voltage regulator is not advised for the Starlink mini because it already operates from 12 to 48 volts DC.  As was the jest of this thread, it's actually necessary to boost the voltage if using the supplied long cord in a 12 volt system due to the voltage drop.  

When I started this thread, I had one of the first Minis and there were no accessories or aftermarket options to allow it to work on 12 volts without either boosting the voltage, or shortening the cord.  So I utilized a robust Vctron voltage booster that's wired to turn-on whenever the Mini is plugged in.  I still use that system and, IMHO, it's still the best and simplist way to go.  

Of course, you can always use the supplied AC adapter that puts out 48 volts DC if you have an inverter, but that will suck down your battery a lot faster.

These days there are more options and shorter cords if your mini is going to be mounted close by.  However, it's often necessary to move the Mini further away for it to have a clear sky view, and in such case you need to boost the voltage to account for voltage drop from the longer cord.  Some people use a POE injector (Power Over Ethernet) that can supply power through an ethernet cable that is plugged into the auxiliary ethernet  port.   Others use portable battery packs.  I make snap-in re-chargeable battery packs for taking my mini to other campsites and such, but they have limited battery life.  

Because the Mini has a built in Router, it looses WiFi signal, and thus internet speed, the farther away it is.  Mine is hopelessly slow if I use the entire cord length.  So a great accessory is the Starlink Mini Router.  They are inexpensive, and you won't often need it.  But when you have a situation where your Mini is placed farther away for a clear sky view, then the router will save your day!  See my post  "The New Starlink Mii Router, for what ails you."

So you will need to decide how you want to power your Mini based on how you plan to mount it and use it.  Then you can make an informed decision on how to power it.  

Hope that helps!  Geoff