Get Started with SenseCAP Solar Node

note

When the device is in either of the states below, do not manually reboot or turn it off. Otherwise, the device may become bricked.

1. Not finishing the message transmission process
2. Being configured

Get Started

Before formal deployment, please test and configure the node first.

Flash Firmware

note

Do not use NRF-OTA to update the firmware, as it may cause the device to become completely unresponsive. Before flashing the firmware, please run the flash erase step first!

Visit Meshtastic Web Flasher. Select Seeed SenseCAP Solar Node as the target device.

Flash Erase

Click the trash symbol.

Download and copy the erase firmware.

Click Enter DFU Mode, select and connect to the serial port named XIAO-xxx, and a drive named XIAO-xxx should appear. Copy the erase firmware to the drive.

This process may take some time. Please wait for the "XIAO-XXX" drive to disappear.

Flash Application Firmware

Choose the firmware version you want. Click flash.

Download the UF2 file and enter DFU mode. Drag the UF2 file to the DFU drive. The firmware should be flashed after the file is copied and the device reboots.

Install Battery and GPS Module (Optional)

tip

When you need to install or replace the battery, use a button-top 18650 (3.6 V) battery.

The P1-Pro version has a built-in battery and GPS module. For the P1 version, users need to install the battery and GPS module manually if needed.

• Step 1: Remove all the screws and the cover.

• Step 2: Install the battery and GPS module.

• Step 3: Assemble the shell.

note

Ensure that the shell is properly mounted and the screws are firmly tightened to maintain the device’s waterproof integrity.

Power on the device

The device needs to be activated by connecting the USB cable before first use. If the blue Mesh light blinks, the device has been successfully turned on, as shown in the video below:

tip

If the device does not respond when you press the button, please charge it first. Do not use a fast charger.

Connect via App

iOS App

• Select the target device on the Bluetooth panel.

• Enter the code (the default code is 123456) and then click OK to connect the device.

Android App

• Click + and choose the target device.

• Enter the code (the default code is 123456) and then click OK to connect the device.

Connect via Website

If you want to send text messages and communicate with other nodes in the web client, you can connect the device to the Meshtastic Web Client now.

Step 1: Open the Website

Click here to go to the website.

Step 2: Add the new device

Click "+ New Connection".

There are two ways to connect. You can choose your preferred method.

Method 1: Via Bluetooth

Choose the Bluetooth method. Select the device ID in the pop-up window.

Method 2: Via Serial

Choose the serial method. Open the device manager to see which port the device is connected to. Select that port in the pop-up window.

Your device will be shown in the list. Click to connect. If the connection succeeds, you can see the device status directly on the website.

Configure the LoRa

In order to start communicating over the mesh, you must set your region. This setting controls which frequency range your device uses and should be set according to your regional location.

iOS App

Android App

Region List

Region Code	Description	Frequency Range (MHz)	Duty Cycle (%)	Power Limit (dBm)
UNSET	Unset	N/A	N/A	N/A
US	United States	902.0 - 928.0	100	30
EU_868	European Union 868MHz	869.4 - 869.65	10	27

Refer to LoRa Region by Country for a more comprehensive list.

info

EU_868 has to adhere to an hourly duty cycle limitation of 10%, calculated every minute on a rolling 1-hour basis. Your device will stop transmitting if you reach it, until it is allowed again.

Now that you have set the LoRa region on your device, you can continue with configuring any LoRa Configs to suit your needs.

Configure GPS

Please enable GPS. You can adjust the update interval and broadcast interval to obtain more up-to-date location information.

For iOS, please turn on Accurate Location. Otherwise, the positioning may be inaccurate.

Button

Button Action	Description
Press PWR for 3s	Power on
Press PWR twice	Update node/location info
Press PWR three times	Switch on/off the GPS
Press PWR for 5s	Power off
Press RST twice	Manually enter DFU

Installation

note

Since the device will be used outdoors for extended periods, please avoid installing the panel in a horizontal position. A tilted or diagonal installation is recommended to prevent water accumulation. Additionally, ensure that all screws are securely tightened and the cover is properly installed. For enhanced waterproof protection, you may also consider applying extra sealing measures.

• Part List

Step-by-step Installation Guidance

• Step 1: Connect part 1 to the bottom of the device using washers and screws.

• Step 2: Connect the universal joint (part 2) and the bracket (part 3) with screws.

• Step 3: Connect the RF cable (part 4) and antenna (part 5).

• Step 4: Install the hoop ring in the appropriate position.

• Step 5: Connect the universal joint bracket.

• Step 6: Loosen the screws, adjust the universal joint to the appropriate position, and then tighten the screws.

• Step 7: Connect the antenna to the device.

Complete installation guidance

• You can complete the entire installation and initialization process through a video.

Add sensors to Solar Node (Optional)

• You can install your sensor by following this video.

• The following sensors have been verified to be compatible with the Grove interface on the device.

Sensor type		Sensor Model
Environmental Sensor	Pressure	BMP085
	Temperature	MCP9808、PCT2075
	Temperature & Humidity	SHT31/SHTC3/SHT4X、AHT10
	Temperature & Humidity & Pressure	BME280
Other	Heart Rate & SpO₂	MAX30102
	I2C Keyboard	CardKB

Upgrade Antenna (Optional)

• You can replace the antenna with a fiberglass one by watching this video.

If you need an antenna with higher gain, we recommend the 860-930MHz 3dBi fiberglass antenna and the 902-928MHz 5.8dBi fiberglass antenna.

FAQ

Boot Loop

• Reason

This is usually caused by a firmware flashing failure. When flashing the firmware, please maintain a stable connection.

• Troubleshoot

Click here to re-flash the firmware.

Device bricked

Description

The device does not respond, the LED does not light up, and it cannot pair with your app.

1) Device can still enter the DFU mode, then try to flash the bootloader.

Flash the Bootloader

• Bootloader download

note

When you are flashing the bootloader, please make sure the cable connection is stable and DO NOT disconnect it during the flash process.

Step1: Adafruit-nrfutil Installation

For Windows users, press the "Win" key and "R" key, then enter "cmd" in the pop-up window and press "Enter". This opens the command line.

For Mac users, press the "Command" key and "Space" key to open Spotlight. Then enter "terminal" and press "Return". This opens the command line.

Prerequisites

• Python3
• pip3

Check in your command line whether Python and pip are installed successfully.

python --version

python -m pip --version

Then "Python xxx" and "pip xxx" should appear. If they do not, please try installing Python again.

Installing from PyPI

This is the recommended method for installing the latest version:

pip3 install --user adafruit-nrfutil

Check the installation path:

python -m pip show adafruit-nrfutil

This is the installation location:

For Windows users, you may need to add the path manually. Copy the installation location shown in the last step. Then add it as follows:

Installing from Source

Use this method if you have issues installing with PyPI or want to modify the tool. First, clone this repo and go into its folder.

git clone https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_nRF52_nrfutil.git
cd Adafruit_nRF52_nrfutil

Note: The following commands use python3; however, if you are on Windows, you may need to change it to python, since Windows installations of Python 3.x still use the name python.exe.

To install in user space in your home directory:

pip3 install -r requirements.txt
python3 setup.py install

If you get permission errors when running pip3 install, your pip3 is older or is set to try to install in the system directories. In that case use the --user flag:

pip3 install -r --user requirements.txt
python3 setup.py install

If you want to install in system directories (generally not recommended):

sudo pip3 install -r requirements.txt
sudo python3 setup.py install

To generate a self-contained executable binary of the utility (Windows and MacOS), run these commands:

pip3 install pyinstaller
cd Adafruit_nRF52_nrfutil
pip3 install -r requirements.txt
cd Adafruit_nRF52_nrfutil\nordicsemi
pyinstaller __main__.py --onefile --clean --name adafruit-nrfutil

You will find the executable in Adafruit_nRF52_nrfutil\nordicsemi\dist\adafruit-nrfutil (with .exe if you are on Windows). Copy or move it elsewhere for your convenience, such as a directory in your %PATH%.

Step2: Check your port number

Connect your device to your PC, and check the port number.

For Windows users, for example:

For Mac users, for example:

Step3: Flash the bootloader

In the terminal or command prompt, navigate to the directory where you downloaded the bootloader zip package and execute the following command, replacing the port with the correct one for your device:

• For Windows:

adafruit-nrfutil --verbose dfu serial --package xiao_nrf52840_ble_bootloader.zip -p COMXX -b 115200 --singlebank --touch 1200

Please change COMXX to your COM port number. For example, if your device is on COM6, change the command to:

adafruit-nrfutil --verbose dfu serial --package xiao_nrf52840_ble_bootloader.zip -p COM6 -b 115200 --singlebank --touch 1200

Some devices will change their port number after you enter this command. If the installation fails, check the port number again.

• For others:

adafruit-nrfutil --verbose dfu serial --package xiao_nrf52840_ble_bootloader.zip -p /dev/tty.SLAB_USBtoUART -b 115200 --singlebank --touch 1200

When you have completed the above steps, follow this step to flash the application firmware.

Device automatically turns off

Description

• After the device turns on, it turns off or reboots automatically after a while.
• The serial port log ran for a while and then stopped.

This may be caused by manually and forcibly rebooting or turning off the device while it is in one of the following states: not finishing the message transmission process or being configured.

Troubleshoot

Click here to perform a flash erase, and then re-flash the latest firmware.

Factory Reset

If you want to restore the default settings, you can perform a factory reset. There are two methods for doing the factory reset.

• Click here to perform a flash erase, and then re-flash the latest firmware.

• Click the Factory Reset button in the app. The device will automatically reboot with the factory configuration.

  

Direct Message Fail

NodeDB Reset

NodeDB is the local database that stores information about nodes discovered in the current Mesh network. If you encounter a situation where you can't communicate with a certain node, it might be because your nodedB has stored outdated information for that node. You will need to update it.

Open the app and connect to the target device. Go to Settings->Device->Device Config->Reset NodeDB.

Exchange User Info

Each node will periodically send its own node information, enabling other nodes in the mesh to "see" and "recognize" it. Two nodes need to exchange their node information with each other in order to be able to communicate with each other. If you are unable to send or receive private messages with another node on the list, you can manually prompt them to exchange information in the app.

Regenerate Private Key

Two nodes need to know their private key with each other in order to be able to communicate with each oher. If one node keeps failing in private message transmission, try regenerate the private key for it.

Reboot the faulty device to make the configuration function.

note

After the key regeneration, other device needs to reconnect with the node. So it is better to delete the node in other device's node list.

Power Consumption

Power consumption primarily depends on factors such as the data transmission frequency and GPS update rate. The figures below are for reference only; actual consumption may vary based on real-world usage conditions.

• Shutdown sleep mode power consumption

Description	Consumption
GPS_LED working current	1.02 mA
Powered but not activated	56.195 μA
Powered and activated	611 μA

Example:

Battery capacity	Battery life
3350	136.8
12000	490.2

• Active mode power consumption

Mode	Current
Static Current	10.65 mA
EU868 Transmission Current	157.74 mA
US915 Transmission Current	205.22 mA
GPS Operating Current	50 mA
GPS_LED Operating Current	1.02 mA

Signal Quality

• SNR reflects the quality of the communication link. A normal device usually operates above -7 dB. A device with an SNR lower than -10 dB indicates poor performance.

• RSSI is determined jointly by the device and its surrounding environment. A normal device usually operates above -110 dBm. A device with an RSSI lower than -115 dBm is considered to have poor performance.

  To achieve the best signal performance, please use the device in an open, unobstructed area with minimal interference.

Charging Current

The Xiao nRF-52840 Plus maximum charging current is 200 mA. The CN3165 charging management chip supports 0.99 A. Therefore, the maximum charging current is 1 A.

Resource

• Solar Node Battery Life Calculation Table