Gridless delivers a truly unique off-grid security solution, purpose-built by a team of experienced battery engineers. Designed for durability and ease of use, the system eliminates the need for costly trenching or complex wiring, reducing both installation time and expenses. Its compact, adaptable design supports a wide range of security equipment, including cameras, lighting, alarms, speakers, access control, and more, making it ideal for fast and flexible deployment wherever it’s needed.
Choosing the right power source for your security solution depends on your location, availability of infrastructure, and the specific needs of your devices. Gridless offers four versatile source options—solar, intermittent AC, reliable AC, and battery-only—each with its own benefits and ideal use cases.
In this blog, we’ll guide you through each power sourcing option to help you determine the best fit for your security needs.
Solar
When you need a solution that can be installed anywhere with no existing infrastructure, solar power is the ideal choice. A solar setup charges your battery during the day, keeping your cameras running 24/7. Installing solar panels is cost-effective, eliminates the need for complicated and time-consuming permitting processes, and reduces the risk of downtime that could come with traditional power infrastructure. Even in inclement weather, the battery can continue to power your equipment for days. To maximize uptime, our engineers developed a custom solar model using the last 10 years of weather data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), allowing us to accurately size your system for peak performance.
Real-world Use Case: Calera, Alabama
The tight-knit town of Calera, Alabama, recently deployed Gridless units across the community, including a key installation at a local railroad crossing. By leveraging solar-powered cameras with cellular connectivity, the town implemented a fully wireless, off-grid solution, avoiding the high costs and complications of traditional infrastructure. With these units in place, first responders can now access live surveillance footage before arriving on scene, helping them avoid delays from oncoming trains, reroute when needed, and respond more efficiently when every second counts.
Intermittent AC
For areas where you have power but no connectivity, intermittent AC power is the most efficient option. It allows you to take advantage of power that’s already available. By connecting to the existing infrastructure, such as a light pole, the battery charges when the pole is powered at night, enabling the unit to operate throughout the day when there is no power to the pole. This setup saves both time and money by eliminating the need to install any new infrastructure. It also minimizes downtime, as the battery can keep the system running for days, even if the AC power is temporarily unavailable.
Real-world Use Case: City of Cape May, New Jersey
The coastal town of Cape May, New Jersey, needed a reliable surveillance solution to enhance safety throughout the outdoor Washington Street Mall. Fortunately, existing light poles along the mall offered intermittent power, perfect for them to deploy Gridless units to enable power conversion and connectivity for cloud-based video transmission. While the poles illuminate the mall at night, the battery charges and then keeps the cameras running all throughout the day. By leveraging existing infrastructure, the town implemented an effective security system that kept installation simple and the community safer.
Reliable AC
Like intermittent AC, reliable AC also takes advantage of existing infrastructure by tapping into an active, constant power source, without the need for a battery. This power sourcing method allows you to make the most of the infrastructure already in place, however, the option to include battery backup for added reliability is available. This ensures that in the event of a power outage, your cameras will remain operational, eliminating the risk of downtime.
Real–world Use Case: Lower Allen Township, Pennsylvania
One of the key challenges the community of Lower Allen Township, Pennsylvania, faced was a lack of internet infrastructure to put security cameras throughout their parks. A bathroom facility on the property had constant power, but lacked the necessary communications configuration to support cloud-based video surveillance. Using the existing AC power, the Gridless units enabled a 5G point-to-point setup that beamed the building’s Wi-Fi to other solar-powered cameras positioned around the park, extending the network instead of relying on cellular plans for each unit. The Gridless solution allowed the township to enhance safety and monitoring capabilities without the need for multiple costly infrastructure upgrades and subscriptions.
Battery Only
Sometimes unexpected or temporary deployments require a fast, reliable source of power and communications. In these situations, a battery-only solution is ideal. It can be quickly mounted to a pole and, depending on the power load, can operate for up to seven days on a single charge. When it’s time to recharge, simply plug it into an AC source. With our remote management platform, gMS™, monitoring your battery’s charge level and performance is easy and always accessible. The system sends you convenient alerts when the battery is running low, so you can prepare to charge the unit. This option offers true convenience and grid independence.
Real-world Use Case: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
In 2022, a 50-year-old bridge collapsed in the city of Pittsburgh, just hours before then-President Joe Biden was scheduled to visit. This unexpected crisis required first responders to act quickly, securing the area while initiating emergency repairs. With the Gridless battery solution, they were able to deploy a surveillance system to secure the premises quickly by zip-tying the units to nearby poles, ensuring immediate visibility and enhanced safety without needing existing infrastructure. This swift response demonstrated the critical value of flexible, off-grid technology in fast-paced, high-pressure situations.
What Source Suits Your Needs?
Gridless offers a range of sourcing options tailored to fit specific security needs, because no single solution works for every situation. Whether you’re going off-grid. leveraging existing infrastructure, or you require a fast, temporary deployment, Gridless provides the flexibility to match your requirements.
To learn more about the Gridless system and see our security solutions in action, book a demo to let us walk you through the security setup that’s right for you.
