Starlink from 48 volt rack battery

[Bluedog225]

@HighTechLab

That’s the question. How to run the Starlink with DC to avoid inverter losses 24/7 and allow VRM.

Starlink provides a DC to DC adapter to provide exactly the voltage the Starlink dish wants. But the DC to DC adapter seems to top out at 48 V input. According to the specs.

I think Starlink tech support is saying it’s fine to run it.

That would provide a complete solution to this issue. Buy the DC to DC adapter, run it from the batteries. Done.

The other possible option is to run the Starlink directly off the battery with no DC to DC adapter. Then the question becomes whether the variations in voltage will have an adverse effect on the Starlink dish.

Antron thought this might cause issues.

I think Starlink tech-support is saying that this option is fine also. But I doubt they understand the server rack voltage range.

This is the voltage chart. I provided to Starlink tech support when asking my question.

I think it would be great to be able to pin this down once and for all. They’re surprisingly little information out there.

I’m willing to buy the DC to DC adapter and give it a shot. I’m a little less willing to try running the Starlink directly off the battery as it’s a little pricey to burn it up.

 

[DVD]

Ever so slightly off thread here, but y’all that haven’t committed to the Gen 3 and its high power consumption, you should take a look at the Mini with a down converter.

 

[Bluedog225]

Thread 'The "ultimate" Starlink setup - Take ideas from it and expand as you see fit!'

Jun 2, 2024

I'm sure there are plenty of other awesome setups, I didn't have much of a plan going into this other than wanting to tick as many boxes for as many scenarios as possible. This is a VERY flexible setup while saving a fair bit of power which I think will help a lot of people out there trying to run on solar. This setup can run direct from your 48v lithium battery setup, or even from your 12v system. In our case we will usually run the OEM Starlink power adapter because we're so "overpowered" in our trailer/house it makes no difference consumption wise and keeps everything running perfectly...

• Watts Happening
• Replies: 13
• Forum: DIY Solar General Discussion

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We've had a member make this work before.

Great thread. Thanks!

 

[TenagaSurya]

You could make external TVS overvoltage protection circuit that can absorb the surge without threatening internal surge protection circuit inside the dish. All it takes is a fuse in series and appropriate TVS diode (or multiple in parallel) from fuse output + to - on the dish side. This way if the surge happens then TVS clamps it or blows the fuse.

Thanks for your comments on starlink power input. I was thinking of powering a Starlink Mini from RV's 12v battery, but using an aliexpress boost converter to step up the voltage to say 36v so I could run a pretty long (30m+) power cable for those times it needs to get out from under tree cover. Would the capacitors in those sort of boost converters absorb a little of the spike of a BMS shutting off when a solar charge controller is doing the charging? I can see that happening fairly frequently but I have no idea the magnitude of the spikes created in a 12v system.. Would rather not fiddle around to spec/buy TVS diodes (since I have no experience with them).

 

[quantum`]

Why give Elon Musk more money?

 

[Bluedog225]

Why give Elon Musk more money?

This is not the place for that.

 

[AntronX]

I was thinking of powering a Starlink Mini from RV's 12v battery, but using an aliexpress boost converter to step up the voltage to say 36v so I could run a pretty long (30m+) power cable for those times it needs to get out from under tree cover. Would the capacitors in those sort of boost converters absorb a little of the spike of a BMS shutting off when a solar charge controller is doing the charging?

That should work just make sure that boost converter can handle starlink dish peak current. May have to rig up small 36v or 48v booster battery on the output of dc converter to absorb current peaks from the dish and serve as brownout protection.

 

[MarioP]

I tested mine yesterday with my 48V LiFePo4 while charging on shore power.
BMS was showing 57-58VDC, and Mini performed without issues.
So I can officially confirm that at least in the short term, Starlink Mini has no issues with up to 60VDC

 

[TenagaSurya]

That should work just make sure that boost converter can handle starlink dish peak current. May have to rig up small 36v or 48v booster battery on the output of dc converter to absorb current peaks from the dish and serve as brownout protection.

Thanks! And thanks @MarioP for the note. In the end I used a voltage drop calculator and decided 36v should work, brownouts notwithstanding, and be preferable to my kid potentially grabbing a handful of 48v from and complaining about it forever.

 

[DrZ123]

So can I power my Gen3 starlink and dish directly from my 48v rack batteries? Don't see a definitive answer here...

Or do I need the Starlink DC-DC converter?

 

[Bluedog225]

So can I power my Gen3 starlink and dish directly from my 48v rack batteries? Don't see a definitive answer here...

Or do I need the Starlink DC-DC converter?

It’s not definitive. But it’s maybe leaning towards probably. Since you have a Starlink dish, you can email customer service. It was a while back but I recall they said it would be ok. I think. Maybe.

 

[DrZ123]

Such decisiveness in those words

 

[Bluedog225]

Such decisiveness in those words

Use at your own risk.

 

[Bluedog225]

Don’t know.

 

[AntronX]

From here: https://olegkutkov.me/2024/12/31/starlink-rev-3-v2-power-architecture/


L3751 Wide 6 V to 75 V input voltage synchronous buck controller
https://www.st.com/en/power-management/l3751.html



I think we can safely feed up to 60V to it. Don't go higher because there is internal TVS diode rated for 60V max operation that may trigger and blow internal fuse.

Edit: Rev4 V3 starlink terminal uses LM5146 100V dc-dc controller.