Solar panels or battery boxes are a great way to keep your feeder’s motor battery running longer. If you’re using external power with your feeder while using Feed Hub, you’ll need to connect it directly to the Feed Hub timer. Please see below for more instructions on this process.
SUPPORTED EXTERNAL POWER ACCESSORIES
Solar Panels and/or Battery Boxes that use a 12v barrel jack are compatible with the feed hub timer.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
- Feed Hub + your Feeder Kit
- Your external power source (Solar Panel/Battery Box) + power cord
- 6v or 12v motor battery - whichever is compatible for your feeder
- Power drill (needed for some feeder brands)
- Rubber stopper (included)
- Barrel Jack (included with your Feed Hub)
EXTERNAL POWER INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
1. Connect to external power after you’ve installed the Feed Hub Timer.
2. Mount the solar panel:
- Place on the feeder leg or on top of the feeder for optimal sunlight.
3. Attach the power cable to your external power source:
- Attach using the proper input (6v or 12v) based on your battery.
4. Route the cable to the Feed Hub timer:
-
For Moultrie feeders:
-
- Route the 90-degree cable jack through the hole, if your feeder kit has a hole for solar power. This includes feeder kits like Moultrie Pro Hunter 2, Directional or Super Pro Mag.
- If using Moultrie Ranch Series, you can route the cable through the grommet in the hopper, and then to the feeder kit.
-
- For non-Moultrie feeders:
-
-
- For other feeder brands that don’t have a grommet to route solar, you may need to drill a ½ inch hole in the feeder kit housing to route the cable.
-
5. Route the barrel jack adapter through the opening.
6. Route the solar power cable through the hole.
7. Install rubber stopper:
- Take the provided rubber stopper and use it to wrap the power cable at the opening. Use the stopper to plug the hole, to keep everything in place and keep moisture out.
8. Connect to external power:
- After routing the power cable through, take the alligator clip adapter and attach one end to the solar power cable. Take the other end and clip onto the motor battery terminals, paying attention to polarity.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Can I use external power with Feed Hub?
A: Yes, Feed Hub supports external power sources, like a battery box or solar panel. Feed Hub uses a 12V barrel jack to connect external power to the Feed Hub Timer. You will need to adjust your feeder kit to connect to external power.
Q: Can I hook external power to the Feed Level Detector?
A: No, the Feed Level Detector only operates on 4 AA batteries.
Q: How do I hook in external power to the feeder kit / Feed Hub?
A: In order to connect external power sources to the motor battery, you will need a power drill to drill a hole into your feeder kit. You can then route the barrel jack adapter through the hole and connect one end to your external power source, and then connect the alligator clips to the motor battery. Feed Hub comes with an included barrel jack adapter for this purpose.
Q: How do I know if Feed Hub is using the external power source / if it’s still connected?
A: Your Feed Hub will show a motor battery level that shows the battery level as of the last check-in.
Q: Can I use the Edge Series Rechargeable Pack with Feed Hub?
A: No, the Edge Series Rechargeable Pack only works with Edge Series cameras.
Q: Which solar panel do you recommend?
A: Moultrie offers 2 new solar panels: a 3.4W and 10W. We recommend the 3.4W power panel for areas with moderate to good sunlight and the 10W for areas with less sunlight. Click HERE to learn more and shop for power accessories that are compatible with Feed Hub, or check your local retailer.
Still Need More Information? We’re Here to Help! Use the link below to Contact Us.