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You
could use an old car battery. The only disadvantage is that
some car batteries are not sealed. The acid can spill and
they may require maintenance. Car batteries are also larger
than the model shown in Fig. 5 and impractical for placing
inside an enclosure. However, even a single car battery will
make your router run for many, many days.
ODDS
AND ENDS
Make
sure your switches are rated for at least 12V DC. Insulate
all metal points of contact with either good quality electrical
tape that will not unwind in heat or better yet with tube
heat shrink.
You
can buy a premade DC cord with a plug that fits your router
or you can get one from an old power supply. Make sure that
the plug fits snuggly. Some cylindrical connectors seem to
plug in well but are not thick enough and will drive you nuts
when you jiggle the cord and reset the router.
CLOSING
THOUGHTS
Is
this project worth the effort? Probably not. You will spend
more money than what you'd pay for electricity for the life
of your router. However, there may be some practical reasons
why you may want to build a solar power supply. If you live
in emergency prone areas where loss of power is common this
solar powered router may come in handy. If you're a green
freak you'll love it (I hate to mention that manufacture of
all the pieces hardware you're about to use also contributes
to CO2 emissions).
Most
importantly, if you're dealing with mid-life crisis like me
this is a great little project to keep you busy for a week
or two. The wife won't mind either.
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