Magnetic Car Mount LoRa/Meshtastic/Meshcore Solar Case

# Magnetic Car-Mount LoRa/Meshtastic Solar Case

A sleek, aerodynamic, solar-powered case for mounting a Meshtastic LoRa node on your car roof. The triangular wedge profile minimizes wind drag and noise at highway speeds, while four rubber-coated magnetic feet let you pop it on and off in seconds without any permanent mounting.

Designed around two 110x60mm 6V solar panels, a RAK4631 WisBlock Core, and a 3700mAh LiPo cell. The internal sled and rear cap are separate parts designed to be easily modified — swap the SMA connector for an N-type, add a power switch, or design your own sled layout. The STL/STEP files are included so you can make it your own.

Tested at 65mph with no issues. 

---

## Features

- Aerodynamic wedge profile — low drag, minimal wind noise on a car roof

- Magnetic mounting — four 1.25" rubber-coated neodymium magnets, recessed so only ~1mm sits below the print. Strong hold, no paint damage, instant on/off

- Dual solar panels — two 110x60mm 6V 160mW panels charge the LiPo via an MPPT controller

- Modular design — the inner sled and rear cap are separate printable parts meant to be customized

- Hex cable passthrough — hexagonal cutout for the solar panel cable, shaped to print cleanly without supports

- Zip-tie mounting — hardware attaches to the sled with zip ties for a simple, secure, and flexible setup

---

## Bill of Materials (BOM)

| Qty | Component | Notes |

|-----|-----------|-------|

| 1 | RAK4631 WisBlock Core + Base Board | Main LoRa/BLE module |

| 2 | 110x60mm 6V 160mW Solar Panel | Generic panels, widely available on Amazon/AliExpress | https://a.co/d/05usSKEC

| 1 | MPPT Solar Charger Module | Generic MPPT Li-ion charger, 2A max charging current, 4.2V CV, 300KHz PWM. Search "MPPT solar charger lithium battery module" | https://a.co/d/06Hb6PIB

| 1 | 3700mAh LiPo Cell | EEMB or similar. Max 10mm thick, max 100mm length to fit the sled | https://a.co/d/00a0gZaU

| 4 | 1.25" Rubber-Coated Neodymium Disc Magnets | Recessed into the base. Rubber coating protects car paint | https://a.co/d/01IIpxhv

| 1 | SMA Antenna Connector (or your choice) | Rear cap is designed for SMA but can be modified for N-type, etc. |  https://a.co/d/0cQ6cY7h

| 1 | LoRa Antenna | 868/915 MHz depending on your region, with matching connector | 

| — | M3 x 25 Screws | For attaching the rear cap to the main body |

| — | Small Zip Ties | For securing the RAK board, battery, and MPPT controller to the sled |

| — | Wire / JST Connectors | For wiring panels → MPPT → battery → RAK |

---

## Print Settings

Recommended Material: ASA (best UV and heat resistance for outdoor/car-roof use). PETG is a reasonable alternative. PLA is not recommended — it will soften and warp in direct sun on a car roof.

| Setting | Recommended Value |

|---------|-------------------|

| Layer Height | 0.2mm |

| Perimeters/Walls | 4 |

| Infill | 20–30% gyroid or grid |

| Top/Bottom Layers | 5 |

| Supports | Not required (hex cutout is designed to bridge cleanly) |

| Brim | Recommended for the main body to prevent warping, especially with ASA |

### Material-Specific Tips

ASA:

- Print in an enclosed chamber. ASA needs stable ambient temps to avoid cracking and warping.

- Bed temp 100–110°C, nozzle 240–260°C depending on your brand.

- Use a brim. ASA loves to lift corners on large flat parts.

- Good ventilation or a filtered exhaust — ASA fumes are not pleasant.

PETG:

- Bed temp 70–85°C, nozzle 230–250°C.

- Slightly less UV resistant than ASA but still serviceable outdoors.

- Easier to print than ASA if you don't have an enclosure.

---

## Assembly Instructions

### 1. Print the Parts

Print the main body, inner sled, and rear cap. No supports should be needed. Check that the magnet recesses and hex cable passthrough are clean — a light pass with a deburring tool or hobby knife helps.

### 2. Install the Magnets

Install the four 1.25" rubber-coated magnets into the recessed pockets on the bottom of the main body. They should sit with only ~1mm protruding below the surface.

### 3. Prepare the Sled

Lay out the RAK4631 (on its base board), MPPT charger module, and LiPo cell on the sled to plan your zip-tie routing. Use small zip ties to secure each component. Keep wiring tidy and away from the edges where the sled slides into the body.

### 4. Wire It Up

- Connect the two solar panels to the MPPT charger input (panels in parallel or per MPPT module specs).

- Connect the MPPT charger output to the LiPo cell.

- Connect the LiPo cell to the RAK WisBlock base board power input.

- Route the solar panel cable through the hex passthrough in the sides of the case.

### 5. Install the Antenna

Mount your SMA antenna connector (or your chosen connector type) through the rear cap. Attach the antenna pigtail to the RAK4631's U.FL connector.

### 6. Slide In the Sled

The sled slides into the main body. Slide it in gently, making sure no wires get pinched.

### 7. Attach the Rear Cap

Secure the rear cap to the main body using M3 screws. RTV/Silicone is suggested to seal the end cap. 

### 8. Mount the Solar Panels

Attach the two 110x60mm solar panels to the top face of the case. RTV/Silicone is required to secure and seal the solar panels on the main body. 

### 9. Stick It On Your Roof

Place the assembled case on your car roof. The magnets will grab and hold firmly, be careful to not pinch your fingers. Position the antenna for best line-of-sight. Go drive around and mesh.

---

## Customization

The inner sled and rear cap are intentionally simple so you can modify them to fit your setup:

- Rear cap — The default design accommodates an SMA connector, but you can remix it for N-type, RP-SMA, or add features like a power switch, USB-C charging port, or status LED window.

- Inner sled — The included sled uses zip ties for mounting flexibility. Design your own sled with purpose-built cradles, screw posts, or snap-fit features for your specific board and battery combo.

- 3MF and F3D files included — Import into your CAD program of choice (Fusion 360, FreeCAD, SolidWorks, etc.) and go wild.

---

## Notes

- The MPPT controller manages safe charging of the LiPo cell, including overcharge/overdischarge protection. Make sure your specific module supports the voltage range of your panels.

- At highway speeds, the magnetic hold is more than sufficient. The aerodynamic profile keeps wind loading low. That said, always double-check your magnets are seated and the case is firmly attached before driving.

- For best LoRa range, use a quality antenna matched to your frequency band (915 MHz for US, 868 MHz for EU). A small ground plane or whip antenna works well with this form factor.

- This is a community-friendly design — share your remixes and rear cap mods!

Created by W0AEZ Radio Gear LLC. 
If you like this model, please consider Buying Me A Coffee
https://buymeacoffee.com/w0aez