You pull up in your truck to the latest job site you’ve been contracted to secure from the string of recent robberies that have happened on the property. After un-hitching a solar security trailer from your truck you crank up the telescopic mast, which is already outfitted with cameras and a cellular connection. And then you flip the ON switch, and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.
It’s not hard to see the appeal of a totally self-contained surveillance installation on wheels, especially when the company that contracts you will be packing up and moving onto another location within a year or two. Likewise, with the ever-changing nature of most job sites it’s almost inevitable that equipment will need to be moved in order to keep up with shifts in vulnerable areas.
There are a lot of reasons that mobile solar surveillance trailers are so popular with job sites.
And it’s not just the construction industry, many police departments already utilize surveillance trailers as force multipliers, and actively seek out opportunities to expand these capabilities. For those departments that don’t yet have these rapid deploy surveillance trailers capabilities, you can bet the farm, their officers wish they did.
Gas & Oil fields, remote ranches, outdoor events/concerts, rock quarries and other mining operations, and the list goes on.
In fact, if you’ve been to a Walmart in a major city there’s a good chance you’ve seen something like this deployed in the parking lot. Imagine how many large parking lot owners could benefit from recording criminal (and even just accidental) events on their property. (Hint: there are somewhere between 800 million and 2 billion parking spaces in the US alone).
If you weren’t convinced before you even started reading this, there’s a significant need, and therefore a market, for the savvy integrator to fulfill.
But is a full-blown surveillance trailer the BEST fit for your next installation? Read on for the top 3 reasons a Solar Surveillance Skid might make more sense.
What is a Solar Surveillance Skid?
Before we get into why it makes sense to deploy a Solar Surveillance Skid in place of a solar powered trailer unit, let’s talk about what the Micro-Skid is (and what it isn’t).
Perhaps the most important (and obvious) difference is that the Micro-Skid is not a trailer. It sometimes requires a small amount more planning to pull off a successful deployment than it’s towable counterpart. That doesn’t mean that it can’t be just as easy to deploy though. In some cases it may even be easier! (We’ll get into that in a minute)
Apart from not actually having wheels, this unit is very similar in function to a surveillance trailer. As a matter of fact, the design is based off of our own previous-generation towable security unit, and carries over most features from its predecessor. Here’s the #1 reason to choose a solar surveillance skid instead of a solar surveillance trailer.
If you don’t need to move it around much, a solar surveillance skid maybe right for you!
The Solar Skid utilizes a full-size 21 foot mast, has mounting options for a solar array from 100W all the way up to 750W, and enclosure space for up to 1,000Ah of SLA batteries.
Solar Skids vs Solar Trailers
Pros and Cons
The single most common thing that we see holding people back from getting into the deployable mobile surveillance game is the cost of most surveillance trailers on the market. Costs typically range from about $20,000 to $40,000, with some costing closer to $100,000 or more! If your project calls for an air-conditioned server-rack, a 65 foot pole, stadium lighting, or a mini-bar then the Micro-Skid might not be what you need (Give us a call though, because we can do all of those things!).
This is a platform that is built to fill a specific role very well. It provides a base for a wind-stabilized telescopic pole for mounting surveillance and/or communications equipment and 24/7/365 power for that equipment.
Development for the Micro-Skid was driven largely with the end cost in mind. By cutting unnecessary frills, and through clever simplification of our design we’re able to offer a high quality platform at a fraction of the cost of a larger, clumsier trailer.
Discounts Available for Integration Partners
Don’t let the price tag fool you though, this system is every bit as reliable as the thousands of systems powered by Vorp Energy in the field, across the US and internationally!
The system features a heavy-duty steel construction, with an attractive and very durable powder coat finish and is built to last for years of harsh outdoor deployments. On top of that, everything inside and out (excluding batteries) is warrantied against manufacturer defect for 2 years! If you’re looking for a rock-solid mobile camera solution that won’t break the bank, look no further. Get a quote today!
The Transportation of Solar Skids and Solar Surveillance Trailers
One major hurdle that plagues both manufacturers and owners is how to ship their camera trailer longer distances. Do you shell out for the fully crated option that could fit several exotic animals? Or do you package it like a Jenga tower and risk destruction of your equipment at the hands of a daredevil forklift cowboy?
You could always ship the trailer disassembled, but who do you trust to put it back together again? What is that person’s time worth? It’s a big problem!
I know of one company that actually sends one of their technicians on a road trip to deliver every trailer they sell. Imagine the delivery fee… Or worse, imagine if you need more than one delivered!
The Micro-Skid really shines in this arena, which is often overlooked when weighing different options. Peel back the ¾ height crate and you’ve got a rapid deploy surveillance station truly ready to go right out of the box. The best part though is that freight probably cost you less than you think!
We’ve already discussed how driving the actual cost of the units low without sacrificing functionality or durability was a primary focus when engineering the Micro-Skid, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that slashing shipping costs closely followed that!
Re-packaging the unit can be done in a minute by a single person, and you don’t even have to do that.
As a testament to how adapted this platform is to transportation/re-location, we shipped one via regular ground freight with no preparation whatsoever. No crate. No boards. We didn’t even stretch wrap it and it survived the 1,300 mile round trip almost unscathed. The only thing we did after unloading it was flip the on switch and it was ready to go.
Multi-Unit Solar Skid Deployment
One thing that makes mobile security camera trailers a great solution is the fact that the only thing you need to deploy one is a vehicle with a towing hitch. Just haul it out there, drop the stabilizing jacks, and maybe slap a padlock on the hitch so (hopefully) nobody else drives off with it.
But what if your site needs more than one surveillance station?
We touched on it earlier, but Vorp Energy also offers a full size solar trailer*. We had a customer (back before we were even developing the Micro-Skid) who ordered several of these trailers. He got them all to his shop and set up his cameras how he wanted, but there was still a problem.
The deployment was over 3 hours away, one way.
Now imagine that instead of making the trip there and back several times he’d hitched up a utility trailer to his truck and loaded up 6 Micro-Skids. Even if he’d needed to rent lift equipment once on-site (you don’t necessarily need to by the way) the time and money saved would easily justify the cost.
In-fact, the integrator operating on a shoestring budget might even go so far as to rent a box truck with a lift-gate for the day of his installation!
Depending on the application, this capability alone may be the difference between standing out on your next bid and getting drowned out by every other security trailer out there.
*By the way, we also offer a whole line of products like, pole mounted Remote Solar Power Kits, Battery Backup UPS Kits, and an AC to DC Light Pole Power Tap Kit.
Still on the Fence?
At Vorp Energy we’ve always stood behind our specialized equipment.
- Nearly 10 years’ experience providing solar power for wireless surveillance and communications equipment.
- Over 20 working in the security industry, it’s safe to say that you’re in good hands.
- We’ve put thousands of remote surveillance systems in the field across just about every relevant application and industry.
To top it off, Vorp Energy equipment comes with a 2-year warranty!
Considering a Rapid-Deploy, Solar Powered Micro-Skid, or Mobile Surveillance Trailer for an upcoming job?
Go ahead and get one ordered to put through its paces, at no risk! If you’re not satisfied with it just send it back for a full refund!
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Solar Powered Surveillance Kits
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