Solar Array Power Conversion Kit for Security Equipment
INTRO
MAKE designed a retrofit solar array conversion kit for a piece of mobile security equipment deployed by HS2 — engineered to mount up to six full-size solar panels onto an existing tetrahedron structure with zero modification, while maximising solar gain across a wide range of install conditions.
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Mobile security units with cameras and flood lighting powered by a battery and inverter system, were already deployed in the field, built around a tetrahedron frame constructed from aluminium tube with aluminium fairing panels.
The brief was to design a solar charging system capable of mounting up to six full-size solar panels onto that existing structure, two per face, with each panel adjustable across a range of inclinations to maximise sunlight capture depending on install location and elevation.
Critically, the solution had to work as a retrofit kit. The base units were already operational — any solution requiring modification to the existing equipment would have meant costly rework across an already-deployed fleet.
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MAKE 3D scanned the existing frame to capture its complex angles and true mounting point locations directly from the physical unit, and reverse engineered the OEM solar panels into accurate digital twins, giving a precise digital foundation for a system involving multiple interfacing parts and a wide range of adjustable angles.
At the core of the design is a reinforcing collar that sits at the top of the tetrahedron frame. This is kept deliberately minimal in size, weight and part count, while carrying every mounting point and hinge required for the panel bracketry above it. Each pair of solar panels sits on a lightweight, rigid subframe that mounts asymmetrically to the collar, allowing the panels to overlap across each face of the frame. Integrated supporting props secure each subframe and provide staggered mounting points, fixing panel angle at five-degree intervals across a 20 to 80 degree range from vertical — allowing the kit to be optimised for solar gain at whatever elevation and orientation a specific install location presents.
A rugged, faceted steel electronics box provides secure housing for the battery and inverter system. The complete kit mounts onto the existing unit without any modification to the equipment already in service.
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3D scanning and reverse engineering to capture accurate existing frame geometry and create OEM digital twins
Minimal-part, multi-function reinforcing collar carrying all mounting points and hinges
Asymmetric subframe mounting allowing panel overlap across each face of the tetrahedron
Staggered mounting points enabling 5-degree adjustment across a 20–80 degree range for solar gain optimisation
Rugged faceted steel electronics enclosure for battery and inverter system
Fully retrofit-compatible. No modification required
Designed around Loose Fit, Long Life, Low Energy for genuine end-to-end sustainability
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The solar array conversion kit delivers a scalable renewable power retrofit for equipment already in active deployment.
The adjustable mounting system allows a single kit design to be optimised across a wide range of real-world install conditions, while the minimal-part, DFMA-led construction keeps the system economical to produce and straightforward to assemble at scale.
Read more about the thinking behind this project on our Insights page
A retrofit renewable power system that respects equipment already in service — proving that a genuinely sustainable design considers not just what a product powers, but what it costs to build.
