Last time, I introduced the new StarLink Mini. Since it’s introduction, there is a great deal of chatter on social media about how to power this new terminal using 12V DC. On the StarLink website, the technical specifications state that a StarLink terminal can operate between 12V and 40V. However, when people have attempted to connect the StarLink Mini to a 12V supply in a car, RV or boat, it has not worked.
For people responding to a disaster, access to mains voltage may not be possible, so DC power may be the only option. In this article I will share with you some information about how you can successfully power the StarLink Mini using DC power in an off-grid environment.
Recently StarLink made some improvements to its bandwidth package. You will find more details about this towards the end of this article.
Why the StarLink will not work on a direct 12V DC connection
The StarLink Mini is designed to operate on voltages between 12V and 40V. The terminal ships with 15m DC cable with 2.1mm power connector on both ends. In the StarLink social media chat groups, there has been a great deal of frustration expressed by people who found that the terminal will not operate when the standard cable was plugged into a 12V power supply. In my own tests, I had the same experience, and the core issue is down to the cable length where the internal resistance in the cable will cause a voltage drop below 12V. Even with custom made shortened cables, many people have failed to power their terminals.
Some people have reported that when they connected a shorter cable to the terminal, it only works if the engine is running, (typically, when the engine is running, voltage will increase to 13.8v as the alternator charges the battery). So, my conclusion from my experiments is that it is unlikely that a StarLink Mini terminal will function using a 12v DC system using a direct cable. For people deploying to a disaster response, its important to ensure that deployment kits have the means to power the terminal. Below, you will two solutions you can rely on.
Note: On larger vehicles, RVs and boats which run on 24DC, the standard cables will be sufficient.
Solutions tested
Various solutions were tested and most worked well. So, lets start with the first experiment 😊
- SUCCESS: My first solution runs on 12V but you will need to purchase additional accessories as follows
- The 5m USB to 2.1mm power cable from StarLink (USD $45)
- 12V adaptor which needs to be USB C PD3.0 compatible and have a capacity of 100W. Here is a link to the model I tested from Amazon – UGREEN Car Charger 130W USB C Car Charger 3-Port in Car Charger Fast Charge USB Cigarette Socket 12V Compatible with iPhone 16/16 Plus/16 Pro/16 Pro Max/15/14/13/12,Surface Pro,Galaxy S24/S23: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo
The 12V adaptor was plugged into a power source and the USB cable connected to the Starlink Mini. Note that on the USB end of the StarLink cable, there is a red light. If the cable is operating properly, the light will not illuminate! The light will also not illuminate if there is no power either, so it’s important to check if the blue light is active on the StarLink terminal.
2. FAIL: Standard USB Port does not have sufficient power to run a StarLink Terminal. Note that the red light is showing on the cable which means that the voltage is too low. In the picture, the cable is connected to the standard USB C port which operates at 5V. The StarLink USB cable will only work when connected to a USB C which is PD3.0.
3. FAIL: For the third test, I connected the standard 15m cable to adaptor which converts the 2.1mm jack to USB C. In theory this arrangement should have worked, but under testing it
failed and now power was supplied. The reason for this is that PD3.0 adapters are smart and able to supply a range of different voltages via the USB-C outlet. The StarLink cable is designed in such a way that the adapter detects the cable and supplies the correct voltage. Unfortunately, adaptors and standard cable is not set up to indicate what voltage is required. This arrangement could work with a dumb USB-C outlet where the output voltage is fixed.
- SUCCESS: The Voltaic Systems portable solar system is a great solution and will power the StarLink Mini for a few hours. This system can be purchased for $200 from various suppliers. See Arc 20W Solar Laptop Charger Kit | Portable Laptop Chargers for more information.
The power pack was able to run the StarLink standard 15m power cable whilst connected to the DC output socket. The default voltage is 12V and will not power the StarLink terminal. But you can change the settings on the power pack so that the output is increased to 20V DC.
There is a standard USB-C outlet on the power pack which is not PD3.0 compatible. This means that the StarLink USB-C cable will not work with this power pack.
In my opinion, for disaster response, this is going to be the best solution as the battery pack can be charged via the Solar pack (included) or a power pack if city power is available. Important to remember that the power pack uses Lithium-Ion batteries and should only be transported on an airline in hand carry baggage.
Changes to StarLink packages
Following the launch of the StarLink Mini in Europe, StarLink made some significant changes to its packages. The roaming service costs £50 in the UK with a monthly allowance of 50GB included. Users can opt into more capacity on a pay as you use basis (£1 per GB). For £96 per month, you can have unlimited bandwidth. Initially the roaming package applied to terminals not in motion (i.e. not on a moving vehicle). Roaming was limited to a region (for my test system its Europe).
In September, Starlink enhanced its package with more features at the same price. Here is what is new –
- Starlink terminals can now be used on the move.
- Roaming packages are fully international (up to 2 months per trip)
- Terminals can also be used in coastal regions (up to 12 miles offshore). This feature may be helpful to organisations operating boats to delivery humanitarian services afloat.
