(Credit: Starlink.com)SpaceX is now selling a more versatile Starlink power supply that supports AC and DC power inputs.
After rumors of the accessory began circulating in March, this Advanced Power Supply has now popped up on the official Starlink Shop for $200. It comes bundled with SpaceX’s new and pricey “Performance” Starlink dish, which the company introduced on Tuesday for $1,999.
However, it looks like SpaceX has also decided to sell the advanced power supply as a standalone product, noting that it works with the $349 standard Starlink dish.
Oleg Kutkov, an engineer in Ukraine who fixes Starlink dishes, originally reported that SpaceX was working on the accessory, and described it as a "universal power supply for Starlink terminals."
The current power supply bundled with the standard Starlink dish only supports AC input, which is the type of electricity commonly found in household wall outlets. But some customers, like those living off the grid or in an RV, have requested support for DC input from other power sources such as batteries or solar panels.
Third-party peripherals filled the void before SpaceX started selling a $110 "DC to DC" power supply for Starlink in December. The company has since created the Advanced Power Supply, telling customers it “can use AC or DC power inputs to power your Starlink, or alternatively connect both power sources at once when utilizing a battery backup connected to the DC input.”
Although the product is pricey, SpaceX added a microcontroller to the power supply that promises to provide stats, “including power inputs/outputs, Ethernet metrics, grid brownout, and connector water detection.”
“The Power Supply includes a LAN port to connect either a Starlink or third-party router or connect directly to a network switch,” the company added in the product description. “An integrated mount can be used to mount to a wall or a DIN rail on a server rack.”
The product weighs 4.6 pounds, up from 1.43 pounds for the standard Starlink dish's power supply. It includes two dedicated power cables, one for AC and one for DC. However, the support documents don't say whether the new power supply supports older Starlink dishes.
