01Power and runtime
How many days does it run with no sun? A trailer that works has enough battery to ride out a week or more of overcast and recharge in a day of sunlight. Ask for the runtime in cloudy conditions, not on the spec sheet's best day, and ask what month the array was sized for.
What to askAsk: what is the runtime at the darkest month of the year, with the cameras I actually plan to run?
On a Vorp Energy trailer: 750 to 2,250 W of solar with 2 to 6 batteries, SLA or LiFePO4, sized to December sun hours. See the sizing guide in the Learning Center.
02Connectivity and failover
A trailer on one carrier has a coverage hole wherever that carrier does. Look for automatic multi-carrier cellular failover, and ask whether a satellite uplink can be added for sites no carrier reaches. A camera that cannot upload is a camera that recorded nothing anyone saw.
What to askAsk: how many carriers, does it fail over by itself, and what happens to the footage while it is offline?
On a Vorp Energy trailer: Sharpvue OS provides multi-carrier cellular failover as part of the platform.
03Analytics that act
Recording after the fact is not deterrence. Better units run analytics on the trailer, detect an intrusion or a loiterer as it happens, and pair that with a strobe, siren or talk-down speaker and a live operator so the incident stops in progress.
What to askAsk: what happens in the first sixty seconds after a detection, and who is watching?
On a Vorp Energy trailer: Sharpvue OS pairs detections with on-board deterrence, and ODIN lets officers search footage in plain language.
04Continuous cloud recording
If footage lives only on an SD card or an on-board recorder, a thief who steals the trailer steals the evidence. Continuous cloud recording keeps the footage even when the hardware is gone, and lets several people review it at once.
What to askAsk: where does the footage live, and what do I have if the trailer disappears tonight?
On a Vorp Energy trailer: Sharpvue OS records to the cloud; the hardware alone can still record locally for buyers who bring their own VMS.
05Origin and compliance
Federal, utility, infrastructure and law enforcement buyers often need NDAA Section 889 compliant components. Domestic manufacturing shortens lead times and simplifies procurement. Ask for the documentation rather than the claim.
What to askAsk: where is the trailer built, where are the cameras made, and can you send the compliance paperwork?
On a Vorp Energy trailer: Built in Rexburg, Idaho. Sharpvue cameras are NDAA-compliant; ask us for the component list for your bid.
06Open platform and licensing
Per-camera or per-seat licensing balloons over time, and a trailer locked to one vendor's cameras cannot join the system you already run. Favor ONVIF-compliant cameras, open streams and a platform with unlimited users.
What to askAsk: can I use my own VMS, and what does the software cost in year three?
On a Vorp Energy trailer: Each unit is wired for the cameras and VMS you run. Sharpvue OS is optional, at one flat monthly subscription per unit.
07Fleet support and monitoring
A trailer is only as good as its uptime. Remote health monitoring, battery and power diagnostics, fleet mapping and a support line answered by people who built the unit catch problems before they become missed incidents.
What to askAsk: who do I call, and can they see the trailer's power state from their desk?
On a Vorp Energy trailer: Factory phone and email support, remote diagnostics with Sharpvue OS, and drop-in replacement of defective components.
08Data privacy and ownership
Clarify where video and vehicle data live. Some vendors pool license plate and vehicle data from every customer into one shared, searchable network; others keep each deployment private. Get the data-sharing model in writing.
What to askAsk: who else can search my footage, and do you read and store plate numbers?
On a Vorp Energy trailer: Your footage is yours. With Sharpvue OS it stays in your account; with your own VMS it never leaves your network.
09Buy, lease or rent
Short-term sites, events, seasonal surges and single projects often pencil out as a rental with no capital outlay. Long-term sites and fleets favor ownership. Run the total cost over the time you will actually have the unit, including software and monitoring.
What to askAsk: what does five years cost, all in, for each option?
On a Vorp Energy trailer: Buy factory direct, or ask us about lease options. Configure the unit online and we quote it.
10Lead time and what arrives
Imported units often run eight to ten weeks from order to arrival and land as a shell: solar, mast and cameras still to be integrated by you. If coverage is tied to a start date, the gap between a finished unit and a kit is the whole decision.
What to askAsk: when does it ship, and is it tested as one unit before it leaves?
On a Vorp Energy trailer: Built to order in two to four weeks and shipped built, wired and tested as one unit.