Versions & history

This is the working documentation for the OpenPowerBox reference prototype. It brings the owner’s installation and operating guide together with the design explanation, a first cost review, and clearly identified performance estimates.

Current documentation · November 2026

Area	What is available	What remains
System design	Reference components, energy balance, and scaling concepts	Validated alternative configurations
Build	Three-section assembly outline with instructions pending	Solar panel assembly, step-by-step box build, and exact aluminum and wood mount builds
Operation	Startup, normal use, shutdown, storage, troubleshooting, and maintenance from the reviewed manual	Updates as the hardware changes
Cost	Roughly $500 working estimate, pending component tables, and one commercial comparison	Fill in component prices and allowances; review the retained budget worksheet against the final tables
Testing	Roughly 40-hour battery-only runtime at 16 W, 100 W+ pump operation, multi-device demonstration, 97% controller efficiency, and output configuration	Relevant test results and data with short explanations; heat testing

Version History

No history