R&D
meshBox
The meshBox is an outdoor solar power generator for 24V ethernet powered devices. The device is designed with Ubiquity Mesh AP devices in mind, but could power any number of small networking devices.
A 25-100W solar panel provides power to a small 5A Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) charge controller which charges a Lithium Iron Phosphate battery. A voltage boost converter then provides the 24V necessary to run a ubiquity Mesh AP device.
The implementation documented here is a beefy version of the meshBox which theoretically provides almost 3 days of power with no sun.
We use tiny single board component versions of a charge controller and low temp disconnect to make a very tiny off grid solar setup which powers a mesh access point.
Our first batch of meshBoxes arrived at PCW recently and the first one has been supplying Villa Africána Colobó in the Norris square neighborhood since April 2022.
Ingredients:
- 50W PV Panel (not on this diagram)
- Low temperature disconnect
- MPPT 4A charge controller
- Inline blade fuse holder
- 4S Lithium battery
- WAGO Lever nuts
- DC 12V to DC 24V 3A Boost Converter
- Power over Ethernet Passive Injector
- a mesh node : starting with the Ubiquity mesh access point
See the documentation for a better breakdown of the parts.
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