Many applications require that the Raspberry Pi 5 continues to work even if the main power supply fails. For this case, there are battery-powered emergency power supplies, but so far they are mostly designed to suit the low power requirements of the Raspberry Pi 3 or 4. There are also larger UPSs that are actually for PCs (YouContinuous STromVsupplies), which are quite large and too expensive for the Raspi.
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A 98×85 mm adapter board called Raspberry Pi 5 18650 Battery UPS HAT It also takes over the power supply to the 5 Series without interruption as soon as the power supply connected via the USB-C socket fails. It also has four holders for standard 18650 battery cells on the bottom. The Raspberry Pi 5 can be docked directly on top using spacers and screws. Electrical connections between the HAT and the RasPi (power supply and data lines) are made by spring contact pins (pogo pins) soldered to the circuit board. No additional cabling is necessary.
A mounting location is provided on the power supply for the Raspberry Pi 5.
(Image: Defrobot)
If you use battery cells with a capacity of 3400 mAh, the Raspi can theoretically be supplied for up to 10 hours at full load (5A current consumption). In practice you should expect 7 to 8 hours. The manufacturer states an efficiency of 95 percent, but you should not discharge the batteries to the last mA.
With simple python script you can check battery charge status and type of power supply (normal or battery supply) via I2Query C-Bus. An automatic, adjustable shutdown can also be set up when the batteries are discharged. Manufacturer’s wiki page Provide all necessary technical information and program examples.
Four GPIO pins are required for communication between the emergency power supply and the Raspberry Pi 5.
(Image: DFRobot)
Extra connections for Raspi 5
There are also two USB-A and two XH2.54 sockets on the board, which provide 5V with unlimited power output for additional devices. External chargers (up to 18V) can be connected via a 5.5mm hollow socket and a JST plug. Since the board also has a USB-C port, the usual Raspberry power supply is also suitable. The charging process takes place at up to 3A. The usual power supply for single-board computers is also provided via this USB-C socket.
The board also offers multiple charging ports as well as the option to power additional power-consuming devices via USB.
(Image: DFRobot)
Other components on the board include a charge status indicator with four LEDs and a power button that can be used to turn the RasPi on and off.
Raspberry Pi 5 18650 Battery UPS HAT It is currently priced at $53 in the manufacturer’s online shop, It is available in German online stores for just under 70 euros.Battery cells are not included in the purchase price.
(HGB)
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