External usb battery

[Salah]

Hi everyone,

I plan to build my own GameBoy Zero thanks to the excellent text and video guides I found on this website.

About the power supply, my idea is to use an external usb battery instead of battery + powerboost.
But I'm note quite sure to understand well what's the benefit of this powerboost.

Do you guys think I could use an external usb battery instead ?

Thank you for your help

[Chedda]

You theoretically can use an external battery that puts out 5V and that can power everything else. The reason why there are power boosts is because a lot of us are using a LiPo/Li-Ion battery and they put out 3.7V. The powerboost boosts the power to the sufficient 5V required to run the pi, screen, USB and USB devices.

Planning your power would be USB in to a powerboard and distribute the power from there to all your devices.

[Zero]

Yes you can use one, they basically do the same thing. In my experience most powerbanks seem to disturb the current flow when the 'soft power' button is pressed to check battery level, with the pi they seem to reset the pi when pressed, so if you're using one try to get one which always shows power level.

[Ganreizu]

Yes you can use one, they basically do the same thing. In my experience most powerbanks seem to disturb the current flow when the 'soft power' button is pressed to check battery level, with the pi they seem to reset the pi when pressed, so if you're using one try to get one which always shows power level.

Do you know any good powerbank choices? Would we plug it in through the micro usb port?

[Chedda]

Yes you can use one, they basically do the same thing. In my experience most powerbanks seem to disturb the current flow when the 'soft power' button is pressed to check battery level, with the pi they seem to reset the pi when pressed, so if you're using one try to get one which always shows power level.

Do you know any good powerbank choices? Would we plug it in through the micro usb port?

I personally have this one. http://www.microcenter.com/product/4473 ... ry_-_Black

I use it for charging my phone. It has 2 usb ports for dual charging. As far as how to plug it into your setup, it is however you have it wired.

[Ganreizu]

I use it for charging my phone. It has 2 usb ports for dual charging. As far as how to plug it into your setup, it is however you have it wired.

I have 3 batteries like those but I don't know the output voltage but definitely want one to accompany my build. That way if I travel by plane then I can leave the LiPo at home and just use the power bank.

I'm wiring it the same as wermy has it for the custom build, so micro usb goes to powerboost. I'm assuming it doesn't matter if it's 3.7v or 5v since the powerboost will regulate it anyway.

[Chedda]

yep, you can do just that and power only from that power pack. It will run just like as if you were charging the battery and playing at the same time.

The thread started by not having the power pack at all and only power everything via the power pack. The output depends on the specs of the unit. Most are 5v 1a unless noted otherwise. They mimic the output of a normal USB port that you'd find on a computer.

[Zero]

Do you know any good powerbank choices? Would we plug it in through the micro usb port?

I have bought a couple to try. One is an Anker Astro E1 5200mah.
https://www.anker.com/products/A1211012

I've pulled it apart, which wasn't easy as it was very well built, and it looks like it will work nicely. Has 4 blue leds to show the power level too. Also has lots of protection circuits so should be a safe one.

This is what was inside:


Will use it in a future build.

[Ganreizu]

Do you know any good powerbank choices? Would we plug it in through the micro usb port?

I have bought a couple to try. One is an Anker Astro E1 5200mah.
https://www.anker.com/products/A1211012

I've pulled it apart, which wasn't easy as it was very well built, and it looks like it will work nicely. Has 4 blue leds to show the power level too. Also has lots of protection circuits so should be a safe one.

This is what was inside:

Will use it in a future build.

Hah that's funny. That's the exact same battery that I already have. I'd buy the 10k or 20k mAh version for this though.

Thanks for help guys.

[Zero]

You might be able to fit 4 of these batteries in a gameboy case at a squeeze, but no more unless you're a wizard at space management, they're quite large.