How to add a UPS to your Raspberry Pi projects (and do it on the cheap)

The Raspberry Pi wants little introduction. This single-board pc has change into a vital device for tinkerers, tech fans, and programmers.

However what occurs when the ability goes out?

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I had a venture the place I wanted a Raspberry Pi to run 24/7/365 with as excessive a stage of uptime as potential. Whereas energy cuts are uncommon in my neck of the woods, they will occur. I wanted to make my Pi proof against such outages. I wanted a UPS — quick for uninterruptible energy provide — a battery backup mechanism that kicks in when the ability goes out.

This is the UPS I opted for: a Waveshare UPS HAT (B).

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Waveshare UPS HAT (B) kit

The UPS HAT allows you to use two 18650 rechargeable batteries as a backup power supply for your Raspberry Pi. No soldering is required and you can still use the GPIO pins on the top of the Pi.

Waveshare UPS HAT (B) specs

• Suitable with Raspberry Pi 3, 3B+, and 4B
• Helps real-time monitoring of the battery voltage, present, energy, and remaining capability
• Multi-battery safety circuits providing overcharge/discharge safety, over present safety, quick circuit safety, and reverse safety
• Onboard 5V regulator permitting for as much as 5A steady output
• 5V USB output
• Battery warning indicators
• Consists of improvement assets and guide
• Requires 2x 18650 batteries (not included)

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Be aware: I’ve additionally used the GeeekPi UPS HAT, which presents related performance however makes use of micro USB, which costs at a slower charge than the Waveshare board at an analogous value.

The Waveshare UPS HAT (B) suits onto the underside of the Raspberry Pi.

OK, obtained all of the bits, so I am able to go.

And I am not going to be postpone by the typo on the battery charger!

The HAT connects to the Raspberry Pi utilizing pogo pins that press onto the underside of the GPIO pins.

OK, listed here are the meeting directions.

Discover how the pogo pins match in opposition to the underside of the GPIO pins. The benefit? Not solely is not any soldering required, however you possibly can nonetheless use the GPIO pins on the highest of the Pi.

It is so much simpler to tighten the screws when you’ve got a magnetized screwdriver. I used a magnetizer/demagnetizer to make my screwdriver tip magnetic.

Tighten the screws holding the HAT down a bit bit at a time, do not simply crank down on one screw then go to a different as a result of that can misalign the pogo pins.

When accomplished, examine the alignment of the pogo pins in opposition to the GPIO pins.

Do not need to use HAT? This is one other method

OK, whereas a HAT is probably the most handy and dependable approach to arrange a UPS for a Raspberry Pi, there’s another choice: use an influence financial institution.

You should use the ability financial institution to energy the Raspberry Pi, and join the ability financial institution to a charger to maintain it topped up.

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Sadly, you possibly can’t use simply any energy financial institution. The ability financial institution has to assist a characteristic known as pass-through charging. That is the characteristic that enables the ability financial institution to be concurrently charged whereas charging a tool.

Not all energy banks assist this, however energy banks from Zendure, Goal Zero, Omni, and Renology assist this characteristic, and provide a lot better backup capability than two 18650 rechargeable batteries can present.

Additionally: The 5 greatest transportable energy banks: Preserve your units juiced on the go

One other different is to make use of an influence station, from makers akin to Jackery or Bluetti. All energy stations I’ve examined assist pass-through charging.