Powering your Raspberry Pi 5 efficiently and reliably is crucial. With the Pichondria 5V 5A Converter, you can easily harness the power of USB-PD power banks, USB-PD adapters, DC adapters, and even Li-ion batteries to ensure your Raspberry Pi 5 runs smoothly. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of using a USB-PD power bank to power your Raspberry Pi 5 with our versatile converter.
The whole idea behind the board, is to enable multiple power options to power the Raspberry Pi 5, especially using the existing USB-PD adapters or power banks, than rely on expensive 5V 5A adapters, which are also hard to get.
Why Use a USB-PD Power Bank?
USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) is a fast-charging technology that allows power banks and adapters to deliver higher power levels compared to standard USB ports. This makes USB-PD power banks an excellent choice for powering devices like the Raspberry Pi 5, which requires stable and sufficient power to function optimally.
What they do effectively is, increase the voltage of the USB-C output when the device asks for it. This increases the power output effectively.
For instance, a 30W power bank or adapter will give out 3A at 5V, 2A at 9W and 2A at 15V. Though the adapter or power bank is rated for 30W here, it delivers 15W @ 5V, 18W @ 9V, and 30W @ 15V. Most adapters or power banks give 3A at 5V.
RaspberryPi 5 is rated to require about 5V at 5V, which normal adapters are unable to give. We all have 30W or better rated adapters for our devices. Even though they have enough power capability, they might not be able to give 5A @ 5V. Our team at Pichondria designed a board, which uses existing adapters or power banks with USB-PD protocol, and then converts it to 5A @ 5V.
What You Need
- Pichondria USB-PD 2.0/3.0 to 5V 5A Converter Board: Our reliable and high-efficiency converter designed to transform various power sources into a stable 5V 5A output.
- USB-PD Power Bank: Ensure it supports the required power output. If you need 5V 5A, the power bank should have a capability of 27W or better
- USB-C to USB-C Cable: For connecting the power bank to the Pichondria converter. This is included in the Pichondria package. The cable supplied is short – 20cm. There will be voltage drops on the cable and the supplied cable is enough for most use cases. But if you need a better voltage, use the soldering pad to solder a wire and connect it to RPi 5 header for better voltage.
- Identify the Input Port: Locate the input port on the Pichondria 5V 5A Converter. This is where you’ll connect the USB-C to USB-C cable which comes from the power bank. This cable can be any normal USB-C to USB-C cable. The voltage drop here will not make any issues with operation.
- Plug In the Cable: Connect one end of the USB-C to USB-C cable to the USB-PD power bank and the other end to the input port on the Pichondria converter.
- Turn on the power bank for confirmation: Once you connect the Pichondria 5V 5A converter and turn on the power bank, the red LED on the Pichondria board will turn on if the voltage is enough to generate 5V at the output. If the red light doesn’t turn on, it will mean that the power bank is not responding to USB-PD request from the Pichondria board. The red indicator will turn on if the 5V output is available.
- Connect the output of the converter to RaspberryPi 5: The supplied cable, which is 20cm long, is enough for most applications. Connect the cable from the output of the Pichondria 5V 5A converter to RaspberryPi 5.
In case you are consuming higher currents at very small instants, and if you are experiencing under voltage warnings, use the soldering pad to solder a thick and short length wire, to connect to the RPi 5 header. The soldering pad option will reduce the voltage drops experienced when using the USB-C cable option - Unlock the 5V 5A mode on RaspberryPi 5: The RaspberryPi 5 needs a few changes in its settings to enable the maximum power mode when using the Pichondria converter board. It needs single line changes in config.txt and RPI EEPROM.
These are demonstrated step by step in our tutorial at https://pichondria.com/usb-pd-2-0-3-0-to-5v-5a-converter-for-raspberrypi-5-tutorial#code_changes - Turn On the Power Bank: Ensure the power bank is turned on and delivering power.
- Boot Up: Your Raspberry Pi 5 should now power on, receiving a stable 5V 5A from the Pichondria converter. Watch for the boot sequence on your monitor to confirm it’s working properly. Connect any USB device that draws up the power to confirm that the USB is working well. You can also try booting from a USB device.
The installation is complete once you do the above steps.
Conclusion
Using a USB-PD power bank with the Pichondria 5V 5A Converter is a practical and efficient way to power your Raspberry Pi 5.Whether you’re working on a mobile project or need a reliable power source for your Raspberry Pi, this setup offers flexibility and peace of mind. With easy-to-follow steps and minimal equipment, you can keep your projects running smoothly and efficiently. Enjoy the convenience and reliability that the Pichondria 5V 5A Converter brings to your DIY electronics projects!
If you stumble upon any issues, feel free to ask us at the community at https://pichondria.com/community/usb-pd-5v-5a/