FAQ
Q: How do I charge the battery?
A: Connect the fast charger to the USB Type-C port on the module, not to the Raspberry Pi's USB Type-C port. The module requires a fast charger; it is recommended to use a Type-C phone charger that supports the 40 W profile, or directly use the Raspberry Pi 27 W power supply. Regular charging may result in insufficient input power, causing the battery voltage to continue dropping.
Q: No output after reconnecting the battery?
A: After replacing the battery, you need to charge it for a few seconds to activate the battery protection circuit. Then turn the switch to ON and output will be available.
Q: What are the input/output power and output current?
A: The Type-C port can deliver a maximum output power of 40 W. The spring-loaded pogo pins output 5 V, and the actual output current can reach up to 10 A; however, to control temperature rise, it is recommended that the operating current not exceed 6 A.
Q: The remaining capacity reading is inaccurate?
A: The capacity may be inaccurate due to battery model and temperature variations. After replacing the battery, you need to complete several full charge-discharge cycles so that the chip can calibrate the battery parameters, after which it will become accurate. The batteries used should be as consistent as possible; mixing old and new batteries or having large voltage differences between batteries may reduce capacity.
Q: What is the battery specification?
A: 21700 lithium-ion battery, outer diameter 21 mm, height 70.0 mm, flat top. Nominal voltage 3.7 V, full charge voltage 4.2 V.
Q: Indicator LED?
A: The onboard LED is a power indicator. Whether the Type-C port is in output or input mode, as long as the port is connected to power, the LED will light up.
Q: Why is the printed current value negative?
A: A negative value indicates output current, and a positive value indicates input current. A positive battery current means charging, while a negative battery current means discharging.
Q: Pi 5 shows a power-insufficient warning. How do I remove the USB current limit?
A: The Pi 5 detects the power capability of the USB supply. When not using USB power, current limiting may occur. To only remove the USB Type-A current limit, add the following setting to /boot/firmware/config.txt:
usb_max_current_enable=1
This setting does not suppress the boot-time warning. If you want to both remove the current limit and suppress the boot-time warning, refer to Raspberry Pi 5 Current Limit Removal.
Q: Running the program returns an IO ERROR?
A: Make sure I2C is enabled on the Raspberry Pi. If the pogo pin contact is poor, use the following command to check whether the device is recognized.
Install i2c-tools, and in the terminal enter:
sudo apt-get install i2c-tools
After installation, execute the following command to view the I2C address:
sudo i2cdetect -y 1
If the UPS HAT (E) is installed, the command output should include 0x2D. If the device is not detected, check that the screws are tightened. If necessary, solder the pin headers for more reliable contact.