0

There are a ton of questions posted similar to this but not quite this from what I had found, and I'm looking to understand this a bit more.

I have a Raspberry Pi 3 as well as the official 7" display. I can power it with no issues using a 5V/2.5A plug in power supply. I'm looking to be able to power it on the go.

I have an Anker Power Core 20100 Switch Edition (https://www.anker.com/products/variant/powercore-20100-nintendo-switch-edition/A1275S11). It has 2 power output ports:

A USB-C output rated at: PD Output: 5V=3A / 9V=2.6A / 15V=1.6A A standard USB port output rated at: Standard Output: 5V=2A

I expect that 5V/2A might not be enough to power the pi + display.

So really, two questions: 1) Is there harm in me attempting to use the 5V/2A and see if that's enough current to power my scenario, or would this cause issues? 2) If I get a USB-C to USB standard port adapter, then use a USB cable to plug from there into the Pi (something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Adapter-Converts-Resistor-MacBook/dp/B01AHKYIRS), would that affect the power output and drop the max current?

Thanks!

Improve this question
1
  • As Milliways points out, powerbanks intended for recharging phones are not sufficient for powering a pi regardless of what the ratings seem to imply on the surface. You can try it, but you will be disappointed.
    – goldilocks ♦
    Oct 21, 2018 at 13:47

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
1

Firstly, there is no risk of harm to the Pi - the worst you will get is a low voltage warning.

Frankly these products are not ideal for powering the Pi.

They are designed for charging smartphones.

The current ratings are meaningless - these depend on the phone and the charger negotiating a protocol - which the Pi CAN NOT do as it doesn't even have data pins on the connector.

They MAY work - but you need to test.

Improve this answer
0

So if anyone stumbles across this, I did get this to work. The USB Standard output at 5V,2A produced a low current lightning bold warning on the top right of my display. So I ordered the below USB-C to Micro USB cable:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LONQ7R6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's specifically rated for power output of up to 5V, 3A. I plugged it into my battery and the other end into the pi, and it worked just fine. Ran for about 3 hours and maybe drained 20-25% off the battery supply.

Neither the battery nor the pi were hot to the touch and it performed well.

This is not intended to be a permanent solution for me - I'm just using it for one night for a halloween costume - but it does appear to work properly.

Improve this answer

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.