# PowerBoost 500 Charger - Rechargeable 5V Lipo USB Boost @ 500mA+ **Type:** Product page · **SKU:** ADA1944 · **Brand:** [Adafruit](https://core-electronics.com.au/brands/adafruit-australia) **Page:** https://core-electronics.com.au/powerboost-500-charger-rechargeable-5v-lipo-usb-boost-at-500ma.html ([markdown](https://core-electronics.com.au/powerboost-500-charger-rechargeable-5v-lipo-usb-boost-at-500ma.html.md)) PowerBoost 500C is the perfect power supply for your portable project! With a built-in battery charger circuit, you'll be able to keep your project running even... ## Pricing - **Price:** $26.45 (inc GST) — $24.05 AUD, exc GST - **Quantity discounts:** 10+ $23.33 (exc GST) · 50+ $22.85 (exc GST) ## Availability & dispatch - Out of stock — the product page offers email notification when it returns. ## Description PowerBoost 500C is the perfect power supply for your portable project! With a built-in battery charger circuit, you'll be able to keep your project running even while recharging the battery! This little DC/DC boost converter module can be powered by any 3.7V LiIon/LiPoly battery, and convert the battery output to 5.2V DC for running your 5V projects. [If you need a 1A battery charger, smart load-sharing, and 1A iOS resistors, check out the Powerboost 1000C](https://core-electronics.com.au/powerboost-1000-charger-rechargeable-5v-lipo-usb-boost-at-1a-1000c.html) Like Adafruit's popular [5V 1A USB wall adapter](https://core-electronics.com.au/catalog/product/view/sku/ADA501), Adafruit tweaked the output to be 5.2V instead of a straight-up 5.0V so that there's a little bit of 'headroom' for long cables, high draw, the addition of a diode on the output if you wish, etc. The 5.2V is safe for all 5V-powered electronics like Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or Beagle Bone while preventing icky brown-outs during high current draw because of USB cable resistance. The PowerBoost 500C has at the heart a TPS61090 boost converter from TI. This boost converter chip has some really nice extras such as low battery detection, 2A internal switch, synchronous conversion, excellent efficiency, and 700KHz high-frequency operation. Check out these specs! - Synchronous operation means you can disconnect the output completely by connecting the **EN**able pin to ground. This will completely turn off the output - 2A internal switch (~2.5A peak limiting) means you can get **500mA+** from a 3.7V LiPoly/LiIon battery. **Adafruit had no problem drawing 1000mA**, just make sure your battery can handle it! - Low battery indicator LED lights up red when the voltage dips below 3.2V, optimized for LiPo/LiIon battery usage - Onboard 500mA charge-rate 'iOS' data resistors. Solder in the USB connector and you can plug in any iPhone or iPod for 500mA charge rate. Not suggested for large iPads. - Full breakout for battery in, control pins and power out - 90%+ operating efficiency in most cases (see datasheet for efficiency graphs), and low quiescent current: 5mA when enabled and power LED is on, 20uA when disabled (power and low batt LED are off) To make this even more useful, Adafruit stuck a MicroLipo charger on the other side. The charger circuitry is powered from a microUSB jack, and will recharge any 3.7V/4.2V LiIon or LiPoly battery at 500mA max rate. There's two LEDs for monitoring the charge rate, a yellow one tells you its working, a green one lights up when its done. You can charge and boost at the same time no problem, without any interruption on the output so its fine for use as a "UPS" (un-interruptable power supply) for a low-current draw device. Just be aware that the charge rate is 500mA max, so if you're drawing more than ~300mA continuously from the 5V output side, the battery will slowly drain since the charge rate is less than the dis-charge rate. Great for powering your robot, Arduino project, single-board-computer such as Raspberry Pi or BeagleBone! Each order comes with one fully assembled and tested PCB and a loose USB A jack. If you are powering your project from USB, solder the USB A jack in (a 3-minute soldering task). [If you would like to use a terminal block, pick up a 3.5mm 2pin block here](https://core-electronics.com.au/terminal-block-2-pin-3-5mm-pack-of-5.html) and solder to the output spot where the USB jack would go. Or don't solder anything in for a more compact power pack. Each order comes with a fully assembled and tested PowerBoost 500C + USB jack. Does not come with a Lipoly or LiIon battery, [but Adafruit have tons in the shop, just pick one with more than 500mAh of capacity](https://www.adafruit.com/categories/138). Also doesn't come with the nice iPhone or charger cable. You can also [grab a switch that can be soldered in to create an output on/off switch](https://core-electronics.com.au/breadboard-friendly-spdt-slide-switch.html). Be sure to [read Adafruit's lovely tutorial for details, schematics, and more!](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-powerboost-500-plus-charger/) If you're trying to figure out how much current your project is using, check out the [CHARGER DOCTOR!](https://core-electronics.com.au/usb-charger-doctor-in-line-voltage-and-current-meter-blue.html) ## Technical Details - Dimensions: 22mm x 37mm x 2mm / 0.9" x 1.5" x 0.08" - Height w/ JST: 7mm / 0.3" - Weight: 4g [Datasheets, PCB CAD files and Fritzing object available in the tutorial](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-powerboost-500-plus-charger/downloads) ![](https://core-electronics.com.au/attachments/localcontent/rohs_icon_8216055e11.jpg) ## Guides for this product - [Powerboost your LiPo Batteries](https://core-electronics.com.au/guides/prototyping/powerboost-and-lipo-batteries/) ## Videos for this product - [Smart Plant Monitor - a DIY Internet of Things IoT Project](https://core-electronics.com.au/videos/smart-plant-monitor-a-diy-internet-of-things-iot-project) ## Images - [Product image 1](https://core-electronics.com.au/media/catalog/product/1/9/1944-00.jpg)