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Demo # 1 Power Inputs

A project log for ESP32-S3 PowerFeather

Low-power, Feather-format ESP32 dev board for LiPo/Li-Ion and solar powered IoT projects

powerfeatherdevpowerfeatherdev 07/14/2024 at 12:540 Comments

The ESP32-S3 PowerFeather has three power inputs:

a. Battery: up to 4.2 V, 2 A via JST PH connector
b. USB: up to 5 V, 2 A via USB-C connector
c. External DC: up to 18 V, 2 A via the VDC header pin

ESP32-S3 PowerFeather power inputs

ESP32-S3 PowerFeather power inputs

With just the battery connected, the dashboard shows -0.1 A battery current. The negative value means that it's discharging. Since no USB or external DC power source is connected, the supply information displays 0 V and 0 A.

Only the battery connected

Connecting USB power, the supply voltage and current now displays around 5 V and 0.08 A. The battery current drops to 0 A, indicating it's neither charging or discharging.

USB power + battery connected

Connecting an external DC source (through a ProtoWing barrel VDC pin breakout in the photo below) supersedes the still connected USB power and it's now used as the supply, reflected by the approximately 18 V and 0.02 A in the supply information.

18 V external DC source + USB power + battery connected

It's OK to have all these three sources connected at the same time. The board juggles between them appropriately to prevent brownout reset when connecting/disconnecting power sources, as long as one of the sources is connected at any point in time.

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