Pi-UpTime 2.0 UPS Board for Raspberry Pi

PiZ-UpTime 2.0 provides Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) for Raspberry Pi Zero, other Pi models, and other USB Single Board Computers (SBC). Power is provided via the USB-out port or the 40-pin Raspberry Pi compatible header. The board has the same dimensions as a Pi Zero and can be mounted securely on a Raspberry Pi Zero using spacers for a compact, mechanically stable connection.

When used with a Pi Zero 40-pin header (e.g., Pi Zero W 2 H with Headers), UPS power is provided via the header pins. UPS power can also be provided via the micro USB Out port. A micro-USB to micro-USB cable is needed (not supplied).

An on-board 12-bit ADC monitors Vin, Vout, battery Voltage, and operating Temperature (in °C and °F), providing accurate operating conditions. A temperature sensor (via an onboard NTC) below the battery area provides approximate battery temperature or the operating temperature of PiZ-UpTime 2.0. Battery charging is usually safe between 0°C and 50 °C. Recommend getting the operating temperature range of the battery from the manufacturer.

No GPIO connections or GPIO monitoring are needed. The on-board ADC provides information via the I2C. Up to three different I2C addresses can be selected via jumper J11-J12 to avoid conflict with other I2C devices.

External connections are available for Vin, Battery, and Vout via jumper studs, terminal blocks, or JST connectors. The external connection points can be used for an external battery, an external Vin of 5V, and 5V Vout.

Max UPS and operating current for the system is 2A. The external battery can be Li-Polymer or Li-Ion, connected via a terminal block. Please make sure to connect the battery with the proper polarity. Incorrectly inserting the battery will burn out the electronics.

Maximum current is limited to 2A via a current limit resistor. Since the USB connector provides power for charging the battery and providing power to devices connected via Pi-UpTime-UPS 2.0, a 3.5A power supply is strongly recommended. A good quality USB cable will minimize power loss.

Features

• Uninterrupted 5 V power for Raspberry Pi and SBCs
• USB-C and micro-USB input (one at a time)
• Supports 18650 Li-Ion, Li-Polymer, or LiFePO4 cells (not included)
• External battery connections via solder pads
• Seamless power switching with no reboot
• I²C monitoring of voltages and temperature (12-bit ADC, 3 addresses)
• Optional power switch input to fully shut down system while charging continues
• Outputs: 5 V/2.5 A, plus 3.3 V/0.7 A

Compatibility

Works with Raspberry Pi models using the 40-pin header (A+, B+, Pi 2, Pi 3, Pi 4, and Pi Zero).
Supports HAT-compatible boards as long as they follow Raspberry Pi Foundation standards.
Not supported on older 26-pin Raspberry Pi models.

Recommended Accessories

• 18650 Li-Ion rechargeable batteries with end contacts
• 20 mm standoffs (not included)

Applications

• UPS backup: Protects Raspberry Pi from power loss and brownouts. Runtime depends on battery capacity and load (up to 16h on smaller Pi boards).
• Data logging: Reliable operation for remote loggers; can recharge with a 5 V solar panel.
• Mobile power: Runs Raspberry Pi projects such as cameras, controllers, oscilloscopes, and portable devices.
• Security & surveillance: Keeps Raspberry Pi Camera projects running through outages.
• Robotics & drones: Compact, stackable power with high energy density.
• IoT devices: Provides stable power and I²C monitoring for sensor projects.

Resources

• Datasheet
• Comparison Chart between the original model and the updated version 2 model
• GPIO shutdown.py – sample python code, stored in ZIP format
• GPIO-crontab.py – sample python code, stored in ZIP format
• Pi-UpTimeUPS How to Use Python – PDF document HOW-TO
• Pi-UpTime STEP – STEP design file, stored in ZIP format