Upgrade Your Pi Zero Setup With This $35 Mini UPS
Keep your Raspberry Pi Zero running through power blips with the $35 Pi-Ener-lite mini UPS from ACE Design Studio.
Raspberry Pi Zero boards may be some of the most energy-efficient computers out there that can run a full Linux operating system, but they still need some juice. Even a little blip on the power supply is going to bring your home automation system or personal project to a screeching halt. To keep those services up and running no matter what may come, you’ll need to power the Pi through a UPS. But a traditional UPS that can keep a desktop computer chugging along is serious overkill for a Pi Zero.
That’s where the new Pi-Ener-lite from ACE Design Studio comes in. It can smooth out blips in the grid to keep your Pi up without the cost and complexity of a standard UPS. It draws its power from a single 18650 rechargeable battery and has a tiny footprint to match. Pi-Ener-lite also has a small price tag to go with that little footprint — you can pick one up for $35.
Unlike generic battery packs, Pi-Ener-lite was designed specifically for the Raspberry Pi Zero family. Rather than occupying the GPIO header, the board mounts underneath the Pi and connects through seven spring-loaded pogo pins. Those pins handle both power delivery and I2C communication, leaving the header available for HATs or other expansion hardware.
The board supports a standard flat-top 18650 lithium-ion cell and is capable of charging and powering the Raspberry Pi at the same time. If external power disappears, the transition to battery power happens automatically, allowing the Pi to continue running uninterrupted. Charging is handled over a USB-C connector at up to 1 A, while the board can supply up to 2.5 A at 5.1 V to the Raspberry Pi.
ACE Design Studio also packed in a few extra features. A CW2015 fuel gauge chip reports both battery voltage and remaining capacity, with a claimed state-of-charge accuracy of ±2% and voltage measurements within ±3 mV. A DS1307 real-time clock, backed by a CR1220 coin cell, keeps accurate time even when the main battery is removed. That combination makes the board especially useful for remote monitoring systems, portable data loggers, and other projects that need both reliable power and persistent timekeeping.
The package includes open source STL files for a 3D-printable enclosure, so builders can print replacement cases or customize the appearance to suit their project. ACE Design Studio has also published Python examples and documentation showing how to read battery information and access the RTC over I2C.
For Raspberry Pi Zero users who need something more capable than a USB power bank but far smaller than a conventional UPS, Pi-Ener-lite is worth checking out. You can find out more over at Tindie.