LiPoly Backpack burned out Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit

[bobtina]

Hi, I think that I got a defective LiPoly backpack.

Without connecting the backpack to anything else, I plugged in a 3.7v 1200mAh battery. The thing shocked me, then got very hot. None of the lights turned on. You can see on the back of the backpack that the board got deformed from the heat right where it says "charge", "default", "jumper", and "5A"

IMG_5725.jpg (499.41 KiB) Viewed 152 times

IMG_5726.jpg (620.81 KiB) Viewed 152 times

I contacted the support email about getting a replacement. They told me to post here first.

[adafruit_support_mike]

Could you post a photo of the LiPo you connected to it please, specifically showing the JST-PH2 connector that plugs into the backpack?

800x600 images usually work best.

[bobtina]

Here's the battery

IMG_5727.jpg (97.41 KiB) Viewed 131 times

IMG_5731.jpg (124.98 KiB) Viewed 131 times

[adafruit_support_mike]

Thank you.

I'm afraid that LiPo's connector is wired with the opposite polarity from what we use. There are two ways to insert the positive and negative wires in a JST-PH2 jack, and unfortunately you can find both in the wild. We use the version that's slightly more common, which puts the black/GND wire closer to the side of the backpack with the holes for pin header. There are + and - markings on the PCB by the JST-PH2 jack's pins.

Connecting a LiPo with the wrong polarity will reverse the voltage across the LiPo charger, and that will kill most ICs.

[bobtina]

So if I swap the wires around in the JST-PH2 jack, it will work fine on another backpack?

[adafruit_support_mike]

It should, yes.