Power Boost 500 keeps Powering off

General project help for Adafruit customers

Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit

Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
Locked
User avatar
alohaloh
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:04 am

Power Boost 500 keeps Powering off

Post by alohaloh »

Hi, I have a power boost 500 (PB500)) with a lipo 3.7V 500mah battery attached along with a spt slide switch.
I’m using it to power an old Polaroid instant camera.
With everything wired up the PB500 powers up fine (blue light), when connected to the camera it powers up, loads film and pops out the dark slide but when I take the first shot the PB500 blue light turns off (like a trip).
By turning the switch off and on the PB500 turns back on with blue light but when I hit the shutter button again it powers off again.

Is there a way to find out what is causing this “trip” or power cut off

User avatar
adafruit_support_bill
 
Posts: 88093
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am

Re: Power Boost 500 keeps Powering off

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

Most likely it is the protection circuit in the LiPo tripping due to the startup current demands of the motor.

The maximum discharge current of the 500mAh cell in the store is 1C or 500mA. Since there is no free lunch in physics, 500mA @ 3.7v is going to give you at most 370mA when boosted to 5v. (In reality, it will be less since the boost process is not 100% efficient.)

User avatar
alohaloh
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:04 am

Re: Power Boost 500 keeps Powering off

Post by alohaloh »

Ah I see. ok let me see if i can find an alternative battery that can give out more. Thanks

Locked
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.

Return to “General Project help”