Add A Battery Pack To Your Raspberry Pi

Don’t leave your Raspberry Pi behind – incorporate it into mobile projects by powering it up using humble AA batteries

Your Raspberry Pi’s mobility is usually restricted by the length of the power lead. Rather than limiting it to your desk or living room, however, you can use it for mobile projects as diverse as launching it into near-Earth orbit or monitoring and automating your garden.

Of course, to do this you will need batteries, but adding battery power to your Raspberry Pi is simpler than you might have imagined. All that is required are six rechargeable AA batteries (or single-charge alkaline), a battery box with space for the batteries and a UBEC. The latter is a Universal Battery Elimination Circuit, a voltage regulator that will regulate the power supply and prevent damage to the Raspberry Pi, and can be bought for under £10.

01 Make your order

If you’re buying your components online, you should be able to get them all within five days. However, if you’re ordering offline (specifically the UBEC), you should avoid traditional electronics stores and instead visit a model enthusiast store, as these circuits are regularly used in RC devices.

02 Check your UBEC