EIM Technology's MEGO 2.0 Is a Raspberry Pi RP2040-Powered Rechargeable Breadboard Power Supply

The successor to 2018's MEGO goes all-digital, thanks to an embedded RP2040 chip — and delivers up to 6W of power from 4-24VDC.

Gareth Halfacree
2 months agoHW101 / Python on Hardware

EIM Technology is preparing to launch a new and improved version of MEGO, its slick breadboard power supply with a difference: it includes an integrated rechargeable battery, delivering wire-free power from 4V to 24VDC, now controlled by a Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller.

"MEGO 2.0 is a rechargeable breadboard power supply with an adjustable DC output voltage range of 4V to 24V," EIM Technology founder Daniel Cao explains. "It is designed for makers and hobbyists who need a quick, convenient, and accessible solution to power their breadboard circuits for experiments and projects. Equipped with a built-in 2,000mAh lithium polymer battery, it ensures extended run times for your projects."

The original MEGO launched in 2018, and like its rivals was designed to quickly provide power to standard-sized solderless breadboards by slotting into the power rails at the top. The second-generation version works likewise, but internally has enjoyed a complete redesign — dropping analog circuitry in favor of digital control through an on-board Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller running an open-source MicroPython firmware.

The power supply itself is adjustable from 4-24VDC, delivering a maximum current of 1A and not exceeding a maximum overall power draw of 6W. That energy comes from a 2,000mAh lithium polymer battery, rechargeable over USB Type-C, and is read out via a display at the top — while a dedicated 5V supply is available on a USB Type-A connector.

Cao promises that the design files and firmware source code for the MEGO 2.0 will be open-source, and has already published a bill of materials and schematic to the company's website — though not PCB layout files. "Due to the inaccessibility of certain license-required components involved, the downloadable version of this PCB layout is not available," Cao explains. "If you are an intermediate or advanced PCB/hardware designer, recreating this board should be straightforward."

Cao is planning to launch the MEGO 2.0 on Crowd Supply in the near future, with interested parties invited to sign up on the MEGO 2.0 page to be notified when the campaign goes live; more information is available on the EIM Technology website, alongside the BOM and schematics.

Gareth Halfacree
Freelance journalist, technical author, hacker, tinkerer, erstwhile sysadmin. For hire: freelance@halfacree.co.uk.
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