PGCPSU Is a Tiny, Powerful, and Affordable LiPo PSU Module

As with all electronics, using low-cost hardware can be a hit or miss depending on the application, and power supplies are no different. I once bought a cheap no-name PSU for a PC, and it died a month later, thankfully it didn’t take any hardware down with it. German-based Staudt Technologies want to remove the notion that inexpensive electronics aren’t worth the PCBs they’re soldered on, with their PGCPSU (Pretty Good Cheap Power Supply Unit) module.

Staudt touts the board as a tiny, powerful, and affordable LiPo board, stating it’s a three-in-one PSU that “integrates a lithium battery charge management circuit with 5V and 3.3V DC-DC converter-based output rails to power most projects in a very compact form factor.”

Under the hood, the PGCPSU is fully specified and offers a 5V output rail providing at least 350mA/up to 650mA, and a 3.3V rail providing 400mA up to 800mA. The board has a high efficiency even at low loads, a low quiescent current (49uA for the 5V rail + 57uA for the 3.3V rail), and an enable/disable pin for the 3V rail with a selectable default state solder jumper.

On the safety side, the PGCPSU is equipped with integrated battery protection, including reverse polarity safeguard, as well as over-discharge, short-circuit/over-current protection. The module also features quick charging at up to 1.9A, which can recharge a 2600mAh battery at just over two hours.

Staudt Technologies is currently crowdfunding their PGCPSU on Kickstarter, with pledges starting at around $11 for a single module. They are also offering the PGCPSU in kit form starting at $22, which gets you the board along with a high-quality 2600mAh 18650 cell.