Properly feeding Raspberry Pi 5 (the "5 Amp issues")

[Sergei Grichine]

Here is a video explaining why our Pi5's on the robots (off batteries) don't perform properly:

https://youtu.be/PddIeZP-wgw

There are settings that fix the problem (use caution).

Here is an "easy solution":

https://52pi.com/collections/hat-addons/products/52pi-pd-power-extension-adapter-board-for-raspberry-pi-5

https://www.amazon.com/GeeekPi-Expansion-Raspberry-Automatic-Function/dp/B0CYPRDY9Q

--

Best Regards,

-- Sergei

[Nathan Lewis]

If you have a power supply you know can actually supply 5v5a, you can also just override the check in the raspberry pi's eeprom. It's what I've been doing 😅.

https://forums.raspberrypi.com/viewtopic.php?p=2156997&sid=f8c8f5a1a5ec090d86997fccaf28c567#p2156997

You can edit the eeprom settings with

"sudo rpi-eeprom-config --edit"

- Nathan

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[Nathan Lewis]

Oh, that video did go over it. My reading comprehension is down from lack of sleep...

- Nathan

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/hbrobotics/13ded09c-32b5-4970-a588-b3999dae8187%40app.fastmail.com.

[Marco Walther]

On 9/23/25 09:27, Nathan Lewis wrote:
> Oh, that video did go over it. My reading comprehension is down from
> lack of sleep...

;-)

I'm only doing the 'config.txt' setting (also in the text at the
beginning of the video;-), and did not see many problems with Ubuntu
24.04;-)

-- Marco

>
> - Nathan
>
> On Tue, Sep 23, 2025, at 9:24 AM, Nathan Lewis wrote:
>> If you have a power supply you know can actually supply 5v5a, you can
>> also just override the check in the raspberry pi's eeprom. It's what
>> I've been doing 😅.
>>
>> https://forums.raspberrypi.com/viewtopic.php?

>> p=2156997&sid=f8c8f5a1a5ec090d86997fccaf28c567#p2156997 <https://
>> forums.raspberrypi.com/viewtopic.php?
>> p=2156997&sid=f8c8f5a1a5ec090d86997fccaf28c567#p2156997>

>>
>> You can edit the eeprom settings with
>>
>> "sudo rpi-eeprom-config --edit"
>>
>> - Nathan
>>
>> On Tue, Sep 23, 2025, at 8:25 AM, Sergei Grichine wrote:
>>> Here is a video explaining why our Pi5's on the robots (off
>>> batteries) don't perform properly:
>>>

>>> https://youtu.be/PddIeZP-wgw <https://youtu.be/PddIeZP-wgw>

>>>
>>> There are settings that fix the problem (use caution).
>>>
>>> Here is an "easy solution":
>>> https://52pi.com/collections/hat-addons/products/52pi-pd-power-

>>> extension-adapter-board-for-raspberry-pi-5 <https://52pi.com/
>>> collections/hat-addons/products/52pi-pd-power-extension-adapter-
>>> board-for-raspberry-pi-5>
>>> https://www.amazon.com/GeeekPi-Expansion-Raspberry-Automatic-
>>> Function/dp/B0CYPRDY9Q <https://www.amazon.com/GeeekPi-Expansion-
>>> Raspberry-Automatic-Function/dp/B0CYPRDY9Q>

>>>
>>> --
>>> Best Regards,
>>> -- Sergei
>>>
>>>
>>> --
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>>> hbrobotics/

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>>
>>
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[Sergei Grichine]

Got the "easy solution":

https://52pi.com/collections/hat-addons/products/52pi-pd-power-extension-adapter-board-for-raspberry-pi-5

https://www.amazon.com/GeeekPi-Expansion-Raspberry-Automatic-Function/dp/B0CYPRDY9Q

Works very well, negotiates the "usb_max_current_enable=1" fine.

I feed it from a 12V power supply so far. 

The "DC 9-24V Power Input" requires a VERY uncommon male 4.2 x 1.3mm pug (not to be confused with common 5.5 x 2.5/2.1 mm connectors).

I cut one from an old power supply, so I don't know its exact specs (likely 3.5x1.35mm). You can probably just solder wires to the PCB, not hard to do.

If you find a matching plug online, let me know.

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[Pito Salas]

Hi Marco

(I admit I am primarily a software guy)

I know this posting was in response to a question (which I also didn’t quite understand). But what does this board actually do. Given that I have a Raspi 5, how does this board fit in?

Thanks!

Pito

> On Oct 8, 2025, at 1:32 PM, Sergei Grichine <vital...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Got the "easy solution":
> https://52pi.com/collections/hat-addons/products/52pi-pd-power-extension-adapter-board-for-raspberry-pi-5
> https://www.amazon.com/GeeekPi-Expansion-Raspberry-Automatic-Function/dp/B0CYPRDY9Q
>
> Works very well, negotiates the "usb_max_current_enable=1" fine.
>

> <image.png>
>
> I feed it from a 12V power supply so far.
>
> The "DC 9-24V Power Input" requires a VERY uncommon male 4.2 x 1.3mm pug (not to be confused with common 5.5 x 2.5/2.1 mm connectors).
> I cut one from an old power supply, so I don't know its exact specs (likely 3.5x1.35mm). You can probably just solder wires to the PCB, not hard to do.
> If you find a matching plug online, let me know.

> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/hbrobotics/CA%2BKVXVO5w1FgmrrRRLW_g_5ytDmwdyG%3DNxz_mEcHmJ%2BnWJ%3DmRA%40mail.gmail.com.

Best,

Pito

Boston Robot Hackers &&
Comp. Sci Faculty, Brandeis University

[Ross Lunan]

Thanks for this as I too have lost several hours trying to power my Raspberry Pi 5 and Oak-D-Lite. Abandoned trying a PD30 Phone Battery Pack even with USB C connectors. Have a 52Pi from Amazon on order :). Bit pricey I put if it works -good Ross

[Sergei Grichine]

Ross,

Feeding OAK-D seems to be a tricky task, I also lost a lot of time on it. The 52Pi board might solve that problem, but having a DYI or official Luxonis "OAK Y Adapter" might be a simpler solution.

My notes are here, just in case: https://github.com/slgrobotics/robots_bringup/blob/main/Docs/Sensors/OAK-D_Lite.md#important-power-consumption-and-usb-connection-requirements

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/hbrobotics/d17aa1ec-11a2-408a-ad85-36b055e61739n%40googlegroups.com.

[camp .]

> Have a 52Pi from Amazon on order :). Bit pricey I put if it works -good

    Come on, Ross - it's only $50. Loosen up (easy for me to spend your money)!  ;-]  

52Pi UPS Gen 6 Power Module with Physical Power Button & PikaPython Support for Raspberry Pi 5/4B

https://52pi.com/collections/new-arrivals/products/52pi-ups-gen-6-power-module-with-physical-power-button-pikapython-support-for-raspberry-pi-5-4b 

Thanks,

Camp

https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/hbrobotics/d17aa1ec-11a2-408a-ad85-36b055e61739n%40googlegroups.com

.

[Ross Lunan]

Sergei, yes, I have one of those used successfully for the camera with a previous Dual USB-C Power Pack. The issue now is that, as I discovered, that this nonPD Powerpack will not power the RPI5 :(.

So with the 52Pi PD device (arriving Friday) feeding the RPi5, I can connect Camera thru the YAdapter to 2 of the RPi USB B 3.0 connectors, one to Power the Oak , other for Oak Data.. Or maybe just use a single USB. I’ll let u know next day or so.

Ross

[Ross Lunan]

I transcribed the key content in the Articulated Robotics Video. Note his statement of killing 2 SD Cards while making the Video., so editing the eeprom may be tricky 

Power Delivery Raspberry Pi Oct 9, 2025

Articulated Robotics
How to make a Raspberry Pi 5 actually work
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PddIeZP-wgw

Remove USB Current Restriction 600 to 1600 ma
/boot/firmware/config.txt usb_max_current_enable=1

If have 5A Supply manually edit eeprom on a booted up RPi
sudo rpi-eeprom-config --edit > Add PSU_MAX_CURRENT=5000

To determine Current Restriction Enable Status
$ vcgencnd get_config usb_max_current_enable

Boot without an SD Card which Displays a Diagnostic Screen
Observe the 5th line down,
for USB-A to C
power: supply: USB-C 900 ma CC PMIC: reset normal 0x0 usb_over_current=0
for Official USB-C
power: supply: RPI USB-PD 5000 ma CC1 PMIC: reset normal 0x0 usb_over_current=0

Hardware Solution 52Pi PD Power Expansion Board available from amazon.com for $22
Has Power Switch, No Current Restrictions and provides 5000ma

Ross

[Survy]

I have been using a RPi 5 for about a year on my mobile robomagellan robot and had A LOT of power issues at first. 

Here's what finally worked for me:

• This step down voltage regulator from Pololu can supply 5V, 5.5A: https://www.pololu.com/product/4091
• Since it has an input voltage range of 5.5V to 50V, I can use it with my 11.1V LiPo battery: https://www.towerhobbies.com/product/11.1v-5000mah-3s-100c-smart-g2-lipo-battery-ic5/SPMX53S100.html
• I power the RPi via USB-C connected to the voltage regulator: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B091CRLJM2

Hopefully this is useful to someone else also using the RPi 5 when using the official power supply isn't possible (for example on a mobile robot).

For what it's worth, here's the output to the "vcgencmd" command from the video. 

vcgencmd get_config usb_max_current_enable
usb_max_current_enable=0

This means that max current enable is not set. I might try setting that to 1 for peace of mind, but I haven't had any power issues since switching to the Pololu voltage regulator. Before that I got a ton of undervoltage messages in dmesg. 

Cheers,

Survy

[Nathan Lewis]

My experience with most of the “low cost” switching regulators from Amazon and AliExpress are that they’re pretty much trash.

I use a Pololu 5V 7A regulator I got like 15 years ago in Kybernetes 2. It barely gets perceptibly warm at a 5A load, meanwhile the regulators from amazon get dangerously hot at even a 3A load.

The only exception has been those Tobsun 5V 10A regulators. I’m using one in the LeKiwi robot and it’s been great.

- Nathan

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[Marco Walther]

On 10/11/25 15:27, Nathan Lewis wrote:
> My experience with most of the “low cost” switching regulators from
> Amazon and AliExpress are that they’re pretty much trash.
>
> I use a Pololu 5V 7A regulator I got like 15 years ago in Kybernetes 2.
> It barely gets perceptibly warm at a 5A load, meanwhile the regulators
> from amazon get dangerously hot at even a 3A load.
>
> The only exception has been those Tobsun 5V 10A regulators. I’m using
> one in the LeKiwi robot and it’s been great.

I'm using an [old] RC UBEC ;-)

https://hobbyking.com/en_us/turnigy-8-15a-ubec-for-lipoly.html in
EntdeckerL (at the 5V setting!!). That did not let me down yet;-)

-- Marco

>
> - Nathan
>
> On Sat, Oct 11, 2025, at 3:04 PM, Survy wrote:
>> I have been using a RPi 5 for about a year on my mobile robomagellan
>> robot and had A LOT of power issues at first.
>>
>> Here's what finally worked for me:
>>

>> * This step down voltage regulator from Pololu can supply 5V,
>> 5.5A: https://www.pololu.com/product/4091
>> * Since it has an input voltage range of 5.5V to 50V, I can use it

>> with my 11.1V LiPo battery: https://www.towerhobbies.com/
>> product/11.1v-5000mah-3s-100c-smart-g2-lipo-battery-ic5/
>> SPMX53S100.html

>> * I power the RPi via USB-C connected to the voltage

>> regulator: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B091CRLJM2
>>
>> Hopefully this is useful to someone else also using the RPi 5 when
>> using the official power supply isn't possible (for example on a
>> mobile robot).
>>
>> For what it's worth, here's the output to the "vcgencmd" command from
>> the video.
>> vcgencmd get_config usb_max_current_enable
>> usb_max_current_enable=0
>> This means that max current enable is not set. I might try setting
>> that to 1 for peace of mind, but I haven't had any power issues since
>> switching to the Pololu voltage regulator. Before that I got a ton of
>> undervoltage messages in dmesg.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Survy
>>
>> On Tuesday, September 23, 2025 at 8:26:11 AM UTC-7 Sergei Grichine wrote:
>>
>> Here is a video explaining why our Pi5's on the robots (off
>> batteries) don't perform properly:
>>

>> https://youtu.be/PddIeZP-wgw <https://youtu.be/PddIeZP-wgw>

>>
>> There are settings that fix the problem (use caution).
>>
>> Here is an "easy solution":

>> https://52pi.com/collections/hat-addons/products/52pi-pd-power-
>> extension-adapter-board-for-raspberry-pi-5 <https://52pi.com/
>> collections/hat-addons/products/52pi-pd-power-extension-adapter-
>> board-for-raspberry-pi-5>
>> https://www.amazon.com/GeeekPi-Expansion-Raspberry-Automatic-
>> Function/dp/B0CYPRDY9Q <https://www.amazon.com/GeeekPi-Expansion-
>> Raspberry-Automatic-Function/dp/B0CYPRDY9Q>
>>

>> --
>> Best Regards,
>> -- Sergei
>>
>>
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[Ross Lunan]

Nathan , Hi, Just had a no-go experience with the 52Pi PD where it worked out of the box booting up a RPi5 with OakD connected but failed after a couple hours. No smoke or apparent over heating. So it's going back. But I have a question about the Pololu device, which I have tried a 24V50F5 version (24 v in max) with JNano & RP3/4 mixed behavior due that with 11.6v in > out = 4.8 volt, which wud not power a Pi reliably. I did locate this adjustable device that might work: "https://www.pololu.com/product/2890". Since they don't have PD, expect would have to force the eeprom setting "power: supply: USB-C 5000 mA CC1 PMIC: Ross