DIY Battery-Powered Alexa Smart Speaker Designed Using a Repurposed Echo Flex
This homebrew Alexa speaker features a polycarbonate panel to hold the circuitry and a hand-carved wooden base.
Some makers and engineers prefer not to use Amazon or Google smart speakers due to the invasion of privacy and data collecting, but that didn't stop Pubudeux Labs from repurposing an Echo Flex to design a battery-powered Alexa smart speaker. The Echo Flex is a great little device with built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, audio output, USB phone charger, and voice interaction capabilities, but the internal speaker leaves a lot to be desired.
Considering Pubudeux wanted to create a multi-room music setup, he would need something a bit better in the speaker department, and it had to be portable. With that said, Pubudeux designed the battery-powered smart speaker using the internal circuitry of the Flex and a power supply made using an MP1584EN DC-DC buck converter and a 3S Li-ion protection PCB with balancing. He also included a power switch, a DC barrel jack, and several 18650 battery holders. The circuitry was then glued to a polycarbonate panel with a series of standoffs that were used to mount the electronics to a hand-carved wooden base.
Each end of the wooden base was routed to fit a pair of 3" 15W speakers housed inside two empty ice cream containers filled with insulation material and driven by a PAM8403 Class-D amplifier. "This was a really fun project, and it has been nice to add a battery-powered Alexa speaker to my multi-room music setup. I used 3 Li-ion 18650 batteries with ~3500 mAh capacity each, resulting in about 6-8 hours of playing time," Pubudeux notes in his project blog. "I haven't scientifically tested the battery life, but so far seems to be pretty good. If I were planning to use this for extended trips or time outdoor, I would probably add some more cells to the battery."