IoT-Devices' PS4IoT Is a Compact, Flexible, "Smart" Uninterruptable Power Supply for IoT Projects
Designed to offer flexibility and redundancy, this compact UPS board can operate under fully-automatic or partially-manual control.
Kiev-based IoT-Devices has launched a smart power supply, designed to offer uninterruptible power with redundancy to devices needing anything from 3 to 12 volts — and offering a total supply of up to 5W.
"PS4IoT is an uninterruptible power supply module with battery charging and protection, for building smart devices with power paths' redundancy, with 3.0 to 6 volts and 3V3, 5V, or 12V output voltages," the company explains. "The module is designed for use in electronic devices based on any microcontroller platform, such as ESP8266, ESP32, Arduino, STM32, and derivative boards (ESP12.OLED, NodeMCU, etc.) as an autonomous or software-controlled power supply unit."
A key feature of the PS4IoT is its flexibility: If a battery is missing or deeply discharged, devices are powered directly from the mains; a present-but-discharged battery is charged while supply is still being fed to target devices; a battery, in any state, can be pulled from the running system and replaced without interrupting power; and the battery is kept disconnected from the load until it's required, in order to prolong its life.
The module also offers two operation modes: Fully automatic and managed. In fully automatic mode, all the switching is handled without user interaction; in managed mode, some functions — enabling and disabling battery charging and detecting a failure of incoming power — are handed off to an external microcontroller.
That same external microcontroller can also take over battery overheat protection using an optional thermometer accessory, deep-discharge protection, overcharge protection, and charge termination — and can keep an eye on various battery characteristics.
"You can simultaneously power one or more payloads, connect a controller with any functionality to the module according to your design idea — in other words, you can create the most demanding portable and stationary devices using the PS4IoT_V1 module," IoT-Devices claims of its design. "This module is a versatile component that will provide reliable power, observability, and controlability for your DIY or even commercial product."
More information is available in the PS4IoT datasheet (PDF), while assembled boards are available on the company's Tindie store starting at $27.
Freelance journalist, technical author, hacker, tinkerer, erstwhile sysadmin. For hire: freelance@halfacree.co.uk.