# Powerbank that does not stop **URL:** \ **Category:** General Electronics\ **Created:** [April 15, 2020, 7:12am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/powerbank-that-does-not-stop/648867 "2020-04-15T07:12:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![simmoinard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@simmoinard](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/simmoinard)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2020, 7:12am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/powerbank-that-does-not-stop/648867/1 "2020-04-15T07:12:59Z")
Hi everyone, i'm looking to power my Arduino (and also a raspberry for another project) with a power bank, the ones that are used to charge smartphones. I bought a Li-Po 10 000mAh 5V 3.1A one, as you can see in the picture. The problem is there is a system that cut the power when the power consumption is too low, and apparently one arduino uno is too low. So my battery turns off after 30sec... **Do you know any battery that doesn't have this system ??** Anyway, I opened it to see what's inside and if it's possible to shortcut this system. Turns out it's written 3.7V 5000mAh battery... **Am I being duped ?** **And if someone knows any components on this electronics board, in order to shortcut the automatic power off... 🙂** ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_B](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/paul_b/32/216376_2.png) [@Paul\_B](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Paul_B)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2020, 7:56am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/powerbank-that-does-not-stop/648867/2 "2020-04-15T07:56:56Z")
> simmoinard: > Anyway, I opened it to see what's inside and if it's possible to shortcut this system. Turns out it's written 3.7V 5000mAh battery... **Am I being duped ?** You bet! 😀 It's like the famous "internet inch" used in certain - err - physical measurements. 🕶 I understand [this gadget](https://www.ebay.com/itm/Micro-USB-Wemos-ESP32-18650-Battery-Shield-V3-ESP-32-LED-for-Arduino-Raspberry/183458100976) apparently does not have the shut-off problem, but you might want to research it further: [![](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/5/0/2/5021e0d2a27a0f5db1362ccf888b8f2885fcdd04.jpeg) eBay](https://www.ebay.com/itm/Micro-USB-Wemos-ESP32-18650-Battery-Shield-V3-ESP-32-LED-for-Arduino-Raspberry/183458100976) ---
**Author:** ![simmoinard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@simmoinard](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/simmoinard)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2020, 8:31am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/powerbank-that-does-not-stop/648867/3 "2020-04-15T08:31:16Z")
Ahah thank's ! Just to be sure : It is marked inside 3.7V - 5000mAh - 18.5Wh. My voltmeter shows 3.7V at the output of the battery, and 5V at the output of the USB port. So 18.5Wh/5V = 3700mAh is my real battery on the USB port ?? Damn it. ---
**Author:** ![Idahowalker](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/idahowalker/32/238858_2.png) [@Idahowalker](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Idahowalker)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2020, 8:36am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/powerbank-that-does-not-stop/648867/4 "2020-04-15T08:36:02Z")
Put a power on led across the power input to draw more current to keep the charge bank on. ---
**Author:** ![simmoinard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@simmoinard](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/simmoinard)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2020, 8:41am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/powerbank-that-does-not-stop/648867/5 "2020-04-15T08:41:09Z")
Thank's, this is a good idea for testing but I'd like to save battery as much as possible... 😉 For my arduino project I use Low Power library For my raspberry porject I use Witty pi ---
**Author:** ![srnet](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/srnet/32/238868_2.png) [@srnet](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/srnet)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2020, 8:53am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/powerbank-that-does-not-stop/648867/6 "2020-04-15T08:53:50Z")
> Paul\_\_B: > I understand [this gadget](https://www.ebay.com/itm/Micro-USB-Wemos-ESP32-18650-Battery-Shield-V3-ESP-32-LED-for-Arduino-Raspberry/183458100976) apparently does not have the shut-off problem, but you might want to research it further But the one of that gadget I tested had another problem. When the battery goes flat, it turns off, but then as the battery recovers it turns back on again. So you hqave whatever device its powering cycle on\off a few times as the battery is dying. Not helpful behaviour. ---
**Author:** ![srnet](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/srnet/32/238868_2.png) [@srnet](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/srnet)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2020, 8:59am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/powerbank-that-does-not-stop/648867/7 "2020-04-15T08:59:40Z")
The Xiaomi Mi Powerbanks, I have the 20000mahr one, have a low-current discharge mode. ---
**Author:** ![6v6gt](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/6v6gt/32/225488_2.png) [@6v6gt](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/6v6gt)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2020, 9:19am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/powerbank-that-does-not-stop/648867/8 "2020-04-15T09:19:59Z")
I solved this problem of the unwanted auto-shutoff with a simple circuit which can be "tuned" to minimise the power waste: [https://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=497195.0](https://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=497195.0) ---
**Author:** ![MarkT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@MarkT](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/MarkT)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2020, 10:24am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/powerbank-that-does-not-stop/648867/9 "2020-04-15T10:24:55Z")
Basically a power bank is designed to charge mobile phones. Not for any other purpose, and typically require modification to disable the auto-shut-off, which may be possible if you can figure out the circuit. Annoying, basically. A power bank is not a power supply, its a LiPo battery charger... 4 NiMH AA cells in a holder provide about 5.2V without such issues. ---
**Author:** ![srnet](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/srnet/32/238868_2.png) [@srnet](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/srnet)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2020, 10:44am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/powerbank-that-does-not-stop/648867/10 "2020-04-15T10:44:19Z")
> MarkT: > 4 NiMH AA cells in a holder provide about 5.2V without such issues. NiMh batteries, and the low self discharge type in particular, are my favourite power source for projects. A lot safer than lithium batteries and none of the problems arranging for a safe cutoff voltage when something is left on. ---
**Author:** ![simmoinard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@simmoinard](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/simmoinard)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2020, 11:50am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/powerbank-that-does-not-stop/648867/11 "2020-04-15T11:50:44Z")
Thank's everybody for the answers. @6v6gt it is interesting, but as I understood it may not work with my project as the arduino can go in low power for a long time, more than 2sec. @srnet, it is said in the Powerbanks 2, 2C, 2S, and 3 that it effectively works with systems such as bluetooth headset, smartwatch, etc : [https://www.mi.com/fr/battery2c](https://www.mi.com/fr/battery2c) If it's really 20000mAh, For 25€ it looks very good ! I'll try it ! I'll try also the NiMh batteries. Thank's for the info! ---
**Author:** ![6v6gt](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/6v6gt/32/225488_2.png) [@6v6gt](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/6v6gt)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2020, 2:07pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/powerbank-that-does-not-stop/648867/13 "2020-04-15T14:07:42Z")
> simmoinard: > . . . > @6v6gt it is interesting, but as I understood it may not work with my project as the arduino can go in low power for a long time, more than 2sec. > . . . This is not correct. The load that that circuit puts across the power bank, to keep it alive, is completely independent of the arduino or any other load that you may put on the power bank. If it is a really low power project, then maybe normal alkaline batteries may be a good alternative. For example, I have a barebones arduino with a radio module. It wakes up and transmits once every 32 seconds. The batteries are still good after 2 years. ---
**Author:** ![JohnRob](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/johnrob/32/253560_2.png) [@JohnRob](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/JohnRob)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2020, 4:25pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/powerbank-that-does-not-stop/648867/14 "2020-04-15T16:25:20Z")
@srnet > When the battery goes flat, it turns off, but then as the battery recovers it turns back on again. So you hqave whatever device its powering cycle on\off a few times as the battery is dying. Not helpful behaviour. I have one of these and have only begun to test it. Reading the documents I know there is a circuit that will disconnect the battery when the battery voltage is so low there is a risk of permanently damaging the battery. Is this what you are referring to or is there another issue I should look for? Thanks John ---
**Author:** ![system](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/system/32/1140315_2.png) [@system](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2021, 2:31am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/powerbank-that-does-not-stop/648867/15 "2021-05-06T02:31:55Z")
Closed on May 6, 2021, 2:31am UTC