Every maker project – and I mean every project – requires power. Typically this comes in the form of batteries, which have seen incredible improvements in both capacity and reliability in recent years (sorry Samsung you’re not invited to this party!). So whether you’re looking to explore wearables or simply tinker on a breadboard here are some battery & power parts and products to consider for your designs. And this is only the tip of the iceberg – I intentionally left our LiPo and classic battery packs out of this roundup, because they’re just too many and varied to list them all. Not to mention there are now waterproof designs, on/off switches of various design and interaction, and numerous modules for switching between voltages based on need – it’s a great time to be a maker when it comes to power solutions!
Adjustable breadboard power supply kit – v1.0
Still an incredibly fun kit to assemble and work with, especially if you do a significant amount of design on breadboards and need an adjustable power supply. The PCB now comes in standard Adafruit blue 🙂
This kit is for making your own breadboard-friendly very low dropout adjustable power supply. A good power supply is essential to electronic projects. While there are many existing designs for adjustable power supplies, this one makes improvements that make it more useful for hobby designs
20mm Coin Cell Breakout w/On-Off Switch (CR2032)
There’s a version for 12mm CR1220 coin cell batteries, as well as versions of both without switches.
However if you’re looking for a CR2032 solution for wearables you might want to check out this sewable battery holder – the tabs on the bottom help you secure the holder to whatever apparel you’re working with as well as provide the anode and cathode contacts for your circuit design (also the holder proper has a rewarding ‘snap fit’ design that the battery rests nicely in).
Mini 3-wire Volt Meter (0 – 99.9VDC)
This part is a fun little addition to any hobby circuit or just to have for displaying voltages from 0 to, yup, 99.9V on the 3-digit 7-segment display! If you need a visual display for tracking fluctuating voltage this thing will come in handy – and it can surprisingly operate on a supply voltage of 4.5V-28V! Awesome.
Put a voltage meter anywhere with this very handy display. These are often used by RC hobbyists for keeping track of batteries but we thought it would be great on a breadboard or enclosure. This is the 3-wire version of the volt meter, two wires are used to power it and the third wire is used for measurement.
USB Voltage Meter with OLED Display
Of course if you’re looking for a bit more information and your circuit is USB-powered check out this in-line voltage & current (and wattage!) meter with OLED display – ahhh OLED, so pleasant to look at. This is a really useful portable part with high precision – great for field work or just to have in your maker toolbox.
Lithium Ion Cylindrical Battery – 3.7v 2200mAh
Under-rated in maker project designs are the use of cylindrical batteries. If you project calls for any sort of handle or shaft (for instance this 3D-printed glowing mace prop) a battery in a cylindrical shape is essential. This particular part packs a significant 2200mAh (±2%) of charge in a body only 18mm in diameter by 69mm long (not counting the JST connector and cable).
USB Battery Pack for Raspberry Pi – 10000mAh – 2 x 5V outputs
Of course is charge is your game you’re going to want a full-fledged battery pack, and we cannot recommend enough this double-port USB battery pack. It holds an impressive 10000mAh, and the four-LED indicator on the side is essential for knowing when the pack is getting low and you need to recharge your portable power.
Triple Output 195 Watt Power Supply – 30V, 30V, 5V @ 3A – DP832
Last but not least is what every maker years for and aspires to have and utilize: a benchtop power supply. If Rigol made vehicles you’d be calling this product the Cadillac of power supplies. At 195W it runs relatively quiet and provides triple output, with two 30V and one 5V channel, each supplying up to 3A. The 3.5″ TFT display is pleasant to look at and all the controls are completely programmable and precise. Yes it’s kind of big. Yes it’s definitely heavy. But it’s also one of the last – and most robust – power supplies you’ll ever need.
And just because, be sure to watch this episode of Collin’s Lab on the History of the Battery!
We’re excited for the Holiday Season here at Adafruit, and we can’t wait to share that excitement with you! Stay tuned into the blog where you will find new, handpicked gift guides five days a week from November 7 through December 23rd, 2016 alongside holiday themed tutorials and builds!
Free Deals
Adafruit offers exciting deals and free items when you shop with us.
As of November 21st, 2016 1:00 PM ET we are currently offering:
ONE FREE LIMITED EDITION ENAMEL PIN for orders $99 or more. Some restrictions apply. There are currently three unique pins available as free items. While we cannot control which pin you’ll receive with your order, if you order using your Adafruit account we’ll send you a pin you haven’t gotten yet. Once you collect them all, we might have to send you repeats. Each pin is limited edition – so once we’ve given them all away, we won’t have any more. Act fast to collect them all!
ONE FREE ADAFRUIT FEATHER 32U4 BASIC PRO for orders $150 or more. Some restrictions apply and while supplies last!
FREE UPS ground (Continental USA) for orders $200 or more. Some restrictions apply.
Adafruit Holiday Shipping Deadlines 2016
Here are your 2016 shipping deadlines for ordering from Adafruit. Please review our shipping section if you have specific questions on how and where we ship worldwide for this holiday season.
The Adafruit Shipping Department works hard to get your orders out as quickly as we can, but once they’re in the hands of our carriers they’re out of our control.
Carriers have been struggling to keep up with the sharp rise in online orders. UPS, FedEX, and USPS all experienced delivery delays over the last few years.
So all the Adafruit Shippers say: Please be sure you get your gifts early! Order as soon as you can! Once you place your order we’ll ship like the wind!
Please note: We do not offer Saturday or Sunday service for UPS or USPS.
Sunday, Dec. 25, 2016, Christmas, no UPS or USPS pickup or delivery service.
Monday, Dec. 26, 2016, no UPS or USPS pickup or delivery service.
Monday, Jan. 2, 2017, no UPS or USPS pickup or delivery service.
Sunday, Jan. 1, 2016, New Year’s Day, no UPS or USPS pickup or delivery service
Gift Certificates are always available at any time.
When in doubt contact us!
Domestic Orders
UPS ground: Place orders by Friday 11am ET – December 9, 2016 – There is no guarantee that UPS Ground packages will arrive by December 23.
UPS 3-day: Place orders by Thursday 11am ET – December 15, 2016 – Arrive by 12/23/2016.
UPS 2-day: Place orders by Friday 11am ET – December 16, 2016 – Arrive by 12/23/2016.
UPS overnight: Place orders by Monday 11am ET – December 19, 2016 – Arrive by 12/23/2016.
United States Postal Service, First Class and Priority: Place orders by Friday– December 9, 2016 – Arrive by 12/23/2016 or sooner.
International Orders
USPS First class mail international: Place orders by Friday – November 18, 2016. Can take up to 30 days or more with worldwide delays and customs. Should arrive by 12/23/2016 or sooner, but not a trackable service and cannot be guaranteed to arrive by 12/23/2016.
USPS Express mail international: Place orders by Friday – December 2, 2016. Can take up to 15 days or more with worldwide delays and customs. Should arrive by 12/23/2016 or sooner.
UPS WORLDWIDE EXPRESS, UPS WORLDWIDE EXPEDITED and UPS EXPRESS SAVER (UPS International orders): Place orders by Friday 11am ET – December 9, 2016 – There is no guarantee that international packages will arrive by December 23 2016.