USB C has a nifty power management system where, by default, you can get a classic 5V at 1A power out from a power supply or port, but with some fancy twiddling you can request higher voltages and currents. We’ve always wanted a simple breakout that could get you a range of voltages using just jumper pads, but didn’t have a lot of luck with IP2721. Then we found this chip – the HUSB238 (https://en.hynetek.com/pdsink.html) – used in a USB-to-DC cable and it seems kinda perfect! It can do 5V to 20V with just a resistor setting, and also set the current too. There’s also an I2C interface that can be used to set them, although its unclear if the settings are persistent – we’ll have to try it out. There’s a library here if you want to see what the registers are like (https://github.com/ltyridium/HUSB238-lib) here’s our draft for a breakout design. Whatcha think? Any other PD sink controllers you like to use?
Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat – we’ll post the link there.
