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Battery

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This page contains important information about using a battery with Inkplate 2. For safety reasons, please read this page carefully!

Inkplate 2 includes soldering pads for connecting a 3.7V Li-ion battery directly to the board. The onboard charging IC, MCP73831, automatically charges the battery when Inkplate 2 is connected via USB-C and switches to battery power when unplugged. This lets it run for a long time on battery power, especially in low-power applications.

Inkplate 2 battery JST connector
Battery connector
Inkplate 2 Onboard charging indicator LED
Onboard charging indicator LED

Battery connection​

Unlike larger Inkplate boards, the Inkplate 2 does not include a JST connector for battery attachment. Instead, it provides clearly marked soldering pads on the PCB for manual connection of your Li-ion battery wires:

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Be sure to match the battery polarity correctly when soldering wires! The positive terminal (+) is clearly marked on the PCB. Reversed polarity can damage the board.

Supported battery types​

Inkplate 2 is compatible with 3.7V Li-ion batteries, ideally with built-in protection circuits. These can be sourced from your preferred electronics supplier or from the Soldered online store.

Some recommended battery specs:

  • Voltage: 3.7V
  • Capacity: 300 mAh–1000 mAh for typical use
  • Protection Circuit: Required
  • Connector: No connector required (battery must be soldered)
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Due to international shipping restrictions, batteries may not be available for delivery outside the EU. For North American customers, consider Adafruit’s Li-ion options.

Charging circuit: MCP73831​

The MCP73831 is a compact Li-ion/Li-Polymer charge management controller. It's preconfigured on Inkplate 2 to manage charging safely and efficiently.

Key features:

  • USB-powered charging (via USB-C)
  • Automatic charge termination
  • Reverse discharge protection and automatic power-down when USB power is removed
  • Preconditioning (trickle) charging for deeply discharged cells before fast charging begins
  • Compatible with single-cell 3.7V Li-ion batteries

MCP73831

Single-cell Li-ion battery charge controller used on Inkplate 2

Returns value: Hardware only, automatic operation without user configuration

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For advanced users: refer to the MCP73831 datasheet for full technical details.

Battery safety guidelines​

  • Always check battery polarity before soldering.
  • Use batteries with protection circuits to avoid over-discharge.
  • Do not charge damaged batteries.
  • Avoid short circuits on the battery pads during assembly.