Customer:
I have both an Inkplate 6 and an Inkplate 10. Is there a way to power the Inkplate not through the USB port and not by battery? I need to connect the board to power continuously but I want the wire to be hidden and not protrude from the side.
Are the 3V3 pins (in the POWER section) for powering daughter boards through the Inkplate or can they be used to power the Inkplate?
If I connect a 3V power adapter to the battery connector can it do the trick?
Originally submitted via email support on 22 May 2022. Migrated to the forum for community visibility.
Soldered Support:
You can power Inkplate through VIN and GND pins. On VIN pins you need to connect voltage between 4.7 and 5V. Inkplate needs a higher voltage than 3.3V and it only works if you power it through a VIN pin.
Customer:
Is this true for both Inkplate 6 and Inkplate 10? Also, with battery is it not 3V?
Soldered Support:
Yes, that is true for both Inkplates that you have. The battery voltage is not 3.3V. The battery has a voltage between 4.2V when it is fully charged and around 3.4V when it is discharged.
For the 3.3V rail on PCB, we have a voltage regulator that drops the input voltage to 3.3V. 3.3V is used for powering the microcontroller ESP32 and other ICs, but for panel power supply we have another IC that provides all voltages that the panel needs.
Customer:
With 4.7-5V, how many amperes are required?
Soldered Support:
Current consumption depends on what you work with on Inkplate (if you use WiFi, current is higher). If you have a source that can provide more than 500mA that will be fine, because the USB port is defined for 500mA current and Inkplate works on it.