Appearance and function match the final product, but is made with different manufacturing methods.

Looks like the final product, but is not functional.

Demonstrates the functionality of the final product, but looks different.

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These photos and videos provide a detailed look at this project’s development.

Battery powered Pi Zero w/stacking header

JuiceBox Zero is the simplest way to properly power your Pi Zero with a Li-Ion battery.

THE STORY

The Problem

I had an amazing project for Raspberry Pi that needed to be battery powered. I searched and found a few boards that served the purpose. Unfortunately, they were a bit cumbersome, and sadly, they weren't "plug-n-play" with Raspberry Pi!

When the Pi Zero was released, I instantly saw the potential its tiny form factor provided for truly mobile inventions. But to be truly mobile, it can’t be tethered to a power source. Just imagine how useless a smartphone would be if it had to be plugged into the wall!

"But what about a Portable Power Bank???" - Bad idea if you care about your project. While they do provide 5V, they cannot provide a safe shutdown. If you cut power at the wrong time, your SD card will be corrupted and you will loose all your hard work.

The Solution

I took matters into my own hands to create a truly portable battery solution that is both plug-n-play and matches the Raspberry Pi Zero’s tiny footprint. The PowerBoost 1000c by Adafruit provided a stable baseline to start from — then I modified it and added a handful of my own improvements.

The Result

The simplest solution for mobilizing your Raspberry Pi Zero projects!

JuiceBox Zero!

ON/OFF Switch

4 Status Indicator LEDs: Charging, Charge complete, Power On, Low Batt.)

Mounting Holes for Pi Camera V2 or other breakout boards

Standard Micro USB Power Input

Dual power source input: Plug in a battery - it works. Plug in a micro-USB - it works. Plug in both - it works (and charges your battery!)

Works out of the box

Low Battery safe-shutdown: One line of code can let you properly shut down your Pi if the battery is low. (Protect your SD card and hard work!)

EXAMPLE USES

Mount the Pi Camera directly to JuiceBox Zero

Charge the battery and power your Pi at the same time!

JuiceBox Zero

Raspberry Pi Zero or Zero W

Header Connection

Single-cell Lithium-Ion Battery with JST brand PH Compatible connector

Some good, basic necessities

Further details and support can be found on our website:

www.juiceboxzero.com

or

blog.juiceboxzero.com

This is absolutely the simplest way to power your Pi Zero or Zero W! I can't wait to see where everyone takes their incredible projects!

— Sam