Some interesting test results on the 5V DC/DC boost converter which cost just 55p ($0.77).

By Julian

Youtuber, shed dweller, solar charge controller aficionado

16 thoughts on “Update: cheap 5v boost converter performance”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Bricolage says:

    i dont get the 5 volts ,dont know why??
    faulty part maybe? i knew i needed to order few more…
    tried with few batteries. From li-ion of measured 3.4v i get 3.25 v on out, tried a full 3v cell battery , got out 2.85v …
    the red led lamp is on

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars John Stuart says:

    Good Vid. Thanks!!

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars paul meynell says:

    Did you do the video of this with your scope ? I can not find it?

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars SKYGuy says:

    talk about a parasitic drain! …n you'd never friggin know Wtf was causing it n you'd be tearing your hair out off you just relied on Chenglish data sheets and lies

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars karzygijose says:

    How would one make a cheap adjustable 5v to 12v step up? I need about 10 for some power bank lights I wanna do max of 5v one 1amp I just need to get 12v to power the light

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Ben Jandrell says:

    Just recieved one of these, nice little units but the efficiency is horrendous, connected a white 5mm LED and 60 ohm resistor to the output and measured 27mA of current draw, single AA battery draw was 160 mA!! 10-20% efficiency maybe.. better Joule thiefs available than this. good find anyway 🙂

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Christmas Eve says:

    I think it would be quite interesting to connect that tiny device to a single large solar cell. How efficient is that boost converter? I'm wondering if you could get enough power out of a single large photovoltaic cell to charge a cellphone (say 0.5-0.6v at 8 amps). At 100% efficiency (which I doubt), you'd still get 800 mA to 960 mA at 5 volts.

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Dark Anthem says:

    Hi Julian, thanks for the vids. That item is already out of stock 😛 . I have a similar 5v "usb" boost module (my chip says E5OE might be an older version of the chip). I have it connected to 1x AA (alkaline) 1.5v and an led at around 100mA on the output. It gives out a nice solid light output. So they work quite well.
     I was wondering though , in the quest for the lowest power drain when making something(eg – an led night light) could you remove the indicator led and resistor? Would it be worth it? Do you think an additional capacitor on the output would be beneficial at all? Thanks for any advice, keep up the good work.

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Chaplain Dave Sparks says:

    And if you cascaded two of those boost converters, you might get 5v at an even lower input voltage. Not very practical, except maybe to power your cell phone from a nearly dead AA cell long enough to make a short emergency call…

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Ken Kendall says:

    Put a load on it and then see where it starts.

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars jamesbomb0069 says:

    It would be handy to know what the current draw is from the input and how stable volts and amps are on the output, thnx! ^-^
    Also, how much volts and mAh it would take to charge a phone from empty, reliably(say, one with a 2200mAh battery)

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Nikolay Pelov says:

    when you test a smps you should do that under load.

  13. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Electrodude says:

    Data sheet doesn't mention a minimal operation start voltage, they left it blank, only maximal operation start voltage, that is 0.9v. So in worse case they guarantee that you that you will need max 0.9V.

    That it works on your bench doesn't mean it will work in Russia by -40 or in India by +85 in the sun. 🙂

  14. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Jose Ch says:

    Hi Julian what will be the cheaper way to charge a 5 arduino project ? I think that a power bank will do the job, but I dont know if it will charge and discharge at the same time to use it like a back up, sorry for my bad english, and thanks for your videos!

  15. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars dmwtech says:

    I built a 15 watt 5 volt (5 volt cells)solar panel, mounted it on a used dell led flat panel monitor base,  use step down converter to charge 2.5 volt 2600F super caps. 2 in parallel and then attach these little converters and they can charge my cell phones after the sun goes down. They run led lights. They cannot do more than 400ma by my experience, but for led running, they work down to low voltages, my best test was .70 before  it shut down. these things are great for low power apps.

  16. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Asaf Shahar says:

    But I think the led is driven directly from the input. I was looking for something like that for a battery backup to ardunio project. This is very interesting little board

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