Developed by Hungary-based AQEX, qUPS-P-BC-2.0 is a Raspberry Pi-compatible UPS HAT that supports multi-chemistry batteries, including Li-Ion, LiFePO₄, Sodium-Ion, and even supports large, high-capacity packs up to 300Ah. It is designed for applications that require long backup times and reliable 5V power.
It features an offline UPS-like architecture with a highly efficient boost converter, adjustable input voltage and energy thresholds, as well as AUTO/ON/OFF operating modes to prevent reboot loops or unsafe restarts. Communication with the Raspberry Pi is handled through three GPIO pins to provide alerts for power loss and low battery. The board supports up to 7.5A discharge, 2A charging, USB-C and auxiliary 6–28V input, reverse-polarity and thermal protection, and external power-control capability. It’s also stackable with other HATs thanks to a robust soldered 40-pin header.
AQEX qUPS-P-BC-2.0 specifications:
- Compatibility – Raspberry Pi 5 / 4B / 3B+ and other boards with compatible form factor and 40-pin PIO header
- USB
- USB Type-C port for 5.0–5.2V C main input
- USB PD support for Raspberry Pi 5
- Expansion – Soldered 2x 20-pin GPIO header; fully stackable with long pins
- Misc
- 5-level battery LED bar (LOW, SAFE, MIN, HALF, MAX)
- Power-input LED indicator
- Reverse-polarity LED indicator
- 3-position mode switch: OFF / ON / AUTO
- Auto Mode features: Safe boot (ensures enough charge before boot), “boot loop” prevention (cuts power if energy is too low to sustain the system).
- DIP-selectable communication pins for:
- Power Good (pfo)
- Battery limit (lim)
- Shutdown (shd)
- 2-pin reset header for momentary power cut
- Power
- Battery support
- 1-cell Li-Ion, Li-Po, LiFePO₄, or Sodium-Ion batteries
- Supports very large external packs, including prismatic batteries >300Ah
- Max discharge current – 7.5A
- Battery connector – 0.75 mm² (AWG18) max wire size
- Power Input
- 5.0–5.2V via USB-C port
- 5.2–28V external power input via screw terminals
- Automatic switchover with 100–300 µs transition time
- Input threshold adjustable via onboard potentiometer
- Output
- Output Voltage – 5V via the GPIO header.
- Max Load Current – 3.5A.
- Max Discharge Current – 7.5A.
- Topology – Offline topology (high efficiency in the inline state) with <1ms switchover time.
- Charging
- Selectable 1A / 2A charging current (via DIP switch)
- Intelligent temperature-based charge protection
- Optional NTC sensor input; NTC pins must be shorted if unused
- Battery cutoff – Chemistry-aware cutoff voltages (AUTO mode – 3.1V, ON mode – 2.5V cutoff)
- Battery support
- Dimensions – Raspberry Pi HAT form factor; 65 × 56 × 23 mm + 11 mm header; replaceable battery
- Battery holder system
- Optional holder with 3D-printable STL available on GitHub
- Supports custom battery mounting via 6× M2 screws
Software support for the qUPS-P-BC-2.0 is available through simple C++ and Python tools on GitHub. These let the Raspberry Pi read the UPS status through GPIO pins, detect power loss, and trigger safe shutdowns. Most settings are still handled by the hardware DIP switches, so the software mainly helps you monitor the UPS and react to events without adding extra complexity.
The specification section of the product page provides backup-time figures that show how long a Raspberry Pi can stay powered, depending on the battery chemistry and system load. With a 4,000 mAh LiFePO₄ or Li-Ion battery, the qUPS can keep a Raspberry Pi 4 running for several hours, over 7 hours at idle, while Sodium-Ion cells (3,500 mAh) operation time gets shorter, but still practical runtimes. Under full load, backup time naturally decreases, but the UPS still provides enough endurance to ride through shorter outages or perform a safe shutdown during a power outage.
Compared to other Raspberry Pi UPS HATs like the Waveshare UPS HAT (E), PiJuice Zero, PiVoyager, or iFePO4wered/Pi+, the AQEX qUPS offers more flexibility and high-capacity battery support. While many UPS boards are designed for small LiPo cells or supercapacitors, the qUPS-P-BC-2.0 can handle multiple battery chemistries and even large prismatic packs, making it suitable for long-runtime or high-power applications. Speaking of long runtime, we recently wrote about the PV PI solar HAT, which combines solar charging with 112V LiFePO₄ high-capacity packs for 24h operation.
The AQEX qUPS-P-BC-2.0 multi-chemistry UPS HAT is available on Tindie for $62.00. More information is available on the product page.
Debashis Das is a technical content writer and embedded engineer with over five years of experience in the industry. With expertise in Embedded C, PCB Design, and SEO optimization, he effectively blends difficult technical topics with clear communication
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