{"id":2522,"date":"2022-10-17T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-17T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nico-maas.de\/?p=2522"},"modified":"2022-10-14T08:01:37","modified_gmt":"2022-10-14T06:01:37","slug":"usb-c-power-for-the-nvidia-jetson-nano-4-gb-dev-board","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nico-maas.de\/?p=2522","title":{"rendered":"USB C power for the Nvidia Jetson Nano 4 GB dev board"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The best way to power a Jetson Nano 4 GB dev board is by using a center positive, 5 V and at least 4 A barrel connector type power adapter. However, these are often bulky and not the best travel companion - while USB C power bricks are becoming more common and the relevant USB C sockets are getting build into nearly every device (maybe yours too, Apple?<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So I set out to build a USB C power adapter for the Jetson board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

By using an inexpensive USB C \"trigger\"<\/a> combined with two 5V@3A step-down converters<\/a> this did actually work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trick is setting the USB C trigger to request 20 V and using the 5 V converters in parallel to step-down the 20 V to 5 V - and then feeding the resulting voltage again in parallel to the barrel plug, like so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For the curios among you now asking why I did not just set the trigger to 5 V and used it all alone: I tried this first, but it did not work. It was not able to provide enough current to support the operation of the Jetson at \"MAXN mode\" - it was constantly coming up with Overcurrent protection messages if pushed too hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am happy with the result and shortend the wires after testing, putting everything into a neat small form factor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With this change I can finally replace my old Jetson Nano power supply with something smaller than this chunky unit which I was gifted back in the day by the awesome Morlac<\/a> :).<\/p>\n