Power Brownout

Urko948 · 5 Jul 2018, 22:18

Pi Model: Pi 3b
Power Supply used: A 50/60hz 250mA
RetroPie Version Used: 4.4.1
Built From: Premade Image
USB Devices connected: USB Keyboard, external hard drive Western Digital 2 TB and a USB controller.
Controller used: PS4 and X-Arcade Tankstick

Lately, my pie has been showing the undervoltage warning. I was wondering if I got an external hard drive cable splitter if it would work to power the hard drive because it doesnt have it's own power source, and if the pie would be able to read from it? Thanks, just wanted to be sure.

KN4THX · 5 Jul 2018, 23:35

@urko948 A Pi 3 will need a 5.1V 2.5a power supply. You might be able to run the pi idle and no USB devices with 250mA if you're lucky

Urko948 · 6 Jul 2018, 02:17

@thedatacereal do you think an external hard drive cable splitter plugged into the hard drive and into the wall would work?

DarishZone · 7 Jun 2018, 03:36

I was going to open a thread about it, you beat me man!
I also got undervoltage message after Kodi use, i have only usb keyboard and wired controller plugged to Pi3B, happened with third party power supply with external power switch (i think is 3.0a, not sure)
Plugged back my old original ps uk 2.5A, so annoying without power switch :D and problem seems gone, i'm not quite sure ps could be the cause since is working flawless for months and i see many feedbacks on these days about issue.
Could be a 4.4 version bug?

mitu · 6 Jul 2018, 03:28

@darishzone said in Power Brownout:

Could be a 4.4 version bug?

No.

rbaker · 6 Jul 2018, 06:33

@urko948 said in Power Brownout:

Power Supply used: A 50/60hz 250mA

This is the only issue here. You need a power supply capable of supplying 10 times that current. I am shocked it actually boots up with stuff plugged in! https://www.raspberrypi.org/help/faqs/#power

If you are running many peripherals (keyboard, ipac, controllers disks etc.), you need a solid 3A one in my experience that is regulated properly and you will have no issues. Make sure the cable is decent too. Chargers are chargers and are not suitable.

edmaul69 · 6 Jul 2018, 07:48

@rbaker my guess is he meant 2500ma as i know that the pi can get stuck in a boot loop with far more power than that and far less devices connected. But even that is still far too little for everything he is running.

DarishZone · 7 Jun 2018, 12:05

@mitu said in Power Brownout:

@darishzone said in Power Brownout:

Could be a 4.4 version bug?

No.

Ok, i was wondering that after saw some feedbacks about the issues, and someone has got this resolved downgrading to previous version.
Maybe 4.4 is more sensitive for those issues? I don't remember that message before.
You think the power unit is faulty then? (usb cable is integrated, for knowledge)

mitu · 6 Jul 2018, 15:06

@darishzone said in Power Brownout:

You think the power unit is faulty then ?

Yes, that's why the recommendation is to always use a good power source. As for the '4.4 is more sensitive' - do you have a reference ? I know the new 3B+ model is more sensitive to power sources, since it needs more power, and people that had not problems with the 3B model started seeing the undervoltage sign on 3B+.

DarishZone · 7 Jun 2018, 18:10

I got the warning message on normal Pi3B, not +
As i said i get message after using Kodi, dunno if relevant.

akafox · 6 Jul 2018, 17:30

You are going to have to have the hard drive on it's own power supply. (Think powered usb hub). The pi can not handle itself and a hard drive. Trust me on this I have tried many times...

Also fun fact...(For those of you in the US at least.)

Most things here if you look at the end of the cord..one prong is slightly wider than the other. If you look at the power outlet you will notice one hole is larger than the other. Thus with such plugs you can only insert them into the outlet one way ONLY.

I have the "official" power supply from canakit for my pi 3. If you look at the "prong" they are the same size. Thus it does not matter how you plug it in. However i recently received the low power on my pi as well. Never had that happen before. So I powered down my pi..turned the plug around so it was plugged it "backwards" powered it back up and I have not had a complaint from my pi since.

edmaul69 · 6 Jul 2018, 19:09

@akafox it is pure coincidence that you had the power fixed by flipping the power brick around. You most likely had a bad connection with the outlet. As an electrician i can tell you there is no way that the direction you put that brick can change anything.

akafox · 7 Jul 2018, 16:48

@edmaul69 oh I am sure you are right never said otherwise xD

Urko948 · 7 Aug 2018, 20:14

I saw a 3 amp cable on Amazon I was thinking about getting. And maybe getting a powered usb but. Does anyone know of any good ones that are cheap? And @mitu can you guys recommend a good power source? And yes I did forget that last 0 sorry. Thanks for all of the replies

Urko948 · 8 Jul 2018, 19:13

This post is deleted!

mitu · 8 Jul 2018, 20:01

@urko948 Use the official Raspberry Pi power adapter or whatever the Raspberry guys recommend.