SparkFun Battery Babysitter - LiPo Battery Manager

The SparkFun Battery Babysitter is a comprehensive single-cell Lithium Polymer (LiPo) battery manager that combines the functionality of a battery charger and a battery monitor. It's equipped with a pair of Texas Instruments LiPo-management ICs: a BQ24075 battery charger and a BQ27441-G1A fuel gauge. This efficient battery manager is all you need for your battery-powered projects to function safely and for prolonged periods.

The Battery Babysitter comes with a BQ24075 battery charger that supports adjustable charge rates of up to 1.5A, as well as USB-compliant 100mA and 500mA options. It also features power-path management, ensuring a steady power supply to your project, even if the battery is drained.

The BQ27441-G1A fuel gauge is a self-calibrating, I²C-based component that measures your battery’s voltage to estimate its charge percentage and remaining capacity. Connected to a current-sensing resistor, it can also measure current and power. This makes it an invaluable tool for monitoring your project’s power consumption.

Features of the SparkFun Battery Babysitter include a DIP-switch-selectable charge rate of 100mA, 500mA, or 1.5A, a MicroUSB port for charging, and external options. It also boasts of dynamic power-path management for a reliable output supply. An On/Off switch disconnects the battery for more power saving, and a 5V-tolerant I²C interface connects to the fuel gauge. The fuel gauge measures voltage, percentage, and current.

Documents available for the SparkFun Battery Babysitter include a schematic, Eagle Files, a hookup guide, datasheets for the BQ24075 Charger and BQ27441-G1A Fuel Gauge, an Arduino Library, and a GitHub repository.