Adafruit
Adafruit Universal USB / DC / Solar Lithium Ion/Polymer charger - bq24074
The Adafruit Universal USB/DC/Solar Lithium Ion/Polymer Charger (bq24074) charges 3.7V/4.2V LiPo or LiIon batteries from virtually any power source — USB Typ...
Get notified when back in stock
The Adafruit Universal USB/DC/Solar Lithium Ion/Polymer Charger (bq24074) charges 3.7V/4.2V LiPo or LiIon batteries from virtually any power source — USB Type-C, DC adapter, or solar panel — with a wide 5–10V input range. Its near-MPPT solar tracking automatically draws the maximum current available from any panel in any light condition.
Smart load sharing prioritises input power over battery power when available, preventing unnecessary charge/discharge cycles. The regulated LOAD output stays at 4.4V or below, making it safe for downstream 3.3V regulators or 5V boost converters.
Key Features
- Triple Input – Charge via USB Type-C, DC jack (5–10V), or 6–10V solar panel; both USB and DC can be connected simultaneously
- Up to 1.5A Charge Rate – Default 1000 mA, adjustable to 500 mA or 1.5A via solder jumper
- Near-MPPT Solar Charging – Automatically tracks maximum current from any wattage solar panel
- Smart Load Sharing – Prioritises input power over battery to prevent cycling; up to 1.5A load output regulated to ≤4.4V
- Wide Input Protection – Accepts 5–10V input, protected up to 28V
- Status LEDs – Power Good (green) and Charging (red); charging LED turns off when complete
- Optional Temperature Monitoring – Solder in a 10K NTC thermistor for battery temperature protection (not included)
- JST Battery Connector – Standard 2-pin JST for Adafruit LiPo/LiIon batteries
Ideal For
- Solar-powered outdoor projects and sensor stations
- Portable battery-powered devices
- USB or DC-charged LiPo/LiIon projects
- IoT and remote monitoring systems
Package Contents
- 1× Adafruit bq24074 Universal Charger (fully assembled)
- 1× Header strip
Resources
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- DC
- DC means direct current, where electricity flows in one constant direction, as supplied by batteries, USB ports and many plug-pack power supplies. When a product specifies DC, it runs from a DC supply rather than mains AC, so you need to provide the correct voltage and polarity.
- IoT
- Short for Internet of Things, meaning physical devices that connect to networks or the internet to send data or be controlled remotely. It matters if you want projects such as connected sensors, remote controls or classroom data-logging activities.
- LED
- A light-emitting diode (LED) is a small electronic component that emits light when current flows through it in the correct direction. Because it only conducts one way, its polarity matters, and a through-hole LED must be soldered the correct way around to light up.
- LiPo
- A LiPo (lithium polymer) battery is a rechargeable lithium battery widely used in portable projects because it is light and compact. LiPo cells need correct charging circuitry and careful handling to stay safe, so equipment that supports LiPo generally includes charging or protection hardware suited to that battery type.
- solder jumper
- A solder jumper is a small pair or group of pads on a circuit board that can be bridged or cut with solder to change a hardware setting. It matters because changing modes may require careful soldering rather than just changing software.
- Type-C
- USB Type-C (USB-C) is a small, reversible USB connector used for charging, power, and data transfer on many modern devices. A Type-C port or plug indicates the cable and charger connection needed to power, charge, or communicate with a device.
- USB Type-C
- USB Type-C is a small, reversible USB connector used for power, data and sometimes video on many modern devices. The connector itself does not guarantee a particular speed or voltage, so check the supported USB version, data rate and whether it carries more than 5V via USB Power Delivery.
Find this product in
Brands
Power & Batteries
adafruit bq24074 universal usb dc solar charger breakout
Document · 2.0 MB · Click any page to view full size
Resources & Downloads
Guides, code examples, and more
Related Tutorials
Free guides on learn.littlebird.com.au
