Adafruit USB Type C Power Delivery Dummy - I2C or Switchable - HUSB238

by Adafruit

The HUSB238 USB PD sink chip is neat in that you can either use jumpers (really, resistor selection) to set the desired PD voltage and current or you can use I2C for dynamic querying and setting.

Adafruit have built a nice Adafruit USB Type C Power Delivery Dummy Breakout board around the HUSB238 to make it very easy to configure and integrate without having to solder any tiny resistors.

It's perfect for use with USB Type C wall adapters that can provide multiple voltages, the standard offerings are 5V, 9V, 12V, 15V, 18V and 20V. This HUSB238 breakout plugs into the USB C cable and then over the CC lines will negotiate the PD request and commands. For example we can ask what voltages are available and then pick the highest one. Or if you need a specific voltage it will specifically select that one.

This breakout will be handy for projects where you need a lot more than 5V @ 2A power: this adapter can give up to 20V at 5A - yes you can get 100W over USB C! - and you could buck that down to get a ton of current at 5V or 12V if that's needed. Or use it to convert a DC or battery-powered device into a USB C powered one!

Jumper-configured usage is simple: by default its hard-wired for 5V 1A output since that's what USB C will always provide at first. Cut the 5V jumper and solder closed the 9V, 12V, 15V, 18V or 20V jumper to select the resistor that sets the voltage. You can also select the desired current from 2A to 3A, although we have found that this isn't as essential, you could always just pull as much as the adapter will provide. No microcontroller or microcomputer is required!

I2C-configured usage is a little more challenging. Since the Vout can be as high as 20V we don't have an onboard voltage regulator or pullup resistors. Connect to a microcontroller or microcomputer board that has a separate power supply (or that can regulate from up-to-20V if you plan on selecting that high) and I2C pullup resistors to your desired logic level. Then use the Arduino library and example code to query the USB Type C PD source for available voltages and currents and select the desired voltage dynamically. When configuring over I2C, the jumper settings are used on startup until the I2C commands come over.

Comes with a small bit of header and a terminal block so you can decide whether you want to use it in a breadboard, or free-wired.

Technical Details

Product Dimensions: 24.5mm x 20.2mm x 4.9mm / 1.0" x 0.8" x 0.2"

Product Weight: 2.2g / 0.1oz

RoHS 2 2011 65 EU Compliant
RoHS 2 2015 863 EU Compliant

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4 customer reviews

a year ago
These pins have been a revelation and make mounting carrier boards like ESP32 or Pico a breeze. I have used them so far on pre-designed FlexyPin adapter boards but can see how easy it is to produce my own custom one. They are a bit fiddly to insert and line up but it becomes easier with practice.
by Lee about FlexyPin - Pack of 100 via REVIEWS.io
2 years ago
Given 5 stars. I know they are quite expensive, However, when I received them I only got 94 in the pack. I contacted customer service to let them know and they just sent out another batch without any questions or me asking, hence the 5 stars. I did count the second batch and there were only 99 in it. I can't complain as I got more than what I paid for anyway, So win-win.
by Mark about FlexyPin - Pack of 100 via REVIEWS.io
2 years ago
FlexiPins are tiny and designed to be used with FlexiPin adapters such as the Pico to Uno adapter which mounts a Pico on an Uno footprint boards. You need tweezers or forceps, an illuminated magnifying glass and, if possible, a circuit board holder to locate them in the board before soldering. Instructions are sketchy. For example, the FlexiPin YouTube video shows a board with one pin hole and a slot, while the Uno board has two holes on either side of a slot.
by Robert about FlexyPin - Pack of 100 via REVIEWS.io
3 years ago
These work GREAT. I use "bare" ESP modules at work, and sometimes I need to debug the stuff...
by Anonymous about FlexyPin - Pack of 100 via REVIEWS.io

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