Hungary-based AQEX has released the qUPS-P-BC-2.0, a Raspberry Pi UPS HAT that stands out from the crowd by supporting multiple battery chemistries including Li-Ion, LiFePO₄, and even Sodium-Ion cells. More notably, it can handle large prismatic battery packs up to 300Ah, making it suitable for applications requiring extended backup times far beyond what typical small-cell UPS solutions offer.
The board measures 6.5 × 5.6 × 2.3 cm (2.6 × 2.2 × 0.9 inches) in the standard Raspberry Pi HAT form factor and is compatible with the Raspberry Pi 5, 4B, 3B+, and other 40-pin GPIO boards. It features an offline UPS architecture with sub-millisecond switchover times, delivering up to 7.5A discharge current and 3.5A output via the GPIO header. Power input options include USB-C at 5V with USB PD support for the Pi 5, plus auxiliary input from 6 to 28V through screw terminals. A three-position mode switch (OFF/ON/AUTO) helps prevent boot loops and unsafe restarts when battery levels are critically low.
Communication with the host board happens through three configurable GPIO pins that signal power loss, low battery, and shutdown events. Software support comes via C++ and Python tools available on GitHub, allowing monitoring and safe shutdown triggers. According to AQEX's specifications, a 4,000 mAh LiFePO₄ or Li-Ion battery can keep a Raspberry Pi 4 running for over 7 hours at idle.
The qUPS-P-BC-2.0 is available now on Tindie for $62 (€57), with additional details on the AQEX product page.