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LilyPad Simple Power
The LilyPad Simple Power is a board that lets you connect a battery (or other power source) and switch it on or off, that's it! We provide you with a JST connector and a slide switch. You can solder in your own surface mount (or through-hole) resistor in line with the output, or solder the jumper closed if you don't require a resistor.
LilyPad is a wearable e-textile technology developed by Leah Buechley and cooperatively designed by Leah and SparkFun. Each LilyPad was creatively designed to have large connecting pads to allow them to be sewn into clothing. Various input, output, power, and sensor boards are available. They're even washable!
Note: A portion of this sale is given back to Dr. Leah Buechley for continued development and education of e-textiles.
- [Schematic](http://cdn.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Dev/LilyPad/LilyPad SimplePower-v13.pdf)
- [Eagle Files](http://cdn.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Dev/LilyPad/LilyPad SimplePower-v13.zip)
- GitHub (Design Files)
LilyPad Simple Power Product Help and Resources
Core Skill: DIY
Whether it's for assembling a kit, hacking an enclosure, or creating your own parts; the DIY skill is all about knowing how to use tools and the techniques associated with them.
Skill Level: Noob - Basic assembly is required. You may need to provide your own basic tools like a screwdriver, hammer or scissors. Power tools or custom parts are not required. Instructions will be included and easy to follow. Sewing may be required, but only with included patterns.
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Core Skill: Electrical Prototyping
If it requires power, you need to know how much, what all the pins do, and how to hook it up. You may need to reference datasheets, schematics, and know the ins and outs of electronics.
Skill Level: Rookie - You may be required to know a bit more about the component, such as orientation, or how to hook it up, in addition to power requirements. You will need to understand polarized components.
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Comments
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Customer Reviews
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This board works great when creating projects with 5mm LEDs. I made a tutu with green LEDs sewn in using this and the LED PCB set (http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=10071). It was super easy and the boards were so tiny that it was easily hidden under the tulle.
I'm really sad to see this discontinued! I'm working with the Sparkfun heaters that happily run straight off the LiPo 3.3V power, and I don't see another similarly simple board with a JST connector that would make it easy to repeatedly remove the battery for recharging. The included pad for a resistor is just brilliant if I need to reduce the heat output! The LilyPad LiPower board, in contrast, is huge and expensive for this purpose.
On the plus side, I could easily order a bunch of these somewhere like OSHPark with your included Eagle files.
I did find some available at RobotMesh.com I'm not sure if they're just reselling remaining stock from Sparkfun or if they have some other source (I suspect the former).
It's not discontinued - simply in revision! The new board will be here soon :)
Wonderful! I'm curious to see what has changed. In particular, I'd value another set of pads so I can add both a polyfuse and a resistor to help avoid damage and possibly dangerous LiPo overheating from the inevitable spill-related short. That said, I can easily bodge in a resistor somewhere if necessary so the single pad (smaller footprint) is probably preferred in most cases.
how would I use this? Do I just run conductive thread from the +/- to my lilyPad main board? What do you mean by soldering a jumper closed?
You can either solder the jumper or use a loop of conductive thread to close the solder jumper. You'd run a trace of conductive thread from + on this board to + on the Lilypad main board, and then do the same with the - holes.
THanks for the reply. I understand how to do it now with the main board, but still not sure what everyone means when they say solder the jumper? What jumper, and why would I do any soldering?
The jumper is the two silver pads in the middle of the board. You can either solder the two pads together to create a connection, or you can use conductive thread between the hole above the top silver pad and below the bottom silver pad. This jumper is designed for customers who want to use this specifically with LEDs and need to add in the proper resistors to prevent from burning up their LEDs. There is a revision in the works that will remove this necessity.
What's the difference between this, and the "LilyPad LiPower" (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11260) Does the second one can charge the battery? If yes, how? Thanks
I recently got this board. I cannot power my LEDs using pads with switch in either position. If I clip alligator clips directly to the socket, it works. Has anyone else had this problem?
Don't forget to solder the jumper closed or add in a resistor. We are working on a revision of this to make it easier to start using out of the box, but that should fix the problem you're seeing.
Thanks for the response. Yep, I'm going to solder it closed.