If you're into DIY electronics, Raspberry Pi projects, or hacking adventures, you've probably come across the PiSugar: a compact, rechargeable battery pack designed specifically for Raspberry Pi boards. While it’s marketed as a dream accessory for portable projects, there’s a serious concern that can’t be ignored: PiSugar batteries have been catching fire. Yes, literally.
Exploding Batteries: A Real Danger
In our lab testing, we’ve observed significant safety issues with the PiSugar. These include unsafe power usage, overheating components, and, most alarmingly, batteries that explode under certain conditions. This isn’t just an isolated incident—Amazon reviews reveal multiple cases of users experiencing catastrophic battery failures.
What We Found in Testing
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Unsafe Power Usage: The PiSugar often draws inconsistent power, causing stress on its components. This erratic behavior can lead to overheating.
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Heating of Components: During prolonged use, especially under heavy loads, the PiSugar becomes dangerously hot. In several instances, this heat has been enough to damage surrounding components and enclosures.
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Battery Explosions: Our tests mirrored issues highlighted in user reviews. Batteries swelled, leaked, and, in extreme cases, caught fire when pushed to their limits.
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Poor Battery Life: Despite its promises, the latest PiSugar iteration delivered less than 2 hours of runtime in our testing. For something marketed as portable and convenient, this performance is highly disappointing and limits its usability for real-world projects.
Amazon Reviews Tell the Same Story
We’re not alone in our findings. Here are three Amazon reviews with alarming, but are not the only proof that there's serious quality control in these fire hazards.
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Review 1: A user reported their PiSugar battery began swelling after just a few days of use. The hacker reported the device was poor value for the money, ruining the plastic case and nearly catching fire.
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Review 2: Another reviewer shared pictures of their enclosure melted due to excessive heat, with the battery swelling on the verge of exploding into a dangerous fire.
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Review 3: Perhaps the most concerning, one user’s PiSugar exploded while charging overnight, releasing toxic chemical smoke, and destroying the electronics they were connected to.
What’s Causing This?
The root causes appear to be:
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Low-Quality Batteries: The lithium-ion cells used in PiSugar may not meet safety standards for prolonged or heavy use.
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Poor Thermal Design: Lack of proper heat dissipation leads to trapped heat, further compounding the problem.
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Voltage Regulation Issues: Irregular power delivery stresses both the battery and the Raspberry Pi board.
Why You Should Be Cautious
If you’re considering using a PiSugar, it’s vital to understand the risks:
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Don’t Charge Overnight: Many incidents occur during charging, particularly with subpar USB chargers.
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Avoid Heavy Loads: Powering high-draw peripherals can increase the likelihood of overheating.
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Inspect Regularly: Check your PiSugar for swelling or any signs of damage before and after use.
Our Recommendation
Given the evidence, we cannot recommend the PiSugar in its current state. The risk of fire and damage outweighs its convenience. Additionally, its poor battery life makes it unsuitable for many portable applications. Instead, we suggest using a portable battery explicitly rated for Raspberry Pi devices, such as the Vilros 10,000mAh Portable Power Supply. This battery, priced at around $20, is highly reliable, safe, and provides enough power to last all day. It is specifically designed to deliver consistent power, preventing issues like SD card corruption that can compromise setups like Pwnagotchi installations. (Note: We have no affiliation with Vilros; this is based purely on its performance and safety.)
The PiSugar may have started as a promising product, but its literal "fire" potential and poor performance are dealbreakers. Stay safe and build responsibly!
