As a nature sound recordist who works with long-form multi-day recordings, leaving recorders and microphones out for undisturbed long lengths of time is super easy... except for the power. Even with very low power microphones and efficient recorders, a single 26800 mAh USB-C powerbank will last at best 2 days. You'd think using a much larger power station would be a simple solution, but they can't be carried on an airplane. Hiking into a wilderness on a daily or bi-daily basis sounds like fun, but we could be talking about miles of bushwhacking both ways, disturbing the wildlife along the way.

Enter 8086 Consultancy's USB-C Dual supply. I bought five over the Summer, and these little guys have changed my entire workflow and outlook on recording, doubling the time I can leave stashed recorders, allowing environments ecosystems to recover from my interference and return to a natural behavior not possible to record with shorter recording times.

The only "downside" I find with these devices is that they are bare board (as one would expect from a builder's market), and not really suitable for extreme outdoor temperatures and humid/ dry swings. At $5 each, I'm not complaining, though! I "solved" this by encasing them in hot glue. Okay, I'm not very crafty, but it works (click links for pictures). They've sat in cold puddles (a "dry" bag had a leak), been subjected to below-freezing nights and extreme hot days and direct sun without issue.

Yay!

https://www.icloud.com/photos/#00eiLzMiQ-WlE6uymLU6f7YXg
https://www.icloud.com/photos/#094-AcKcM6S_2MbcZVwcKs2dQ

Carl | Aug. 19, 2021

Useful little addition to my utility toolkit

For USB-USB NULL Modem (CDC)

Useful tool for USB testing. Only used for a quick round of tests so far but will get some more use in next few weeks.

Carl | Aug. 19, 2021

Handy little toolkit when messing with various USB devices

For USB Adaptor Kit

Has already got me out of trouble in a few instances where I needed to mix and match connection types.

Carl | Aug. 19, 2021

Great size and excellent for my use.

For uUSB/USB-C CDC Serial Adaptor (3.3v)

Added some ports to a few projects and these adapters fir the bill perfectly. Immediately recognized by my various O/S's.

Carl | Aug. 19, 2021

Perfect sized

For uUSB/USB-C CDC Serial Adaptor (5v)

A very small device. Works out of the box. Used in a prototype to power a 3.3V LDO and a buck converter (variable 3V - 3.9V).

Fabian | June 23, 2021

Works great

For Fan controller for Raspberry Pi

Works just as expected on Raspberry Pi using the configuration from the product description. Also works on other SBCs like the NanoPi M4.

Katherine | April 8, 2021

Cam Gadget

For Solderless Zero Dongle for Raspberry Pi Zero

I have a Sleepy Circuits Hypno video synth that takes UVC based video input. The Pi zero with dongle makes it into a sturdy USB camera source when paired with a camera module.

Christian | March 11, 2021

Best product I've bought

For USB-C/PWR Splitter

Very good usb-c pwr splitter e.g. for Pi-kvm, fast and relaible shippment, perfect quality. I'd like to buy it again!

Antanas | Feb. 14, 2021

Works great, pricey shipping with tracking

For USB-C/PWR Splitter

Everything works as expected, I am very pleased as was lazy to solder all cables myself. Shipping took about 1 month to Lithuania. Chose shipping without tracking (usually I prefer tracking for such important packages to be sure) because shipping with tracking alone costs as much as 4-5 splitters (not so good ratio). With cheaper international shipping with tracking everything would be perfect. Anyway, at least there is an option in EU, so I am happy with my choice.

Harm | Feb. 8, 2021

Does the job

For USB-C/PWR Splitter

Works as described! I would appreciate a publication of the PCB schematics so I could 3D print an enclosure

Olivier | Jan. 15, 2021

Very nice product and neat setup

For ClusterCTRL: Stack (12-20V)

The product works as intended. Purchased a separate power supply, installed all components and started. Raspberry pi's power on one after the other, as described.

I also purchased the 3D printed case with the fans, and that makes the whole setup look very neat. I had to file the 'teeth' a bit to fit into the sides, but after few minutes I managed to get a perfect fit. That was the only downside I noticed, but I'd rather have it this way than everything being to loose.

For the documentation I mainly looked at the photos and description on tindie. The documentation on the clusterctrl website itself is still lacking in my opinion.

Overall, great product. I would recommend it!

William | Dec. 28, 2020

Good Build Quality

For USB-C/PWR Splitter

The board layout is very precise and the silkscreen clearly identifies all ports and functions. Will work perfectly for my use.

William | Dec. 28, 2020

Slick Addition to My Raspberry Pi Arsenal

For Solderless Zero Dongle for Raspberry Pi Zero

The board layout is very precise. This should make it a bit easier to futz about with a pi-zero, one less wire.

Matt | Nov. 17, 2020

Awesome tool for Kubernetes

For Cluster Triple for Raspberry Pi Compute Modules

I had a few CM3+ modules that were unused due to another vendor's product being defective. This is a great board that was easy to setup and get running.

David | Oct. 12, 2020

Does what it needs to

For uUSB/USB-C CDC Serial Adaptor (5v)

Nice serial adapter, small size but it works great. Nice serial adapter, small size but it works great.

Ivan | Oct. 7, 2020

Great product

For MMC (micro SD) HAT for the Raspberry Pi

I am safisfied with 100% functionality and quality of this product. Delivery could be little bit faster.

Pierre-Yves | April 19, 2020

Fantastic enclosure for A3+ Pi Project with the Camera

For APlusCam

I wanted to use the APlusCam for projects involving the Raspberry Camera. As it combines both the camera enclosure and the small form factor of the RaspberryPi A3+, it is really perfect.
The provided elements are of great quality and the assembly is perfect.
So why 4 stars and not 5 ? It is just the size of the spacer provided that are a little bit too small, forbidding plugging it directly HATs.
If you are a maker, you can still use a GPIO PIN header and bend "flat" the pins to just fit in the enclosure, but it will depends of your own project.
Other than that, fantastic add-on to own ! Thanks Chris !

Bernhard | Jan. 30, 2020

Small, well made, useful

For USB2 Power Switch

A very nice product. You can see it in action in my pi-stopwatch project: https://github.com/bablokb/pi-stopwatch. In the project I measure boot-times from power-on up to the start of an application. Thanks to this little board, powering on and starting the stopwatch at the same time is no problem.

A note to shipping: the maker sent the package from England on the same day I ordered it, but it arrived 31 days later in Germany. This is definitely not the fault of the maker. So please be patient. It is worth it.

Bruce | Aug. 9, 2019

Great update from the clusterHAT.

For Cluster Triple for Raspberry Pi Compute Modules

Great update from the ClusterHAT. Now can use Compute Modules instead of piZeros. Ships from UK great product and great support.

Steven | July 22, 2019

Great product!

For USB Adaptor Kit

Thank's Chris! Great product. Terrific and handy tools for the experimenter's/designer's bench. Over a thousand uses!

Peter | June 16, 2019

Fantastic little case

For APlusCam

A brilliant little case for the A+/3A+ for window mounting. Nicely simple but well made. Love it! Looking forward to taking shots of animals in the garden with it :)

Stuart | June 10, 2019

Exactly as stated

For USB Serial Adaptor (FTDI 3.3v)

Product installed and test exactly as stated with no issues. The only question I had was to identify pin 1 before installing.

David | April 23, 2019

Great product add an eeprom to make an official HAT

For Fake HAT

The easy way to add an eeprom to your HAT project.
If a product is missing that eeprom, or for your own hardware, this little add-on add the feature for you.
You may need to dig into documentation on the device tree, how to program eeprom, but you will need that anyway.

Leszek | April 19, 2019

Work ;)

For Solderless Zero Dongle for Raspberry Pi Zero

Good quality. I recommend buying this. Work fine :)
Good quality. I recommend buying this. Work fine :) (stupid min. limit)

Tindie

8086 Consultancy

Overall Rating:

Review Breakdown

Average Ratings

All Reviews

Exactly what I needed, and my workflow is changed for good

Useful little addition to my utility toolkit

Handy little toolkit when messing with various USB devices

Great size and excellent for my use.

Perfect sized

Works great

Cam Gadget

Best product I've bought

Works great, pricey shipping with tracking

Does the job

Very nice product and neat setup

Good Build Quality

Slick Addition to My Raspberry Pi Arsenal

Awesome tool for Kubernetes

Does what it needs to

Great product

Fantastic enclosure for A3+ Pi Project with the Camera

Small, well made, useful

Great update from the clusterHAT.

Great product!

Fantastic little case

Exactly as stated

Great product add an eeprom to make an official HAT

Work ;)