00:00Hashtag Top 5 Battery Charger ICs for Custom Power Packs
00:04Alright, so you're building a custom power pack, maybe for a drone, a portable speaker,
00:09or some weird project you saw on Reddit at 2am. Either way, you need a solid charging IC,
00:15and you don't want to spend a fortune. I went down the rabbit hole so you don't have to,
00:20and I found 5 absolute gems that are dirt cheap, highly rated, and actually work.
00:25Let's get into it.
00:27Coming in at number 5, we've got the TP5000 and TP5100 Combo Pack in a QFN16 package,
00:34you get 5 pieces for about $2.35. Now, the killer feature here is versatility.
00:40You're getting both the TP5000 and TP5100 in one order, so you can experiment with single-cell
00:46and dual-cell configurations without buying separate lots. Nearly 5,000 sold with a perfect
00:525-star rating. If you're stocking your parts bin for multiple builds, this is the move.
00:58Number 4 is honestly kind of insane. It's a fully-assembled TP5000 charging module board
01:05with Type-C input, and it costs $0.31. I'll say that again, $0.31. It handles two-way charging,
01:13works with both 4.2V single-cell and 8.4V dual-cell lithium setups, and it's ready to solder
01:19into your project right out of the envelope. Over 4,500 sold, 5 stars. If you just need
01:26something that works today with zero fuss, grab a handful of these.
01:30At number 3, we have the TP5000 Bear Chips in an SOP8 package.
01:35You can order anywhere from 10 to 100 pieces starting around $268. The standout here is the
01:42SOP8 footprint, way easier to hand solder than QFN if you don't have a reflow oven or a hot air
01:47station.
01:48These are genuine TP5000 X chips with that full 2A switching step-down topology,
01:53so your charging efficiency stays high and heat stays low.
01:57Perfect for custom PCB designs where you want full control over your layout.
02:02Number 2 is the classic that needs no introduction, the TP4056 in SOP8, and you get 20 pieces for $0
02:09.62.
02:10That's roughly $0.03 per chip.
02:13This is the workhorse of the DIY lithium charging world.
02:17Single-cell, linear charging, dead simple to implement with minimal external components.
02:22The rating sits at 4.6 stars across over 4,000 sales, and honestly, the slight dip from 5 stars
02:29is just because linear charging runs warmer than switching. For small packs and low-current
02:34applications, nothing beats the price-to-simplicity ratio here. All 5 of these are linked down in the
02:40description, just scroll down and grab whichever fits your build.
02:44If this saved you some research time, smash that like button and subscribe so you catch
02:48the next one. Happy building!
