Answers.Body: <p>No, the only way provided to power the EV3 is through 6 AA-batteries or the expensive rechargeable battery box. Of course some DIY solution could work, anything that provides 9V DC or thereabouts works when the voltage is applied directly to the outer battery contacts...</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-04-04T13:04:38.353Z
Answers.Text: ... which means that without a buck converter, USB power won’t work as USB supplies 5V.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Phil B.
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Answers.CreationDate: 2021-04-04T13:16:25.623Z
Answers.Text: don't know, 5V seems to low, but if the pin is pressed that the rechargeable battery unit normally presses, 7.2 V is what expected of the battery, and with batteries the voltage drops when loaded. so 5V regulated might work. Of course the EV3 will operate sluggishly...
Answers.UserDisplayName: Michael Verschaeve
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Answers.CreationDate: 2021-04-04T13:18:24.940Z
Answers.Text: Here they tested with 5V, given enough amperage, attached motors even work: https://www.dexterindustries.com/ev3-current-consumption-measurement/
Answers.UserDisplayName: Michael Verschaeve
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-04-05T12:40:05.560Z
Answers.Text: https://fettricks.blogspot.com/2017/02/building-usb-charger-cable-for-your-fll.html shows a home-brew solution and it sounds like you can buy some of these on Amazon.
Answers.UserDisplayName: chicks
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Answers.CreationDate: 2021-04-06T15:56:41.760Z
Answers.Text: @chicks, unless I entirely misread the question, the idea is to forego the expensive EV3 rechargeable battery, while the link you provided shows how to create an USB charger for the EV3 battery pack. The EV3 charger (which is the same as for the power functions rechargeable battery) has an universal enough plug that an USB to that type of plug convertible should be doable to find on amazon, aliexpress and the likes,,,
Answers.UserDisplayName: Michael Verschaeve
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-04-07T15:58:47.820Z
Answers.Text: More guidance on external power supplies for EV3/NXT: https://www.philohome.com/nxtsupply/nxtsupply.htm
Answers.UserDisplayName: MindS1
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Answers.CreationDate: 2021-04-04T12:08:08.663Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2021-04-04T12:08:08.663Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Michael Verschaeve
Body: <p>I have a LEGO Mindstorm EV3 hub. I want to avoid buying rechargeable batteries by supplying power through battery box pins using an external variable power supply.</p>
  <p>Is it possible to supply power to an EV3 hub via USB?</p>
  
Tags: <ev3>
Title: Is it possible to power an EV3 hub via USB?
UserDisplayName: amreo
ThreadText: # Is it possible to power an EV3 hub via USB?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2021-04-04)
  
  I have a LEGO Mindstorm EV3 hub. I want to avoid buying rechargeable batteries by supplying power through battery box pins using an external variable power supply.
  
  Is it possible to supply power to an EV3 hub via USB?
  
  **Tags:** ev3
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2021-04-04. Score: 4 | Accepted answer
  
  No, the only way provided to power the EV3 is through 6 AA-batteries or the expensive rechargeable battery box. Of course some DIY solution could work, anything that provides 9V DC or thereabouts works when the voltage is applied directly to the outer battery contacts...
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_2**: ... which means that without a buck converter, USB power won’t work as USB supplies 5V.  
  > **username_1**: don't know, 5V seems to low, but if the pin is pressed that the rechargeable battery unit normally presses, 7.2 V is what expected of the battery, and with batteries the voltage drops when loaded. so 5V regulated might work. Of course the EV3 will operate sluggishly...  
  > **username_1**: Here they tested with 5V, given enough amperage, attached motors even work: https://www.dexterindustries.com/ev3-current-consumption-measurement/  
  > **username_3**: https://fettricks.blogspot.com/2017/02/building-usb-charger-cable-for-your-fll.html shows a home-brew solution and it sounds like you can buy some of these on Amazon.  
  > **username_1**: @username_3, unless I entirely misread the question, the idea is to forego the expensive EV3 rechargeable battery, while the link you provided shows how to create an USB charger for the EV3 battery pack. The EV3 charger (which is the same as for the power functions rechargeable battery) has an universal enough plug that an USB to that type of plug convertible should be doable to find on amazon, aliexpress and the likes,,,  
  > **username_4**: More guidance on external power supplies for EV3/NXT: https://www.philohome.com/nxtsupply/nxtsupply.htm  
  
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