Power warning for my Notecard

The power information document states:

Typical USB ports may only be capable of supplying 500 mA of current, which might not be enough to power Notecard during a cellular connection.

I am using the cellular “notecard-3.5.2.15620” embedded in the Notecarrier F, powered by the USB connection to my desktop. This indicates that the above warning applies to me and my question is “what behavior can I expect from my Notecard”?

Hi @adriatic,

Great question. 500 mA will be fine for the vast majority of users. It’s only when connecting to a GSM network will you need to be prepared for a potential 2 amp spike. In those cases, it’s helpful to have an external LiPo battery hooked up to your Notecarrier as well.

Thanks,
Rob

Would’nt this imply to always have external LiPo batter attached, since I am not able to control which network to connect?

Hi @adriatic,

Logically speaking, it’s a good best practice. However, for most people, the likelihood of having to fall back on GSM while USB-powered at your desk is unlikely. Remote/rural deployments that rely on GSM are a different story, and those are generally not going to be USB-powered anyway.

Rob

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