Why Your USB-C Cable Can’t Power Your Raspberry Pi 4
Now is the perfect time to buy a Raspberry Pi 4. I’ll admit, I was never a big fan of the Raspberry Pi world until I got it and pinned a Pi-hole on it. Now, this tiny wonder box does a great job at blocking third-party ads and other horrible trackers – more than even the best browser extensions as it works on every device connected to my network.
What’s more, you can now get a Raspberry 4 with double the RAM as before – 2GB instead of 1GB – for the same $ 35 price tag. Not bad. However, it just gives you a basic Raspberry Pi 4. You will need to supply your own 15W USB-C power supply, microSD card, and any other devices you want to connect to your Raspberry Pi to make it easier to use. …
If you go this route, which may be cheaper than ordering a more expensive Raspberry Pi 4 desktop kit , take care not to compromise on the power adapter and USB-C cable. In other words: if you are using any old cables and connectors located all over the house, this could be the reason why your Raspberry Pi 4 won’t turn on.
According to a recent report from The Register , an issue with older versions of the Raspberry Pi 4 “caused some power adapters to mistake the computer for an audio device and therefore not transfer expected power to the line.” This did not affect the USB-C cable and power adapter that came with the Raspberry Pi 4 desktop kit, and shouldn’t affect any future Raspberry Pi 4s you buy, but it’s definitely something to keep in mind if you already have there is one or if you buy it from a third party. (The ” c03111 ” version of the Raspberry Pi 4 is the older 4GB model; the version is “c03112”. I’m not sure what the version number is for the 2GB model yet.)
To help you troubleshoot, Tyler Ward ran some tests with his Raspberry Pi 4 and this is what he found:
“Assuming the problem you are experiencing is caused by the problem described above when using an unmarked cable (most USB-C charging cables are probably of this type) rather than an e-marked cable (many chargers for laptops / cables with a lightning connector and any cable with 5A capability would be in this category) will allow you to power the pi. Alternatively, older chargers with AC cables or micro BC adapters can be used if they provide sufficient power as they do not require CC detection to provide power. Ultimately, though ultimately the best solution would be to revise the Pi 4 board, which adds a second CC resistor and fixes the problem. “
If you’re having problems with your old Raspberry Pi 4, your best bet is to purchase a different (or official) power adapter and cable. It will probably cost you less than half of what you paid for your Raspberry Pi 4, so it’s in your best interest to go for that rather than completely replace your device. And at least this is another strong reminder that just because a cable usually works with just about anything, doesn’t mean it will always work with everything. I mean, I still can’t charge my Chromebook with the MacBook adapter; This is the order of things, but the problem is easy to fix if you know what to look for.