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+--- Thread: Pinephone KEYBOARD BATTERY ISOLATION. (/showthread.php?tid=18231)
Pinephone KEYBOARD BATTERY ISOLATION. - --- - 05-15-2023
Given the unnecessary complications of the pp-keyboard and subsequent disappointing user experience (e.g. it killed my Pinephone docking bar without warning, etc.) I was surprised to find there is still no convenient wiki-advice on the subject of ppkbd battery isolation. Does anyone know:
1) Is it practical to isolate the battery by adding an appropriate switch?
2) Can the keyboard operate without it's internal battery?
3) Would it be safe to use the Pinephone USB-C connector (charging &/or data) with the ppkbd battery disconnected?
RE: Pinephone KEYBOARD BATTERY ISOLATION. - mike555 - 07-10-2023
1) Protecting the keyboard charger (not battery!) with an "ideal diode" module positively works and has been implemented successfully by several users:
https://www.reddit.com/r/PINE64official/comments/vw4s8t/using_a_usb_device_with_the_pinephone_keyboard/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXIw0i-c-Ms
Upon the modification, the USB-C charger can be plugged into either keyboard port (charges both the keyboard and the phone) or the phone port (charges only the phone). Docking dongle can be used on the phone port, both with or without the charger plugged into it. The situation with the dock plugged into the phone and the charger plugged into the keyboard should be avoided.
2) The keyboard operates strictly from the phone power. The keys are registered even if the internal keyboard battery is unplugged. The schematics is at
https://files.pine64.org/doc/PinePhone/PinePhone%20Keyboard%20Schematic%20V1.0-20211009.pdf
3) On a stock - not modified - keyboard, the answer is LIKELY NO. The keyboard internal charger IP5209 will be back-fed with ca 450 mA current, and may die in the process. Some users have reported exactly that (links above) while the others had some better experience.
Hopefully this helps.