• Models
  • Contests
  • Slicer
  • Login
  • Start Here
    thingiverse-iconprintables-iconcults3d-iconmakerworld-iconmyminifactory-icon

    3D GO

    3D ModelsContestsCollectionsSaved ModelsOn a mobile device?

3D GO

Privacy Policy
solar-powered Raspberry Pi 3 3D Printer File Image 1
solar-powered Raspberry Pi 3 3D Printer File Image 2
solar-powered Raspberry Pi 3 3D Printer File Image 3
solar-powered Raspberry Pi 3 3D Printer File Thumbnail 1
solar-powered Raspberry Pi 3 3D Printer File Thumbnail 2
solar-powered Raspberry Pi 3 3D Printer File Thumbnail 3

solar-powered Raspberry Pi 3

Houston (the tech idiot) avatarHouston (the tech idiot)

July 25, 2025

printables-icon
DescriptionCommentsTags

Description

I had a little solar powered power bank from Blackberry cybersecurity that i decided to tear apart and build into this.
It uses any 11.5 mm momentary switch for power. 
The power bank I used and disassembled seems to be this model.

Be sure to print the bottom half with the front (the side with the pi USB and ethernet) facing down and print with supports. printing it in that orientation takes longer but uses less filament and doesn't flood the battery slot with filament. any orientation on the top half will do.

Needed components:
-11.5mm power button
-spare USB male (sap power for pi)
-power bank
-pi 3 (any model should do)
-double sided tape (not thin, paper-like but thicker and rubber or foam like)
-4x m2 screws (10mm-14mm should suffice)
-at least 2x M3 screws to secure the pi.
-at least two DuPont female connectors

Assembly:
-mount pi at any point before lid.
-disassemble bank
-extend connections for the panel and the battery by around 90mm.
-slide battery into slot underneath the pi
-mount BMS board under the lid with the micro USB port poking through the hole above the pi IO. this is for charging indoors. Use double sided tape for this.
-push the solar panel into the top section. I would recommend not taping/gluing the panel down until AFTER you have secured the lid using 4x m2 10mm or greater screws. 
-create the power cable by using the USB male. splice the negative wire to the power button, and then splice the power button to your negative DuPont header. splice the positive to the other DuPont and install onto the ground and 5v GPIO pins.

OPTIONAL- remove the LED from the power bank to make it a bit more compact. you shouldn't need to wire the power button on the bank since it turns on/off when something is connected to the USB port (hence using the momentary switch)

Im running Alpine Linux on mine.

If you have any questions, leave a comment and I will try my best to answer them.

If you make one, be sure to post a make!

License:

Creative Commons — Public Domain

Related Models

bakercube preview image

bakercube

iomaa profile image

iomaa

44,456

Book Page Holder V3 preview image

Book Page Holder V3

fifindr profile image

fifindr

3,544

Mini Whistle preview image

Mini Whistle

fifindr profile image

fifindr

3,519

Bottle Opener and Cap GUN! preview image

Bottle Opener and Cap GUN!

3Deddy profile image

3Deddy

44,022

Funnel Tray preview image

Funnel Tray

fifindr profile image

fifindr

3,555

Customizable Spotify Keychain / Tag preview image

Customizable Spotify Keychain / Tag

ewt profile image

ewt

3,073

Mini Tape Gun - Tape Dispenser preview image

Mini Tape Gun - Tape Dispenser

brycelowe profile image

brycelowe

23,762

Drill Paint Mixer preview image

Drill Paint Mixer

fifindr profile image

fifindr

2,499