TP4056 Li-ion Charger Module
Single-cell Li-ion charging module with protection — the standard for USB-powered lithium charging.
The standard single-cell lithium charging module, often bundled with over-charge/discharge protection circuitry on the same board. Built around the TP4056 linear charger IC (commonly paired with a DW01 protection chip and dual MOSFETs), it takes a 5V USB input and safely charges a single-cell Li-ion/LiPo battery with the correct constant-current/constant-voltage profile, while the protection circuitry cuts off the battery if it's charged too high, discharged too low, or short-circuited — making it the near-universal choice for any DIY project that charges its own lithium battery from USB.
Specifications
| Chipset | TP4056 linear Li-ion/LiPo charger IC, commonly paired with a DW01A protection IC and dual MOSFETs on the same board |
| Input voltage | 4.5V–5.5V DC, typically via Micro-USB or USB-C connector |
| Charge voltage | 4.2V constant-voltage regulation for standard single-cell Li-ion/LiPo |
| Charge current | Adjustable via an onboard resistor (commonly set to ~1A by default, some boards include a resistor pad to change it) |
| Charge algorithm | Constant-current / constant-voltage (CC/CV) with automatic trickle charge for deeply discharged cells and charge termination near full |
| Protection features (on modules with DW01) | Over-charge protection, over-discharge protection, over-current/short-circuit protection |
| Status indication | Onboard LEDs typically indicate charging (red) and fully charged (blue/green), color scheme varies by board |
| Interface | Passive power circuit — USB in, battery and load out, no digital interface required |
Pinout
| Pin | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | IN+ (USB VBUS) | 5V input from USB, via Micro-USB or USB-C connector |
| 2 | IN- (GND) | USB ground |
| 3 | B+ (Battery+) | Connect to the positive terminal of the single-cell Li-ion/LiPo battery |
| 4 | B- (Battery-) | Connect to the negative terminal of the battery |
| 5 | OUT+ | Positive output to the project load, present on boards with a protection circuit and separate load output |
| 6 | OUT- | Negative output to the project load |
Always verify whether your specific TP4056 board includes the DW01 protection chip (look for two extra small MOSFETs and a small SOT23-6 IC near the battery terminals) — bare TP4056-only boards without protection should never be used to directly power a load while charging, since an over-discharged or over-charged unprotected cell is a real fire risk. Boards with protection expose separate B+/B- (battery) and OUT+/OUT- (load) pads so the load can draw power safely even during charging.
Variants
Always default to the TP4056 module with onboard protection (DW01 + MOSFETs) unless you have a specific reason and a separate protection circuit elsewhere — the small price difference is not worth the safety risk of charging or discharging an unprotected lithium cell.
| Variant | Temp range | Hum range | Accuracy | Protocol | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TP4056 with protection (DW01 + MOSFETs) | ~$0.50-1.50 | ||||
| TP4056 without protection (charger only) | ~$0.30-1 | ||||
| MCP73831 | ~$1-3 |