USB-C PD trigger: a modern charger instead of the original power brick

Original power supplies get lost, run hot or eventually give out, and replacing them often costs more than the machine itself. This USB-C Power Delivery module negotiates with a recent charger and delivers a fixed DC voltage — 5, 9, 12, 15, 20 or 28 V — at up to 5 A and 140 W.

What it does

• Selected DC output: the module requests the desired PD profile from the charger, then holds that output voltage for as long as the charger supplies it.
• Up to 140 W: advertised as PD 3.1 and 5 A compatible, enough to power an arcade board, a small monitor, a dock or a Raspberry Pi.
• A power bank instead of a power brick: any sufficiently powerful USB-C PD power bank becomes the power supply for a workshop project.

What it doesn't do

• It does not create voltage. If the charger does not offer the requested profile, you won't get it: 28 V requires a PD 3.1 EPR charger, while a standard 65 W charger tops out at 20 V.
• It does not replace an AC power supply. Several original power bricks, notably for 8-bit and 16-bit machines sold in Europe, output AC: this module only outputs DC.
• It is not a charger, a cable or a power lead. It is a bare board designed to be built into a project, not a finished product to plug in as is.
• The supplier documents neither the exact split of voltage steps between the “Low Voltage” and “High Voltage” versions, nor whether reverse polarity protection is present. We therefore make no claim about either.

Compatibility

Input side: a USB-C Power Delivery charger or power bank. The voltage step you get depends on what the charger can supply — 28 V requires the PD 3.1 (EPR) standard. Output side: any device powered by direct current whose voltage is among the steps of the chosen version. Before connecting anything, read the voltage, current and polarity on the machine's label: several retro consoles use centre-negative polarity. Not suitable for AC-powered devices.

Skill level required

Experienced tinkerer. You wire up the DC output yourself, with screw terminals or solder depending on the version, and the module is not protected by a case. Checking voltage and polarity with a multimeter, with the module powered but the console disconnected, is not optional: a wiring mistake is fatal to a collectible machine.

In the box

• 1 USB-C PD to DC voltage trigger module, in the version ordered (Low Voltage or High Voltage)

No charger, no USB-C cable and no output lead: plan for these separately.

Read before ordering: Retro Peripherals

Listing verified on 19 August 2026. Delivery in 10 to 18 days · ships within 3 to 5 days · 2-year legal guarantee · 14-day returns.