Raspberry Pi 2/3 case with room for extras

thingiverse

I designed this Raspberry Pi enclosure specifically for my Octoprint server, and it was a game-changer. The Pi receives its power from a buck-boost converter (XL6009, two coils) that is soldered to the flip side of a 5 x 7 cm single-sided perfboard via the 40-pin connector. This setup allows me to power an extra pair of USB sockets directly, which are only connected to the 5.1 volt rail. I chose to run my Pi from a 120 GB USB SSD drive, and it came with a Y cable that split the power and data signals. This clever solution allowed me to avoid running the supply through the Pi's mainboard, which was a major concern for me. The buck-boost converter is an incredibly efficient device that can maintain a 5.1 volt output over an input range of 4 - 32 volts. However, I wouldn't recommend pushing it too hard, as it's not designed to handle its full (claimed) 4 amp rating. One feature I'm particularly proud of is the opening for the Pi camera cable, which is a slit that extends through the upper shell into a thick guide block. This design allows me to maintain some integrity for the enclosure while still making it easy to slide in or out without unplugging the flat cable. On the opposite side of the HDMI and audio ports, you'll find a 42 x 6 mm slot that fits several JST-XH sockets mounted horizontally. I use this space to connect a shutdown switch and a level-shifted SPI out to drive a 32x8 pixels LED matrix display. To build your own enclosure, you'll need the following parts: - A 5x7 cm perfboard (I prefer single-side Pertinax because one side without copper is great for creating wire bridges) with a mounting hole spacing of 40x64 mm - A socket for a 12 volts plug / barrel jack, usually 5.1 mm Ø with a 2 mm pin - Any regulator that fits under the perfboard and can be set to output 5.1 volts stable - A USB twin socket - A 20 x 2 pin Pi connector - A 40 x 40 mm x 10 mm 12 V, 100 mA fan (or 5 V for maximum noise reduction) - A connector for the fan, or just the willingness to solder its wires to 5 volts somewhere on the perfboard - 4 pcs. M3 x 25 screws for the enclosure (or 4 pcs. M3 x 15-20 for the upper variant) - 2-4 pcs. M3 x 8-10 mm screws for the fan (some fans can be press-fit without screws) - 4 pcs. M3 x 6 mm screws for the Pi - 2 pcs. M3 x 6 - 10 mm screws for the perfboard