I am looking to install a USB PD trigger board to output 12v from port 2 or 4 (usb 3.2), and inversely on the opposite port push 20v in from a power bank. I need to know if the framework board supports outputting PD on one of those ports and I’m struggling to find this info. Obviously it supports it going in, but I’m not certain about the reverse.
What I’m doing is building a cyber deck, a portable 3d scanner box, and I need supplemental power for the scanner. I’m trying to build in a system that lets me run charging power to a battery pack that’s PD enabled, 100w in, then 100w out to the mainboard and framework battery. Then on the other port I set the trigger board and it puts out 12v power for the scanner.
The scanner usb data connection will be made via usb hub on port 2, and all display and display power and touch interactivity comes from port 1.
The goal is to be able to plug into a charger that charges the power bank, and it will charge both the PB and the laptop battery simultaneously. When full, disconnected, the laptop will take power firstly from the PB, and at the same time push 12v out to the scanner wand from one of its 4 expansion ports, leaving the framework battery as a reserve power supply.
This will allow me to have the wand permanently connected and powered, and merely pulled out of its case to perform its work when the laptop is turned on.
While the hardware and possibly the BIOS could be setup to output PD, it is not necessarily the same as providing a 12V source.
Part of the reason documentation like this may not exist publicly would be to prevent people from using a Framework as a power source for projects. Not that it would not be a good candidate, rather it keeps those that have just enough knowledge to be dangerous at bay.
As an alternative, for prototyping or 1st Generation development; consider sourcing a separate battery for your 12V output. This will do two things for the end user. While the scanner wand may not be usable when its 12V battery is drained, the tablet is still fully functional under its own battery power.
Depending on the use cases, you could still have both batteries charged via a single charging port (this seems like one of the design goals) and the 12V battery when fully charged could provide X hours of power when fully charged.
Using the output power of the Framework at 15W this could charge this second “12V battery” with a USB PD input and a regulator to force the output of this battery at 5V jumping it up to 12V. This might be more trouble than it is worth though.
Having a second 12V source means if the primary power for the wand fails; at least the tablet is still operational and could be an easily replaced component. Just getting the design to a truly portable stage sounds like it would fill a niche not widely adopted with the full computational power of a laptop. Then based on the interest; further development could be made to make a custom circuit to accomplish what you want from the Framework battery as the sole source of power.