USB-C Power Delivery (PD) has been a boon to anyone working with low-voltage DC power, because at a stroke it replaces a vast array of wall warts, power supplies, and connector standards with one simple and straightforward commoditized system. But with varying capabilities between sources and sinks, it can be difficult to know what’s going on.

[Marco Tabini] has created Dr. PD, a USB -C PD protocol analyzer. It can sit between USB-C PD source and sink, or emulate a sink in order to characterize a source. It supports an impressive range of USB power protocols, and can work up to the full 48 volt/240 watt limits of the technology. The project is open source and is to be the subject of a crowdfunding campaign should you want one without the extra work.

It’s likely that many of you will have had bad experiences with cheap USB-C PD gear failing to follow standards, being unable to handle the specified current, or just plain supplying the wrong voltage. We have, and while USB-C PD is genuinely a great technology, this regrettable hardware represents its grubby underbelly. This is just the project we need on the bench in our hackerspace.

In the past we’ve written about USB-C PD as a great example of new technology done right.