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Connector layout for ESP8266-01

PostPosted: Sat May 30, 2015 11:25 am
by HermannSW
Hi,

I had problems in flashing ESP8266-01 from Arduino IDE and got help on Github:
https://github.com/esp8266/Arduino/issu ... -106367956

I knew that CH_PD and VCC had to be connected to VC of USB2TTL before, and learned there that RESET has to be connected to VC as well.

Based on that knowledge I soldered a stand for ESP8266-01 that has bottom 9 female pins for connecting coin cell connector, horizontal 2x6 female (for connecting ESP8266-01 in the middle 2x4 and top 6pin female providing all 6 variable connections [TXD/GND/GPIO2/GPIO0/RXD/VCC(=RST=CH_PD)].

After I learned that coin cells cannot provide the current needed by ESP8266-01 I added another connector fitting into the bottom 9pin connector and being plugged directly into 3.7V LiPO. With that I got nice "Standalone small outdoor #Wifi #access #point and #webserver":
https://twitter.com/HermannSW/status/604621715554091008
Image

My question now is whether the 6pin 1line connector layout at top is good?
Seems to provide everything needed (even setting GPIO0 to GND for flashing).

Hermann.

Re: Connector layout for ESP8266-01

PostPosted: Sun May 31, 2015 7:55 pm
by GeorgeIoak
HermannSW wrote:My question now is whether the 6pin 1line connector layout at top is good?
Seems to provide everything needed (even setting GPIO0 to GND for flashing).


I'm sorry but what is your question, can you please clarify?

Re: Connector layout for ESP8266-01

PostPosted: Mon Jun 01, 2015 5:18 am
by HermannSW
> I'm sorry but what is your question, can you please clarify?
>
I just wanted to ask whether providing only 6 PINs because always VCC(=RST=CH_PD) as far as I know is a good idea and having the connector do that (always)?

Otherwise additional wiring for VCC (and GND for flashing) is needed like here:
Image

The typical "run" scenario looks like this, VCC and GND from bottom/left, 6 pins for applications on top/right:
Image

The on/off switch originally intended to power ESP8266-01 on and off has an additional use, it allows to switch easily between flash and run mode with just one additional cable between bottom/left GND and GPIO0 via USB2TTL:
Image

Just inserting 6 single pins into the 6x1 female connector allows to just plug it into a breadboard (which 2x4 original layout does not allow for):
Image

I am not good at soldering, but the connector works fine (although I probably used too much solder):
Image

The bottom 9x1 pin female connector at bottom was motivated by just plugging in cell coin connector:
Image

But I learned later that the 3mA a CR2032 can provide do not suffice for the 25(75)mA an ESP8266-01 needs even without(with) Wifi.

Just made use of the until now unneeded cell coin connector as pluggable connector stand with battery clip soldered:
Image

Hermann.

Re: Connector layout for ESP8266-01

PostPosted: Mon Jun 01, 2015 12:17 pm
by GeorgeIoak
It is not a good idea to directly connect RST to VCC. If you ever use code or try to reset the module you will get a short between VCC and ground. The same is true for CH_PD although most people don't disable the module. If you do connect this to another MCU (like an Arduino) you could use the CH_PD pin to reduce the current consumption of the ESP to almost nothing so for safety it always better to use resistors.

The pull-up resistor value is not critical but typically a value of ~10k is used.