What is your way to supply the ESP? solar anyone ?
Re: Powering your Project ?
Posted: Thu May 13, 2021 3:12 pm
by AndyGadget
For anything indoors, I usually use an old USB mouse lead with the mouse cut off, with the (usually) red and black leads to the 5V / Gnd of the ESP module, then plug this into a USB power plug into the wall.
For my greenhouse project I'm using a li-ion battery from a mobile phone. Only 900mAh but with the ESP32 only active for 8 seconds every 10 minutes it lasts a long time. When my monitor shows battery down to 3.5V I plug in a USB pack to the module to recharge.
Solar power is a definite option for totally intervention free charging, but what size panel would be dependent on average current draw and in Europe in winter there will always be some very lean times, sunshine-wise.
When I saw it mentioned somewhere I did briefly look at "earth batteries" but although the effect is there it looks like the best you'll get without digging up your whole garden is a dimly lit LED.
Re: Powering your Project ?
Posted: Thu May 13, 2021 3:28 pm
by Zim
I use solar to power esp8266 along with a motion sensor. Since our temperature varies between -45 to 95, I use a lead acid battery along with a mid size panel.
Re: Powering your Project ?
Posted: Thu May 13, 2021 5:19 pm
by Fernando Perez
Well, in my case it depends. If the final assembly is in a large enough box and I have a 230V electrical network, I use these small 3.3V and 1A transformers:
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I have successfully used, but only in the ESP-01 and ESP-12F modules, which do not have any external circuitry such as the USB / serial port, a simple 3V lithium battery:
image.png
Of course, for cases in which the ESP8266 is powered only during the few seconds in which it transmits the information and its use is few times a day. Example, door opening detector controlled by reed switch.
