This repository contains a Fritzing archive that describes a simple board useful to develop projects using the ESP-01, a tiny board hosting an 8266, an MCU with an integrated WiFi network interface.

The assembly requires some experience with soldering, and the cost of the project is around 20$.

Once you have cloned the repository, open the .fzz file to see the board and understand the description below.

If you come from Arduino, the first experiences with the ESP-10 (and other similar WiFi-able MCUs) are frustrating for two main reasons:

• the switch from Upload to Operate is not fully automatic;
• the operation of the board needs a voltage of 3.3V;
• the operation of the WiFi device drains a relevant power.

I designed this elementary board to help the hobbist willing to try the ESP-01 device and its builtin WiFi interface. I also assume that you are interested in reprogramming the device, not simply to use the AT style API that is pre-installed in the device.

There are a number of guides in the Internet that teach how to flash custom software in the ESP-01, so I consider that you have already managed to play with a led on the GPIO2 pin. But you probably had problems to use the WiFi interface. The name of the problem is rst cause:4, boot mode:(3,7). If you understand me, you are ready to proceed...

The development board is connected to your PC (hosting the Arduino IDE used to compile and flash the software) with a USB-TTL/USB-STC-ISP adapter that needs to be bought separately (less than 10$ on Internet shops).

The development board has a connector for the ESP-01 board. There are also connectors that simplify the utilization of the data pins of the ESP-01.

An LM317T IC stabilizes an external power source, like a 9V battery or a pack of 3x1.5V batteries.

A jumper helps to change from Bootload to Usage mode and back with minimal effort.

A button resets the ESP-01 device: this is needed to effect the mode switch.

The components are soldered on a 5x7cm perfboard: we have 8 connectors, one capacitor, four resistors, one button, one battery, and one integrated circuit LM317T.

Using the given values for the resistors, you will power the ESP-01 with slightly more than 3.3, namely 3.6. As seen in the data sheet, this should not damage the device, but if you want exactly 3.3 you can modify the circuit adding a variable 500 Ohm resistor trimmer in series to R4.

CAUTION: USB-TTL/USB-STC-ISP adapters may have different pinout: the one I used in the design is (only bold ones are used):

3.3V - 5V - TXD - RXD - GND

You may need to change the connection of the J6 connector. As a matter of fact the 3.3V in my adapter is not powerful enough to drive the ESP-01 WiFi interface.

Preliminary setup

1. plug the ESP-10 MCU in the middle 8-pins connector (J4-J5)
2. plug the USB-TTL/USB-STC-ISP adapter into the J6 connector
3. short the two left pins of the J7 connector with a jumper
4. connect at least 3x1.5V battery (a 9V battery is fine as well)
5. push the reset button
6. plug the adapter into a USB socket in your PC

Now you are in Bootload mode, ready to upload your sketch: I assume that you know how to do that.

When the upload is over, switch to the Usage mode in order to see it running:

1. unplug the USB-TTL/USB-STC-ISP adapter from the J6 connector
2. remove the jumper
3. press the reset button

To flash again:

1. plug the USB-TTL/USB-STC-ISP adapter into the J6 connector
2. short again the J7 pins
3. push the reset button

and you are ready to flash again!

The three connectors J1, J2 and J3 are used to connect the D0-3 pins and the power to a breadboard or such. J1 is for the 3.3 volts power, J2 for the ground, J3 for the data pins. The four pins are connected in the following order

D0 - D1 - D3 - D2

D2 being the most external.

The ESP-01 has 4 data pins available, but three of them have a role while uploading: one (GPIO0) is used at boot, another two are used for communication during bootloading. Only one is permanently available, GPIO2. If you plan to use also the others for your experiments, keep in mind that your external equipment must not interfere with RX/TX during bootload, and that GPIO0 must be HIGH at boot time, but it can change state afterwards. In short, disconnect external devices connected to D0, D1 and D3 during the upload.

Before plugging the ESP-01 in the development board, check that the polarity of the power pins is correct, and that the connections are as expected. You can proceed with the sketch I used for testing: https://github.com/AugustoCiuffoletti/ESP01-TS-DHT11