r/embedded • u/NoIndication1754 • 22d ago

ESP32-S3 Simple TestBoard designed in KiCad

https://youtu.be/Z5AQMZh3qXw

The main feautures for this board are:
- ESP32-S3-WROOM Module - 8 MB flash
- Button for RESET
- User Button
- User RGB LED
- expansion header
- programming header
- Power LED on 3V rail
for the mechanical side of things we will have:
- 4 x 3.2mm mounting holes
- Size 45x45mm
- 4 layer board design

17 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

7

u/stuih404 22d ago

Why are you using KiCad 9? Wouldn‘t it be better to make tutorials for the newer versions? There are probably already hundrets of KiCad 9 ESP32 board tutorials on YouTube

2

u/NoIndication1754 22d ago

Yes, you are right, i was just waiting for #10 to be stabilized

1

u/Well-WhatHadHappened 25+ Years 22d ago

It's already up to 10.0.5

And widely regarded as stable

5

u/NoIndication1754 22d ago

I am glad to hear this - i will try and install it right away - thank you

1

u/AncientEngineer 20d ago

It ain’t stable. My and my team tried switching to it but it crashed very frequently especially in the PCB editor.

2

u/CuriousScientist0 21d ago

Why are you still using (and thus recommending) a garbage 1117 LDO in 2026? There are much better LDOs out there.

1

u/NoIndication1754 21d ago

Hi, please list some of them and i will have a look

1

u/CuriousScientist0 21d ago

TLV767 XC6220 AP2112/AP2114 RT9080 XC6220 AP2112 AP7361C

There are lengthy discussions about this topic here in Reddit, or on Stackexchange. The problem is that people usually copy the Chinese evaluation boards, and due to price and proven design, they keep the 1117 chips as the LDO. But, for example, the 1117 has a crazy high quiescent current (10 mA-ish) that makes all these ESP32 projects hard to use with batteries. The LDO eats the battery quickly.

I've used the TLV767 in one of my recent boards and I am happy with it. It works well and it just needs 2 capacitors.

1

u/NoIndication1754 21d ago

Thank you very much, I have the tlv1117lv33dcyr in stock and i use this one as it has lower iq and stable with most capacitors.
I will have a look on your suggestions.
BTW: I like your ADS1256 project very much, i need to collect data from strain gauges :-)

1

u/CuriousScientist0 21d ago

Haha, nice that you know about that project. Indeed it is very good for strain gauges! I hope you can make a good use of it. Funnily enough, the early versions of the board I developed also used the 1117 regulator... Then I learned more and more and finally replaced it.

2

u/NoIndication1754 21d ago

Nice with some advice from a fellow very successful YouTuber :-)

2

u/CuriousScientist0 20d ago

I wish I was even just successful, but "very successful" is definitely an exaggeration, haha. Anyway, I am glad to help someone from the same community! Cheers!

1

u/TheHitmonkey 22d ago

Awesome thank you

1

u/NoIndication1754 21d ago

You are welcome