ESP32-S3 Supermini Battery Power. TP4056 Alternatives?
Hi! I'm going to be using an ESP32-S3 Supermini for a Bluetooth game controller. I want to be able to charge the device and play at the same time, and also have the capability to work as a wired controller for devices without BT.
Can someone recommend the proper charging circuitry for this? I've seen a few folks recommend TP4056-based units, but I want to avoid them as they can have problems with over-charging, over-discharging, and overheating (see: https://www.reddit.com/r/Gameboy/comments/ouq5by/psa_do_not_use_tp4056based_chargers_to_liion/). Space is limited, as I'm currently basing it around a SNES controller footprint; so I need something that isn't too big. For the battery, I'll most likely go with whatever pouch cell I can fit. I haven't decided on an exact one yet. A nice extra feature would be the ability to monitor the battery life in % on the device (It has a small screen).
TLDR: I want to charge a LiPO and power my ESP32 with it, at the same time. How can I do this safely?
tia!
6 Replies
Use an small trusted power bank, that would get rid of all the “not safe BMS” and stuff, so it’s safer, but an little bigger. Using an powerbank is one of the safer options, but it requires more space
Using a power bank is not an option. I am integrating the battery into the device.
I believe there are esp32 supermini boards with integrated battery chargers. idk about any tp4056 alternatives tho
The ESP32 board I'm using has B+ and B- contacts on the back. I can't find any documentation regarding its functionality, though.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008807808123.html#nav-specification
https://www.mouser.co.uk/ProductDetail/Espressif-Systems/ESP32-S3FH4R2?qs=tlsG%2FOw5FFjPrwkmZSBQNA%3D%3D
Yes, apologies for the late reply - I didn't get a ping
I've ended up going with a 1000mAh 803040 cell - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008972158813.html
It has protections built in, so I'll feel much better about using a TP4056 if that ends up being the best for my use case