Powering an ESP32 with a battery (Beginner)

Other Hardware General Electronics
1

Hello Internet,

I am new to ESP32 and I am trying to make a project that is supposed to use an external power source. I am using an ESP32-WROOM-32 from Az-Delivery and a 380mah 3.7v LiPo battery to power the board. I know there are solutions like attaching it to the 5v pin or using a voltage regulator but in the end I am still very skeptical. Like I said this is my first time and I don't want my ESP32 to go up in flames so I just want to get all my facts checked before diving in.

Thanks.

Edit: OK so I have tried connecting the battery to the board using the 5v pin and ground and so far nothing has gone wrong... for now. I know what I just did was unreliable and could be hazardous for me and my board and this method is also impractical as I also need to use the 5v pin for other components later on. Please if you can suggest much more efficient methods.

2

Connect your battery to a 5V boost converter and connect the converter the the ESP32 5V input.

3

The ESP32-WROOM-32 from Az-Delivery has a 3.3V pin. If the manufacturer states that it is OK to use this as input for 3.3V power, then an energy efficient solution is to use a 3.7V LiPo battery, and this stepdown regulator:

You can also use a linear voltage regulator, but make sure that it has very low dropout voltage (<100 mV) and can support at least 300 mA current draw.

4

Is it supposed to regulate power or boost power?

5

Is it supposed to regulate power or boost power?

Both

6

Any other questions?

7

So why should I boost the power and would it do something to the battery?

8

Well your ESP32 needs 5V and the battery is only 3.7V.
Connecting a 3.7V LiPo battery to a boost converter to get 5V is very common.

9

Ah ok but why is it ethical for boosting it to 5v and not 3.7v like what is the science?

Also would it not damage my battery or decrease the running time?

10

Not easy to explain in simple terms. The basically use an inductor to store a voltage that is put in series with the battery to boost it to 5V.

Also would it not damage my battery or decrease the running time?

It won't damage the battery.
Running time? You can't run the ESP32 on 3.7V so how do you compare.

11

Sorry not the boost converter but the actual circuit like why should I use 5v and not 3.7v?
Am I getting full potential from 5v? Does the board get damaged from 3.7v? Something like that.

I actually tried and it worked but I just wanna check before pursuing and also the fact that I need to reuse the 5v pin for other components and not just for power

12

You connected the battery to the 5V input and you could make a WiFi connection?

13

Yep apparently

14

Yes or no

15

yes

16

My recommendation is to use the boost converter, It's safe, reliable, won't damage the board and will always work.
I don't recommend any other way to power a 5V esp32 even if it 'looks" like it's working.

17

Ahh I see
But how will I be able to reuse the 5v pin because some components need use it as well

18

You don't
You connect the 5V from the boost converter to whatever else needs 5V

19

Oh so the boost converter gives me extra pins?

20

It might
It might have a screw terminal that will accept more than on wire,
If not, you can solders everal wites together or use a breadboard/protoboard