ESP8266 Community Forum

Hi, i need ways to reduce current consumption in an esp8226. ironically i dont need it to tranmis, i just want to keep sending it the AT+cwlap command to get lists of access points in the area. So my question is, is there any way to turn of its transmitter, as i will just be recieving? can that be done? as i presume this will reduce current consumption, also, is it possible to disable the leds? etc etc. i want to run of batteries just listing local ap's without trying to connect or send data for as long as possible, hence the current saving that i am looking for?

Thanks.

Have you measured or monitored the supply current while in client mode and requesting the list of access points?

I'm not 100% sure on this but I believe that in client mode, unconnected, there's no transmitting, and to get a list of APs you're just listening for their beacons.

If you want to scan continuously, then invoke the scan API calls and expect ~70mA current. It won't transmit if you don't ask it to connect to an AP.
If you are OK scanning every, say, 60 seconds, then perform a scan, and afterwards use the new calls in SDK 1.4 to put the module into timed sleep mode until the 60 seconds are up. I expect it to use 70mA while scanning and <2mA while sleeping.