ESP8266 Community Forum

- Wed Dec 16, 2015 9:57 am #36583

Sorry, I didn't pay attention to your battery voltage, since many time people are using 2 LiPo in series and use a step-down converter. If you are using only 1 battery, then you need both a step-up AND step-down converter, but more expansive, like the one you provide links, but there still some cheap one on eBay :

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/DC-DC-Boost-Buck ... 2034180830

Personally, I would prefer going with double-battery.

It's a weight problem.
Weight is very critical in my project.

I already have some of these converters but I can't use them because of their size and weight.

Same problem with two batteries ==> Too much weight

- Wed Dec 16, 2015 12:52 pm #36598 I have bought a few of these converters when I was looking for a solution similar to yours:

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/5pcs-min ... eb201560_5

I wanted to power an Arduino Mini and a GPS receiver. It isn't a nice option for that. It didn't power the arduino and it got hot as hell. My fingers are still afraid of those PCBs!!!

I'm just waiting to have some free time to test those converters with an ESP.

- Wed Dec 16, 2015 1:48 pm #36604 What kind of runtime are you hoping to get out of this? Between the 16 NeoPixels and the ESP8266, you're probably looking at just shy of an hour out of a 600mAh LiPo. If the weight constraint is because this is a flying (or other short term) application, you may be able to half your runtime (mAh), but double up your voltage for nominal weight difference.

All my battery powered ESP8266 projects are in the 5-6v range, so my experience with regulators won't be much help here unfortunately.

- Thu Dec 17, 2015 4:48 am #36637

I have bought a few of these converters when I was looking for a solution similar to yours:

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/5pcs-min ... eb201560_5

I wanted to power an Arduino Mini and a GPS receiver. It isn't a nice option for that. It didn't power the arduino and it got hot as hell. My fingers are still afraid of those PCBs!!!

I'm just waiting to have some free time to test those converters with an ESP.

I just bough 10 of them yesterday...
I will test with ESP-01 and tell you when I receive them.
If not sufficient, I may put two regulators for each ESP to obtain sufficient power supply... good or bad idea ?

What kind of runtime are you hoping to get out of this? Between the 16 NeoPixels and the ESP8266, you're probably looking at just shy of an hour out of a 600mAh LiPo. If the weight constraint is because this is a flying (or other short term) application, you may be able to half your runtime (mAh), but double up your voltage for nominal weight difference.

All my battery powered ESP8266 projects are in the 5-6v range, so my experience with regulators won't be much help here unfortunately.

Yes, I actually have about an hour of runtime with 16 Neopixels and Arduino Pro Mini 3.3v.
And Yes, it's a flying object constraint

With your projects running 5-6v range, what kind of power supply and/or regulator do you use ?

Thanks

EDIT: I forgot to add that I also have two modules like these : http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor ... v_1A_.html
They boost the voltage from a 1S Lipo to 5v (have an over discharge protection too) and are cheap...
Why not use a simple 5v to 3.3v then for powering the ESP ?
Not very "efficient" but lightweight and maybe more "simple" to find cheap 5v --> 3.3v converters.