ESP32-C3 Multi-Board Design

flux

Work done
  • Updated the schematic into a dual-board stack concept: primary board keeps ESP32-C3, TMP117, LIS2DW12, and J8; secondary board carries LiPo charging/power, pogo access, external antenna interface, and J9/J10.
  • Added and wired the J8/J9 board-to-board interconnect and J10 U.FL antenna interface; core ERC checks are passing.
  • Reconfigured the PCB into a two-board 28 mm-wide stack/panel representation and re-placed the components into primary/secondary clusters.
  • Documented the partition, interconnect pinout, verification state, and manual-routing priorities in Two-Board Stack Revision.
Success criteria review
  • ✅ Dual-board partition defined and reflected in schematic/component roles.
  • ✅ Core functions preserved: ESP-NOW MCU, TMP117, LIS2DW12, LiPo charging/power, and pogo access remain connected.
  • ⚠️ Layout de-risked but not fully clean: missing footprints and ERC checks pass, but remaining physical-layout issues still need routing/layer cleanup before fabrication.
Next steps
  • Refresh/regenerate routing for the new two-board placement, then clear the remaining physical layout issues before manufacturing export.
Check DRC issues
Export assembly files
Show interconnect pinout
Document routing priorities
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Project Specification
Overview
Compact circular wireless sensor node, maximum 30 mm diameter, using ESP32-C3 for ESP-NOW communication.
Selected Architecture
  • Single-board design
  • 28 mm circular PCB
  • Standard 4-layer stackup
  • LiPo-powered operation with pogo-pin 5 V charging input
  • UART + EN + BOOT pogo programming interface
Functional Blocks
  1. ESP32-C3-MINI-1 wireless MCU
  2. TMP117 contact temperature sensor located over the thermal sensing area
  3. LIS2DW12 accelerometer on shared I2C bus
  4. MCP73831 LiPo charger from external 5 V pogo input
  5. TPS63031 buck-boost regulator generating 3.3 V rail from LiPo
  6. JST-PH 2-pin LiPo battery connector
  7. Six pogo contacts for 5 V, GND, UART TX, UART RX, EN, BOOT
Key Electrical Decisions
  • Buck-boost regulator used instead of a plain LDO so the 3.3 V rail remains valid across the LiPo discharge range.
  • TMP117 thermal pad pin is intentionally left electrically floating to support thermal coupling without forcing an electrical ground connection.
  • LIS2DW12 is wired in I2C mode with CS tied high and SA0 tied low.
  • ESP32-C3 programming is exposed through pogo contacts rather than USB to save board area.
  • Charger current is set near 300 mA using a 3.3 kOhm PROG resistor, appropriate for batteries above 300 mAh.
Mechanical Intent
  • ESP32-C3 module placed near board perimeter with antenna facing outward.
  • TMP117 placed near the center-bottom thermal contact region.
  • Charger/regulator kept away from the temperature sensing region.
  • Pogo contacts grouped along one accessible edge region for charging and programming fixture alignment.

    Overview

    Selected Architecture

    Functional Blocks

    Key Electrical Decisions

    Mechanical Intent

Documents

    Project Specification

    execution-plan-revision

    firmware-starter

    Design Notes

    Manual Routing Review — 28 mm ESP32-C3 Sensor Node

    Two-Board Stack Revision

Assets

No assets added.

Thermal Accel Sensor

Thermal Accel Sensor thumbnail
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Properties

Frozen for manual routing review

Manual routing review only; no schematic or PCB architecture changes intended

2026-04-29

Pricing & Availability

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Controls