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New 3.5" display PCB CAD files and Ethernet?

Hi all, I was just about to take the leap and replace my Wallbox EVSE with an OpenEVSE (mainly since I now have solar PV), but I realised that the new graphic LCD display integrates the ESP32 processor, and therefore seems to take away any possibility of using Ethernet. Being an Electronics engineer, I tried to find the design files for the new PCB to evaluate the possibility of adapting in wired Ethernet, but after a fair amount of time searching Gitlab I can't find them (only the old LCD, or WiFi module) Lack of Ethernet capability is a major blocker for me. To the point that I'm considering whether to buy a new kit, and an old LCD so I can use an ESP32-GATEWAY module. It would be a shame to have to do this, as the new case would probably not fit the old LCD that well and I'd be wasting a new LCD board. Could someone point me towards the PCB design files, or suggest a solution for Ethernet with the new LCD as it stands? Thanks!
3 CommentsSorted by Oldest First

There is currently no solution for wired Ethernet with the current TFT LCD. Both TFT LCD and Ethernet require a lot of GPIO, it is most likely not possible to get both squeezed on the same ESP32. The current OpenEVSE controller has only one serial interface and one I2C. At the moment both TFT LCD and Ethernet use the serial, it may be possible to convert one or the other over to I2C.

I was thinking more along the lines of adapting or forking the design of the new TFT LCD & WiFi board to connect the Ethernet MAC of the ESP32 that's already present there.


However, I can't find the PCB design files for the new TFT LCD board. Where can I find these? Or is this new display not open source?

I'm also assuming that it's no longer possible to buy the old front casing that fits the smaller character LCD any more, is this correct?

@Ben


That is exactly what I meant. 


The ESP32 onboard MAC still requires an Ethernet PHY chip. The most commonly used Ethernet PHY is the Wiznet LAN8710. If you mirrored the Olimex board which already has code compiled for OpenEVSE ESP32 firmware, it would require 13 GPIO pins just for the Ethernet PHY.

https://www.olimex.com/Products/IoT/ESP32/ESP32-GATEWAY/open-source-hardware


The OpenEVSE TFT LCD uses 12 GPIO pins plus for the LCD and another 9 for serial, I2c, LEDs etc. We are at about 35 GPIO. 


I will work on getting the TFT LCD files together and up on Github.



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