WiFi socket repair fail

[@dougle03]

So the next stage of this investigation would be to tack on a RX/TX/GRD to an FTDI adapter and see if there is any debug from the ESP module. Step after that would be to flash the ESP with a known good bin file (Tasmota/ESPHome), failing that, replace the ESP sub module with a 1F replacement. - Either way, a lot of work for something that obtainable for about £12 off of ebay/Amazon Also, the current draw and temp for the ESP is about right. They do get warm when running, like any computer, the thermal energy is partially proportional to the workload it's doing...

[@OmegaSparky]

I would not be at all surprised if the esp8266 is rebooting continuously because flash got corrupted. Look at the serial debug. Your answers lie there.

[@TheRealBobHickman]

@@OmegaSparky Agreed, and there's a handy pin header right there on the board, so it should be straightforward to have a poke about at.

[@kyoudaiken]

It's not worth doing. Just buy "dumb" switchable sockets or power strips with zero standby power usage and move a few more muscles to reach and actuate it instead of just using the phone.

[@elvinhaak]

@@kyoudaiken Really depends on which usage you have for them. If it is for switching something time-based or when you are not at home it can really be useful to use things like these. Also many times, sockets are put far away from shutters for windows for example that can only be powered from a mains source and therefore need a safety-switch to turn them off. Many modern builds have plugs in the attic far away from the users and no switches in the room they are in. I use things like these to remotely switch things automatically and incase of incidents with my 3D printers as an extra line of defence: if the software goes wrong and failed prints cannot be stopped from away from them I can kill the power to them so to kill them from everywhere to prevent fires. And yes that is well worth some of these switches and the power they use. You can actually automate that from for example Octoprint so that a printer is turned off when the (3D) print is finished or if failures are noted.

[@matthewmiller6068]

@@OmegaSparky Yes, that's something I'm wondering...especially if it did something dumb in their implementation like writing the state of the relay to the flash chip every change (so it restores on power-up) and wore out the memory cells.

[@TvistoProPro]

8266 are super easy to flash. You only need power, serial & a reset line held high during power up. Tasmota has built in flashable firmware for them. You should be able to flow the whole board off and replace it with another. You can also roll your own programs with arduino studio if you prefer. You can pick the modules up for a buck or two from many online retailers.

[@d00dEEE]

Exactly this, esp8266 is easy. My first inclination would be to hook up a ch340 to the serial line and watch the boot sequence.

[@WereCatf]

That's what I was thinking while watching the video. Could always dump the SPI-flash and then write it on the new, replacement module, or just use Esphome or Tasmota instead. The module itself is an Ai-Thinker manufactured one, which are easy to find on eBay, Aliexpress or LCSC, for example.

[@chaos.corner]

@@WereCatf I always reflash with Tasmota when possible anyway. Too many of these IOT devices are potential security risks.

[@freman]

I can't tell you how many esp8266's are in my house.... a lot that I know about, and they appear in a suprising number of products including my lawnmower. They are super easy to flash, and relatively easy to source and replace. They do sometimes, rarely - I've had 2 do it, just F.O.A.D. tho, especially if they're from a questionable source.

[@WereCatf]

@@chaos.corner I always do that, too. I research the options first before buying anything, actually, just to make sure they use an ESP-chip of some sort, just so I don't end up with some undocumented Chinaman-bog. Though, I have gotten one WiFi-socket where the manufacturer had just decided to replace the innards with a cheaper Chinaman WiFi-bog, for which there are no tools, no SDK and no documentation available right before I bought it, so all the information I found about it on Google were for the previous version with an ESP8285 in it. That was a bit annoying.

[@FailedSquare]

you can actually purchase those esp8266 modules by the reel. Its the whole stamp sized module with the board edge soldering pads. This particular plug looks to be compatible with open source firmware like tazmota or ESP-Home. You might enjoy playing around with that stuff Clive.

[@klh_io]

I would definitely recommend that, pretty easy to set up too

[@09lnt]

Esp8266-12F can probably replace it easily

[@johns2038]

you were holding it upside down thus letting all the electrons fall out

[@jyvben1520]

and where do those electrons go ?

[@samuelfellows6923]

🙃

[@desperateloner8555]

@@jyvben1520 into the 'ground' ?

[@jyvben1520]

@@desperateloner8555 that's deep ...

[@Chris_the_Muso]

@@jyvben1520 into Dave's EV charger cord.

[@radiohirsch]

Thanks for also showing the failed repairs! One can often learn more technique from a failed repair with some elaborate trouble shooting than from the 10th video of Clive changing a bulged cap - although I will still watch those videos too for entertainment :)

[@fluffyblue4006]

Yes. Like others already said: hook up serial lines to see if it is alive. If so, then flash it with Tasmota. If the ESP died, you can revive the unit by transplanting a working ESP module. Or just buy a new one. If you have such devices, always flash them with Tasmota, so it can be directly controlled by your home automation software. If you'd buy a new one, you usually need to create an account at the manufacturer's web site and use the manufacturer's app in order to control it. Only then, you can integrate it into your Google or Amazon and then let all of those big tech companies harvest your data and sell it.

[@Yrouel86]

It's possible the module has been bricked. A followup to this would be to hook the UART and use esptool to see if there is anyone home (esptool -p COMPORT flash_id and then chip_id). Remember that to enter programming mode where esptool would respond you need to ground GPIO0 (probably the button) at power up. Not that these things can't fail but I would guess a software brick first. If that's the case others also mentioned Tasmota and ESPHome (there is also Home Assistant Architect for HomeKit integration) if you want to play with these things. All 3 are open source firmware that don't rely to shady cloud services and third party apps to control devices remotely

[@michaelosmon]

I been making these on my own with a sonoff sv, a dual circuit 5VDC relay, a push button w/light and then the outlet and box and use a cord for the plug. You can convert the sonoff to dry contact and use it to switch power on the coil for the dual relay, one circuit will turn on the light on the push button and the other will turn on the outlet. I scavenge the 5vdc from a USB power plug and minimize it as much as possible. The sonoff can be programmed as a timer or switched from your phone, or add the push button and that does the switching too. Or for other applications you could set it for inching by the half second. If you do wire in the button you can easily add in parallel a remote receiver to trigger the button and use a remote to turn on or off something maybe like a dust collection shop vac for instance or lights in a room or by a gate. Or maybe you have a few of these set up and use a 4 button remote for the pedestrian door electric strike and the overhead door and the shop lights and a vacuum. Just some things I've been playing with, I'm sure someone who understands these things better would cringe at what I've done lol. I appreciate you

[@Tinker001]

Oddly enough, there is a chance there is nothing electronically wrong with it. I have a number of ESP8266 based switches & outlets scattered around that occasionally fail after out local power utility lets stray oddities happen. (London Hydro really needs a smack...) Every time, I've simply reflashed the firmware & brought them back to life. Not saying this is definitely what's wrong there, but worth a try before scrapping it.

[@frinkemon]

What is London Hydro?

[@ziginox]

Not massively related, but I had a laser printer do that once. If I tried to use any of the networking features, it would crash and reboot. Thankfully I was able to re-load the firmware over USB to fix it.

[@samuelfellows6923]

@@frinkemon - 🧐🇬🇧

[@Fridelain]

@@frinkemon I am gonna guess it's a London area based hydroelectric company.

[@obd6HsN]

Yes! We had a planned power outage for some work on the DNO's HV gear. The switch over to diesel went fine, but when they put us back on grid energy they did so in such a way that the voltage very slowly rose rather than being switched "hard" on. All my ESP devices needed switching off then "hard" on again before they'd work, and one needed Tasmota re-flashing before it'd join the network again. Interesting! Edit: and not just problems joining the network - they didn't respond to the local hardwired switches either, until they'd been restarted.

[@stormtrooper88]

just wanted to say that i truely enjoy watching all your videos. its a highlight of my day in fact when im just looking to see whats going on in electrical devices today. i have a basic understanding of all the components and whats involved and i do alot of deconstructing and repairing myself when the magic smoke sometimes comes out.. so a big thank you clive and cheers to you.. have a great day!

[@rasungod0]

Great Scott just did a video on a very similar unit.The contacts in the relay were welded.

[@andreasu.3546]

But not here, see 7:40

[@dimitar4y]

the elephant in the room: planned obsolescence.

[@jimmy21584]

Looks like an esp12F module. They can pull about 140mA and get a bit warm when the wifi is running. They are very cheap, and you can flash them with ESPHome or Tasmota to restore working (and probably better) firmware for smart switches.

[@danwhite3224]

One thing I dislike about modern circuit boards is the use of microcontrollers for everything. Once a controller dies or the memory gets corrupted, it can be hard to figure out what's gone wrong and debug the issue, and it doesn't help when a manufacturer scrapes the part number off, the chip is proprietary or the programming software is extremely awkward to use, or you have to pay for it.

[@simondavid2477]

Looks like it is destined for the reclaimed parts bucket - 5V supply module, usable relay to go with it - usually I see 12/24V ones in these things. I've been investigating a very similar broken device myself, power supply side good, otherwise dead connectivity. One of a set of three, which makes it more annoying.

[@tonyweavers4292]

I had a similar smaller cube shape one that recently failed due to the ESP module. I wondered about replacing the module but ended up chucking it out due to the micro surgery involved.

[@kyoudaiken]

An ESP draws about 80mA of current when active with one or more sensors connected to it. The metal cover can get slightly warm which is normal. The WiFi module takes a lot of power. I have several DIY boards with them in service for a self made weather station using a Python server on my NAS recording data into a PostgreSQL database. ESP modules are pretty forgiving. I once had one connected backwards on 5V 2A power. It went really hot. But after realizing the mistake after about 10 seconds I swapped the polarity and it's since then working just fine. I think this was a manufacturing defect that manifested after QC.

[@drew6017]

Next to it looks like an external flash chip and ESPs use strapping lines for bootsel so if you desoldered the esp8266ex IC and replaced it with the same part you wouldn't need to bother with reflashing, just a drop-in replacement.

[@billysmith2726]

Great video Clive I like watching you're videos I'm an American electrician apprentice you're videos have given me great knowledge keep up the great work

[@tubes41]

So, a couple of things may have happened, but it's likely that the program memory in the ESP12 was corrupted due to brownout (or even switching the power on & off rapidly). I've seen it happen plenty of times.

[@n2n8sda]

The 8266 runs at 160mhz... amazing when I think just a few years ago if you had told somebody they would have remote control outlets with a 160mhz cpu running a mini networking chip they would have thought you were joking. Assuming the micro has died if you had happened to purchase several of these outlets initially then you could probably just dump the flash from another one and buy / program a new module.. they can be had from about $1.50 from aliexpress etc. Alternatively there is probably already some compatible code online for these. Seems like a lot of hassle though for something that costs pennies these days.

[@rexsceleratorum1632]

You can just flash off-the-shelf Tasmota or ESPHome and then configure it. Should be straightforward for a simple plug.

[@BuyitFixit]

Or an LED torch (or flashlight if you prefer). I just repaired a Milwaukee spotlight (repaired quite a bit Milwaukee stuff so far) that used a microcontroller to generate the waveform for the buck converter, measure the battery voltage, and measure the current flowing through the LED, so the whole thing was being run via the microcontroller. Pretty mad to thing that a torch is being run by one!

[@keithjurena9319]

Utility surge..there was one yesterday morning and the neighbor suffered a house fire. Near total loss. Reporter claimed the rain was the cause but service entry point is on the other side of the house and without damage. I installed flooring in the house 7 years ago and knew it had aluminium wiring to the dryer connection, this is also the center of the kindling point.

[@oasntet]

The 8266 is easy to kill with stray voltage; anything north of 3.6v, even transient, will just fry it. Cost optimization probably didn't put enough protection on the 3.3v supply, or the back-current from the relay when turning it off managed to exceed that limit? In theory the transistor should have stopped that, but I bet a 5-cent choke would have ensured it. Otherwise, it's a really neat MC, easy to run all sorts of different kernels on it for different embedded systems, even interpreted ones like python and lua.

[@JohnnieHougaardNielsen]

What I'd try would be to see if it would work to reflash the firmware of the ESP8266, using an open source project like Tasmota. It is thinkable that the flash memory chip developed a bit of bit rot, throwing the MCU into a boot loop. At least this is somewhat consistent with the symptoms, but it is also very much possible that the MCU or flash chip got some more substantial damage, but modules with ESP8266 (or the newer ESP32-C3) are easy to get and replace. The existing Wifi module looks like LM1, you can find the pinout searching for *tasmota pinout lm1* (not going to post any links).

[@therunemeister]

Just wait until he finds out about ESP’s and LED control firmware like WLED. Thats gonna be a rabbit hole…

[@george12121979]

The wifi module is probably esp12f. This module have at least 3 ways of working modes. The working mode depends of logic level in 3 gpio pins then module powered. Common issue is then gpio0 is connect to low logic level then power up. So if gpio 0 used as input or output is possible to have issue from bad transistor or bad switch. The esp8266ex don't have internal memory to storage program so is possible bad spi m3mory to cause this problem

[@Robothut]

Looks like a great time to make a custom function device. You have a power relay and 2 common power supply voltages. Now what too make. Sound or light control switch ? Temp control switch ? Humidity controlled switch ? Let's think outside the box. A fart detector-controlled switch. Carbon dioxide detector switch?

[@fromgermany271]

I have 2 different dead ones of these laying around. Unfortunately much smaller cases, but you just triggered my „let‘s repair them“ nerve. At least I have some of the ESP12E modules already in stock.

[@OppaYA]

I think 99% that it's in the bootloop. ESP modules often got their firmware corrupted because of bad quality power supply and just trying to boot with a failure. 32 C is nothing to that module, totally normal temperature. My ESP32 can get literally hot while work with WIFI.

[@transmitterguy478]

I've been using the X-10 stuff for 35 years and have lost a few, but the rest keep going and going. I use them for the front, back, right, and left lights on my house. They get used every day. I can't find suitable replacements that have a better range and feedback to let me know they are on. I have collected a big tote of them from the Goodwill and yard sales, so I'm good for the rest of my life, lol.😅

[@JeffArtz]

I guess you don't use surge protectors? They filter out the noise that x10 puts on the powerline. (That's how they communicate)

[@tastenheber]

The memory IC could also be the problem. Unfortunately these devices are so cheap that it doesn't really make sense to put a lot of work into it. But both components are widely available and there's a open source software for it. I've reflashed a handful of devices like that, all using the same ESP, for some I've even soldered a bigger eeprom to run larger firmware files. Also, the ESPs get pretty warm when Wifi is enabled, so this could be actually normal.

[@jsentman]

I don’t know about the 8266 version of the ESP chips, but the ESP32 version is extremely sensitive to reverse voltages at the power inputs. They go into a mode exactly as you observed where the chip just gets very hot but is otherwise dead. I discovered this after blowing up 3 in a row and then finally discovering that when my portable bench power supply was “off” it was really putting out just over a volt backwards! It wasn’t my board design as I was powering them directly and not through the onboard supply ;) I don’t know if something could have hiccuped in that power supply to have caused such a thing, but it definitely is a mode of failure for these things. It doesn’t take a lot of current either, just the 1.2v backwards with almost no current available at all was enough to blow up three of the others.

[@gavincurtis]

I spun the wheel and it says "Corrupt FLASH image, reprogram to restore operation". Those little ESP chips are wonderfully powerful and I/O configurable.

[@edgarmatzinger9742]

Well, you could treat it as a development kit: Buy a replacement esp8266 board (or an esp32) and program a simple webserver to toggle the relay.

[@MyProjectBoxChannel]

The poundland Wi-Fi smart sockets are actually very good. They have been reduced to 3£ !! The relay inside of them seems very generous 16 amp ( more bulky relay). And all the power tracks have been beefed up with copper bars, and extra solder. It has a similar esp8266 module. And it looks like you could easily flash it with tasmota. I have purchased them in the past just for spare parts. I remove the Wi-Fi module, and use the relay driver and power supply for projects.

[@Agent24Electronics]

With microcontroller based stuff you can check more than just power supply. For example; Stuck buttons confusing the system. System held in reset by faulty power-on-reset circuit or similar. Missing enable signal(s). Missing clock signal. Etc etc

[@PetRatty]

Wonder if it's a sticky / shorted button as they normally connect it to GPIO2 or GPIO0, boot mode pin. Makes it easy for flashing the chip. A revisit with the gound and TX pins connected to FTDI or CH340 to see what mode it is in at boot and any ouput

[@spxza]

I use smart plugs for power monitoring and basic surge protection - to delay power on for some household fridges after powder returns from our daily power outages. I have one that failed during calibration, and haven't really had a good look. Ha for the inspiration in some things to try out to Clive and commenters.

[@RicardoPenders]

I don't know if the pin header that's not populated is a serial connection, you could try to see if there's some sort of output on the serial connection and you can maybe reprogram the chip that way.

[@Ezloopz]

those 8266 are notoriously picky about the powersupply (specially at boot) sometimes a cap works wonders

[@dr_jaymz]

They do run at about 90 ish mA when active. 130mA when talking to wifi. You can get them down with sleeps etc, but sounds like its just in a vegetative state. You can feel them usually just warm to the touch.

[@brendanm720]

Usually when those ESP modules get hot, it means something got fried internally (usually in my case it's because I wasn't paying attention and put 5V somewhere it didn't belong, which doesn't usually work out). As other commenters have mentioned, you can get those modules pretty readily (the ESP-12F or ESP-12S have the same footprint as that one does and should drop right in). You can then flash the original firmware back onto it (if you have it), Tasmota or some other firmware via UART and be right back in business.

[@casemodder89]

ESP modules in active mode and seraching for wifi are always hot.

[@aktronics]

I think the esp chip is faulty, the LED on it was constantly lit with a faint glow in the video, sometimes that LED act like this when it's en pin is constantly hold down to gnd but most of the time is it's a sign of failure or wrong boot mode. A working esp in a good operation mode blink on startup. Usually two things happen about these modules, either the program on the spi chip will get corrupted by external causes like power failure or the esp chip go bad, considering the esp getting hot it might be this but even if the esp has failed you can still repair this product. The whole program on these modules is on the spi flash chip, even if the esp has failed most likely the spi program is intact. If the esp chip is faulty you can either repalce the esp chip (qfn package might be to small for some people) or you can change the whole module and put the old spi chip into new module then whole thing comes back to life with it's original program. No programming needed at all. If the spi is corrupted programming is required of course. Either way it all depends on how much time and effort are you willing to spend on repairing something like this.

[@Basement-Science]

I wonder... did they possibly omit the snubber diode across the relay coil?

[@bigclivedotcom]

No. It was there.

[@medjedovicm]

ESP Modules are warm to touch normally in my experience. I would say even above 31 degrees.

[@BuyitFixit]

Great Video Clive, One thing you didn't consider was a possibly corrupt or failed software update? You sound like are a bit disappointed when you can't repair something. I just had the same with a Dyson Hot and Cool fan I was trying to repair. Seems the motor controller IC failed, took out a few tracks, and fed back into the MCU which is now toast! I could have replaced the MCU but I don't have the code to program it. I did a video on it if you're interested.

[@gavinstirling7088]

I was trying to repair a "cube" for the Cosmo robot (Anki) but decided fairly early on that the microprocessor had failed. Not much you can do from that point.

[@VoidedWarranty]

Those esp8266's do get a bit warm, that's looking normal to me. On my home temp monitors I need to keep the sensor away from the esp can to keep it from influencing it too much

[@Nono-hk3is]

I have a relatively cheap set of RF-but-not-wifi remote control plugs. I want to remove the rf receiver and replace it with an ESP32-S3 or a raspberry pi zero. The interface between the RC RF module and the internal microcontroller seems to have some mind of protocol, not just pull high/pull low. I suspect it uses high-to-low and low-to-high transistions to turn off and on, but I haven't had the motivation to scope it or just test it out, mostly because my bench is a mess but I won't work with AC until my workplace is uncluttered.

[@chaos.corner]

It could be sending some kind of serial code so that multiple senders and receivers can be used together. Possibly there are dip switches or solder links but it could be embedded in the firmware.

[@rexsceleratorum1632]

You can do what Clive did and supply a DC voltage after the SMPS

[@309electronics5]

Likely the tuyamcu protocol its a serial protocol made by tuya who is the main manufacturer of the wifi modules they use and create the firmware and they host the cloud servers

[@WesTheHunter]

Hello Clive, I've been a fan for a while now and I was wondering if you took commissions for teardown and possible repair videos ?, You see the central heating / hot water clock stopped working correctly in my parents house around Christmas 2021, It started cutting out and requiring to slide the switch from "Constant" to "Off" and back to "Constant" in order to get the red light back on and have the heating running again. During investigations we took the clock off its holder on the wall and we discovered black smears (burn ?) over the rear PCB that presses against the contacts in its holder, Something we later discovered is that if you have both central heating and hot water switched on at the same time something buggers up and causes it to switch off or trip out but if you only have one on at a time (water or heating) it seems to work okay which is rather odd. Its a Honeywell st699b1002 a model fitted in UK houses around the 1990s and it seems everyone's clocks are failing as of late and unfortunately this model of clock is no longer in production as it is "No Longer Up To Code Of Modern Standards", And what's even more unfortunate its not a straight swap for a modern clock because the wiring is different so you'd have to get someone cutting your walls and pulling up floorboards in order to wire the new clock and we got a quote for this being £700, As quite a lot of houses have this model of clock and getting a new one fitted is a big expensive job people have been buying ones that are still working on eBay to do a straight swap with their own faulty one and this of course has been noticed by scalpers and lots of companies and individuals are selling these clocks new and used for around £300+, We were fortunate in being able to find one at £90 which doesn't look bad at all and works perfectly. Would you be interested in me posting you this Honeywell to do a teardown and repair and be able to advise people on repairs or faults that can be rectified ? My Dads current plan is to keep it as a spare in case the one that's fitted duffs up because at least this one "Half Works" I genuinely wouldn't be offended if you're not remotely interested :) Thanks!

[@bigclivedotcom]

The Honeywell stats often fail due to electrolytic capacitor degradation. I looked at one a while ago.

[@WesTheHunter]

@@bigclivedotcom So you did ! Thank you very much, If its as simple as an Electrolytic Capacitor any fool could do a replacement on that, I suppose its the #1 obvious thing as its the same in old video game consoles. I'm just not sure why it would have scorching on the back of the board as it basically only holds the contacts that press against the wall, doesn't seem to be any obvious Capacitors in sight.

[@Dingbat217]

You can unsolder the WiFi module from the main board and replace it with a new one, this looks like a Tuya based device and those ones are easy to flash something like Tasmota or ESP-Home onto! 🙂 No more dialling home to the Chinese mothership then! 👍

[@309electronics5]

To much hassle for clive! Set up a ha server, set up mqtt, set up mqtt password,flash device, pair device

[@livingdeadbtu]

Worked with many flavors of on board wifi products. Notoriously buggy and get lost easily. Each brand has a trick for a "hard reset" that involves more than a power cycle. I wrote a 20 page white paper on this process for all our products at my last job. Reviving dead returned parts. Some of the methods were definitely non intuitive.

[@Robertkopp84]

I recommend watching the Great Scott video about making a diy wifi socket to anybody who can't deal with them dying all the time.

[@_randolph2200]

I've had this kind of socket in basement to controll a pump remotely when changing fishtank water.Guess in what state the plug failed...

[@ShadowzGSD]

Are we going to get a choccy and sossie culinary video soon? must be due for another episode of Cooking with Clive

[@danhudson4614]

Hopefully the exploration of the sausages in the fridge had a more satisfactory result.

[@hey.its.BrandishJaye]

Agreed. Nothing worse than an irreparable object.

[@BuyitFixit]

Yep, I just left a comment saying pretty much the same. I just did a video on a Dyson hot and cool fan, but unfortunately the motor driver failed, and took out the MCU, (which I could replace) but there isn't code available. And to make it worse Dyson has discontinued it, and boards are no longer available.

[@zumbazumba1]

We live in a trash society .

[@godfreypoon5148]

I use a sophisticated technique that guarantees no repair will ever be a failure. What you need to do is, if at first you don't succeed, apply gross annihilative measures to the item sufficient that there is no chance it can ever be restored to its as-manufactured state. By this action you have ensured achievement of your (now modified) intended outcome and thus you have won.

[@KernelLeak]

No wonder it's not working - there's no WiFi cable in the WiFi socket... :D

[@Sebastian_Athea]

Those low cost wi-fi controllers are notorious for failing, you can find them in cheep usb wi-fi adapters too, I don't think I had one of those that lasted more than 6 months.

[@jkobain]

The row of vias next to the (esp8266?) module looks like a programming (serial?) port for the µC.

[@g.h.190]

Never used a switch like that, but I assume it comes with an app or built in web server for management. Perhaps button is disabled and unit is only operated from the app/browser?

[@rklauco]

You can test the esp module - desolder it from the carrier board, you can replace it with esp12 module from aliexpress for under $2 and flash it with open source Tasmota firmware. The one thing that usually goes wrong is not the module, but the reset, enable and gpio0 pins. Might be worth to just solder rx/tx and check if/what the boot output is. But yeah - the price of such device is laughably small, not worth the time probably...

[@asturcon3794]

First one pointing to the needed bootup setup. Also, just testing tx with the scope should tell you if there is something there, which I doubt as the onboard led is off.

[@chrisa2735-h3z]

This is why i will NEVER buy wifi lightbulbs and other wifi enabled electronics. They almost always fail!

[@fouzaialaa7962]

you can buy generic radio receivers with the remote (remote + bare pcb) and stuff that in !! also maybe add a diode on the green wire to protect against reverse current from the relay

[@neomaster341]

I bought a bunch of cheap clearance stock ESP8266 smart plugs from a charity shop last year. About half of them have failed; mostly from a dried out smoothing capacitor, where the whole aluminum shell literally popped off the top, leaving the paper and base behind. A couple, though, just turned on once and then never showed any signs of life again. I can now see why they ended up in a charity shop for £1 each, though the ones that are remaining by process of elimination seem pretty reliable.

[@tin2001]

ESP chips run fairly warm and use about 100ma while idle... It's likely the SPI flash chip either died or has garbage data on it from a failed update or something. Short GPIO0 to ground, hook up TTL serial (3.3v) and see if esptool can identify the chip... If it can, tasmota time.

[@Svensholmensvanner]

I didn't see the mandatory smell test of the circuit... Could be that it just smells funny!

[@chaos.corner]

Was there too much power draw on the output pin, perhaps?

[@Mi-Di]

Flash could have died or lost couple of bits...

[@bigclivedotcom]

Very possible.

[@primus711]

What i was thinking

[@tinygriffy]

I had that "lost a couple bits" error once I think... I guess these flash chips don't like kinetic impact very much (dropped my flashlight down the staircase, had power, but no boot), but it was all fine after reflash. Maybe there is hope for "tasmota and go" ^^

[@wisher21uk]

Can’t win them all Clive good to see someone try though thank you

[@loopscoper2027]

I don't know about ESP8266, but ESP32 gets pretty hot during normal operation and it's actually problematic powering it from weak USB ports. None the less, the chip could still be bricked for whatever reason.

[@Frank55]

Did you use enough flux when you reflowed the pins? (In 'Louis Rossmann style'? 🙂 )

[@bigclivedotcom]

Yes. I used several milliPauls of flux.

[@Gossamer2]

ESP8266 is very common for the do-it-yourself'er. Any device I buy (like wall switch, or RGB module, etc.) I make sure it comes with one of those chips, and then I just flash tasmota in to it. Very easy to flash!

[@jms019]

Reasonable amount of effort into repairing it but you can’t save them all.

[@DoctorX17]

I’ve had a few of the cheapy ESP8266 modules dying just… because? RIP module

[@BigJonYT]

That's a standard ESP module. You can buy them online. You can flash it with Tasmota. An open source home automation firmware. Should be a simple fix.

[@Francois_Dupont]

ive had plenty of USB wifi key in the past that would get so hot they were almost smoking. they working forever without problem. somethings are very strange.

[@gabest4]

These ESP-based devices are getting very rare. Almost everything uses a random tuya module now.

[@309electronics5]

All of them use tuya modules but tuya has different series, some esp some beken or realtek or other

[@barakandl]

FM25Q08 is 8M-bit serial flash memory.

[@gigaherz_]

Huh, I didn't expect an ESP8266 in there. That's quite the common wifi-enabled microcontroller. Mostly replaced by the ESP32 these days, but people still like the 8266.

[@309electronics5]

Tuya already used esp devices in 2018 but nowadays esp8266 based tuya module devices are very rare, tried to get some but all beken now

[@thisnthat3530]

A replacement ESP8266 module is only a couple of bucks. If flashed with ESPHome it would make a fine little smart socket again.

[@Moonbase59]

I'd check if the ESP is still alive and reflash with Espurna. (Mainly saying this because most people mention Tasmota & ESPHome and Espurna is quite nice, albeit not so well-known.) I run a few similar ones (OBI) with Espurna and a local MQTT server connected to Home Assistant, mainly for Illumination and automated coffee/tea making in the morning. 😉

[@andreasu.3546]

I seen a opportunity right there to find out if German sausages are compatible with the American hot dog electrocution device.

[@kentahirono]

I don't see well, but is there a flyback diode to protect the mosfet and esp from the coil spikes?

[@bigclivedotcom]

Yes there was.

[@309electronics5]

Those boards have flash sotrage that can easily corrupt. If the esp is getting too hot its fried! Get a new esp module or tywe3s (tuya module, likely the module thats inside) maybe desolder the flash of the dead module and put it on the new esp module

[@EsotericArctos]

ESP8266 chips do run warm, so 30 c is not an unhappy tempeerature for them. I would say that it either lost its programming or the RAM chip may have failed. ESP8266 doesn't have onboard RAM so the external memory could also be faulty. It would have been a cheap device most likely, based around the Espressif chip. Unfortunately they do die at times.

[@Smaxx]

Even some ESP32 have a tendency to corrupt their own on-board memory with their own WiFi signals. They're really cool and cheap chips, but sometimes I'd wish to pay a bit more for a tiny bit more robustness.

[@KingGsterUK]

Hi Clive, any chance of making a tutorial for electric circuit studio?

[@bigclivedotcom]

It's not something I actually use.

[@dericn]

8:22 Your infrared camera has a KZbin play button, lol

[@SlinkyStoney]

It is used to watch KZbin videos on the infrared camera.

[@LabArlyn]

@@SlinkyStoney lol, even a thermal camera adores KZbin 🍓

[@vgamesx1]

Why do you call it unrepairable though? esp8266s are used in every cheap wifi device these days, they're super cheap and easy to work with, as for the firmware, of course people already mentioned Tasmota, but ESPurna is another option, if you look for the LINGAN SWA1 version, you probably won’t even have to set up anything or figure out what pins go where, should just work.

[@rexsceleratorum1632]

Also ESPHome

[@alexmarshall4331]

Morning all...from one of Clives non techNOsavvy subscribers...normally have BBC Radio 4, must be pre 6am coz Farming Today just started when Big C notification pings my phone...probably be avian flu and stuff so no contest...of course it mostly went right my head but really enjoyed the 10 minutes or so and comments were most informative I'm sure...perfect timing as I did catch "Tweet of the Day"...the corncrake...coffee,WiFi enabled,BC"s dulcet tones,the corncrake's call,the 6 short 1 long beeps for 6am news...set me up for the day...from a damp south east Londonlalala!!! Gotta get move on🤛🤜❤️🤛👉👍👉💎👈👉⁉️ps...is Clive taking bribes?????????

[@twistedshadowsaf]

the other issue with these switches is the relays start sticking.. Greatscott just did a video about it..

[@devanlaczko]

I had a similar issue with my smart leds, the wifi chip got really hot and it stoped turning on.

[@09lnt]

I think it's normal for these to get a bit of heat, I get the same from the wifi module on my esp32 board.

[@kruppin]

Try reflashing the esp. Could be the spi flash that's gone, or just got corrupted.

[@Species1571]

Clive have you ever repaired wires from an electric blanket switch? My mum's packed in and I noticed the outer insulation was split on the output side of the switch. I tried to shorten and re-attach the wires into the switch, but when you strip the inner insulation, what's inside looks like some kind of plastic material like nylon string. Trying to strip that further, the whole thing just evaporates into nothing. Tried soldering them directly onto the little spades on the board, but again it just disintegrates. Any ideas?

[@bigclivedotcom]

It sounds like resistance wire. I wouldn't recommend repairing it. Treat your mum to a new one.

[@ndupontnet]

I've had one with the same kind of failure, re-flashing was enough to bring it back to life

[@hillppari]

i wonder if its tasmota compatible

[@KeritechElectronics]

Ah, the typical ESP8266. They're everywhere and can act as microcontrollers in itself. Very cheap and common in home automation devices. If you want to tinker with a ESP8266, it's best to get a development board like NodeMCU etc.

[@bryanguzik]

My inane thought after hearing some version of it 100 times, but this once suddenly made me laugh. How short the run-times would be if videos were created before it was actually "time to open up"!