ESP32-C3 Development Board Contracted Version – RISC-V WIFI & Bluetooth IoT Controller

Specifications
      Processing & Memory

• Microcontroller: Espressif ESP32-C3 (32-bit RISC-V Single-Core Processor)
• Operating Frequency: Up to 160 MHz
• Flash Memory: 4 MB SPI Flash (Requires DIO Mode)
• SRAM: 400 KB

      Wireless Connectivity

• Wi-Fi: 2.4 GHz IEEE 802.11 b/g/n
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.0 Low Energy (BLE) & Bluetooth Mesh
• Antenna: Integrated Onboard PCB Antenna

      Interfaces & I/O

• USB Connection: Micro-USB (Native ESP32-C3 USB interface)
• Serial Chip: None (Direct USB-to-JTAG/Serial implementation)
• GPIOs: 15+ Programmable pins (UART, SPI, I2C, I2S, PWM)
• Analog Input: 12-bit SAR ADC (up to 6 channels)

     User Interface:

• 2x Programmable LEDs (typically GPIO 12 & 13)
• 1x RESET Button
• 1x BOOT Button (GPIO 09)
• Power & Physical

• Input Voltage: 5V (via USB) or 3.3V/5V (via header pins)
• Logic Voltage Level: 3.3V (Not 5V tolerant)
• Dimensions: 21 mm x 51 mm
• Form Factor: Compact, Breadboard-friendly dual-row header design

Applications

• Smart Home Nodes: Wi-Fi light switches, temperature sensors (ESPHome/Tasmota).
• Low-Power IoT: Battery-operated sensors sending data via MQTT.
• Educational Projects: Learning RISC-V architecture and LuatOS/Micropython scripting.
• Wearables: Due to its small footprint and BLE 5.0 support.
• Industrial Control: Simple wireless UART bridges or remote relay controllers.

⚠️ CRITICAL VOLTAGE WARNINGS

      NOT 5V TOLERANT

• The GPIO pins utilize 3.3V Logic.
• Do NOT connect 5V sensors (like ultrasonic sensors or older Arduino modules) directly to the IO pins. You will destroy the chip. You must use a Logic Level Converter or voltage divider.

Package includes:

• 1 x ESP32-C3 Development Board Contracted Version – RISC-V WIFI & Bluetooth IoT Controller

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Q: What does "Noserial chip" mean?
  A: It means the board does not have a separate chip (like CP2102 or CH340) to convert USB signals to Serial. It uses the ESP32-C3's internal native USB capabilities instead.
• Q: How do I select this board in Arduino IDE?
  A: Select "ESP32C3 Dev Module".
• Q: What specific settings do I need in Arduino IDE for the "No Serial" version?
  A: crucial: Set "USB CDC On Boot" to "Enabled" and "Flash Mode" to "DIO".
• Q: Why does the image say "Not Support IED debugging"?
  A: It is a typo for "IDE". It warns that standard external hardware debugging via a separate COM port chip isn't available, but native USB debugging is possible with advanced setup.
• Q: Does this board have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth?
  A: Yes, it supports 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 (BLE).
• Q: Can I use this with MicroPython?
  A: Yes, you can flash standard ESP32-C3 MicroPython firmware.
• Q: What is LuatOS?
  A: It is a lightweight, Lua-based operating system designed for embedded IoT devices, which this board defaults to, but you can overwrite it with Arduino/C++.
• Q: Which pins are the onboard LEDs connected to?
  A: Usually GPIO 12 and GPIO 13.
• Q: How do I enter Bootloader mode manually?
  A: Hold the BOOT button, press and release RESET, then release BOOT.
• Q: Is this board 5V tolerant?
  A: No, the GPIO pins operate at 3.3V. Connecting 5V signals directly can damage the chip.
• Q: My computer doesn't recognize the board. What do I do?
  A: Hold the BOOT button while plugging it in. You may need to use a tool like Zadig to install the WinUSB or USB Serial driver for the device.
• Q: What is the flash size?
  A: It typically comes with 4MB of external SPI Flash.
• Q: Can I use fast QIO flash mode?
  A: No, this board design supports DIO (Dual I/O) mode. QIO may cause boot loops.
• Q: Does it have an external antenna connector?
  A: No, it uses an onboard PCB trace antenna.
• Q: What is the maximum clock speed?
  A: 160 MHz.
• Q: Does it support ESPHome?
  A: Yes, using the esp32-c3 platform configuration.
• Q: How many analog pins does it have?
  A: It has a 12-bit ADC with up to 6 available channels (depending on Wi-Fi usage).
• Q: Why is the text "Contracted Version" used?
  A: It is a translation for "Simplified" or "Cost-reduced" version, referring to the removal of the external serial chip.
• Q: Can I use battery power?
  A: Yes, you can supply 5V to the 5V pin or regulated 3.3V to the 3.3V pin.
• Q: Is the pinout compatible with ESP8266 NodeMCU?
  A: Not directly. While the width fits breadboards similarly, the specific pin functions (GPIO numbers) are different and require checking the pinout diagram.