#JournalEverything DIY bike shed alarm update: I've been chewing this over for a few days now. I didn't post about it at the time, because I was still processing it.
I was busy hooking the updated ESP32-based external alarm panel electronics up on Saturday night, in fact I was nearly done, and as I was working I noticed a "hot electronics" smell. No #MagicSmoke but a definite "hot" smell. Using my built-in temperature sensor (aka index finger) I traced this to the actual S2-mini ESP32 board. And it was hot enough to make me recoil. #BadNews .
I disconnected the power - both the battery backup and the DC feed and bailed. It was dark and I was well overstimulated from trying to get everything wired together properly in the cramped space of the enclosure box.
So I've been mulling this over "on the backburner" (i.e. subconsciously) ever since. I hadn't reached any conclusions yet, so I let it sit there.
This morning, I have some ideas/theories. Will be investigating further:
1. The piezo sounder could be drawing too much current. It was sounding constantly from the time I hooked up the backup battery.
2. The tone() call I'm using to drive could be too CPU intensive.
3. The #ESPNOW radio comms is somehow causing the heat - perhaps winding the output power up really high because it was getting no response from its peer, which was switched off at the time. I don't know how much, if any, handshaking ESPNOW does.
4. Something else electronic is drawing too much current through the onboard voltage regulator or similar.
