Minimizing Battery Consumption in ESP32 WiFi Circuits through Protocol Choices

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In this discussion, developers share insights on the power consumption issues associated with using ESP32 microcontrollers for IoT projects, particularly in connection with the WiFi communication protocol. Many users express skepticism toward the conclusion that using TCP leads to significant battery drain. They highlight that the real-time requirements of maintaining a connection (e.g., keeping the receiver on) and the inherent high power usage of the ESP32 are more critical issues. Some users suggest alternatives like using BLE, Nordic NRF, or STM32WB microcontrollers or switching to simpler communication protocols such as ESP-NOW that consume far less power. The conversation also touches on the efficiency of HTTP calls versus more consolidated API requests, compression strategies, and the feasibility of re-using connections to reduce overhead. Overall, participants advocate for exploring different protocols and techniques to enhance battery life for infrequently charged devices, indicating a broader trend of moving away from energy-intensive legacy protocols like TCP in favor of more power-efficient solutions suitable for battery-operated applications.
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