L.Marzen ESP32 Weather EPD station software with additional features

Based on https://github.com/lmarzen/esp32-weather-epd (source code retrieved on 15/09/2024)

This repository contains an update of the Luke Marzen ESP32 Weather station software, adding some interesting features:

• Wi-Fi handling several networks / credentials
• Embedded Web server (for managing Wi-Fi credentials, Geographic locations for displaying weather, weather station general parameters)
• A feature named POP_AND_VOL that allows displaying simultaneously the probability of precipitations and the volume of precipitations (hourly and daily)
• [dwuhls contribution] Automatic switching of the precipitation display pattern to avoid the contrast problem (the threshold may be modified trough the Web parameters page). The contrast modification in itself was submitted by dwuhls on issue #62 "eink display loses contrast on days with high PoP"
• [asdf1qaz contribution] reported AQI indication malfunction; now fixed
• [asdf1qaz contribution] battery threshold (config.cpp) modified to increase lipo battery life (see https://oscarliang.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Lipo-battery-guide-Voltage-vs-capacity-used-percentage.jpg for guidelines)
• [asdf1qaz contribution] battery voltage multiplier made customizable in config.h to permit adjustement after multimeter check
• [domp27 contribution] display weather icons on the graph on a per hour basis; the feature is controlled through the Web parameters page - two possible vertical positions for the icons)
• [Stelian Hurghis (RedShuriken)] contribution for adding Romanian language

In the modified code, most of the customization options are moved to config.h

Using the Web server requires to identify a means for waking-up the station in web server mode: by default, this is triggered by hitting the internal button (the URL https://www.printables.com/fr/model/929910-esp32-weather-base-remix-and-lmarzen-modified-soft provides a box remix compatible with the use of the internal FireBeetle button)

Others alternatives are:

• using a touch pin connected to a metallic thing accessible from the outside (probably the best alternative when the internal button is not accessible)
• using a custom button other than the internal one (connected with a pullup resistor to the esp32)

If not interested by the Web server, there is a custom option in config.h to disable it (comment or #undef WEB_SVR). Doing this, the "automatic pop switch", the "pop and vol" features and the "weather icons hourly" are still available

Concerning the Wifi credential and the location :

• if Web server is not used, the location (DEFLAT / DEFLON / DEFCITY) and one credential (WIFI_SSI1 / WIFI_PWD1) needs to be defined (in the section "WEB SERVER NOT USED")
• if Web server is used, default values for the location (DEFLAT / DEFLON / DEFCITY) and the credential (WIFI_SSI1 / WIFI_PWD1) may be either left empty, or may be defined (in the section "WEB SERVER USED")

If any (wifi/location) value is defined, it is used as a default value: it is setup initially in first (wifi/location) entry and reinstated every time the parameters are reset

Once the Web server is started, a specific icon is displayed in the upper left corner and the Web pages may be acceeded using the IP of the station as URL (HTTP, because HTTPS not supported for this purpose)

The Web server terminates itself after 3 min without activity (by default), when the button is pressed again, or through "exit" on Web pages

When no Wifi network is available, and the Web button is pressed, the weather station acts as an Access Point (SSID "ESP32-Meteo", password "Weather.32"); the Web server is acceeded in this case at address 192.168.4.1 in HTTP mode. The "No Wifi" page is displayed, but with an icon in the upper left indicating Web access availability This permits in particular to enter the wifi credentials initially

This software remix does no longer need tuning the TIMEZONE and using NTP for time synchronization since the OWM service responses provides both the time information and the time offset relative to GMT based on the selected geographic location (lat/lon)

Otherwise, config.h may be customized as usual, relying on the indications found in comments

23/01/2025 added OTA (On The Air) software upload

• arduino mode : platformio upload the compiled software through Wifi to enable this mode, the station IP address (or mDns name) shall be declared appropriately in platform.ini (see comments i this file)
• web page mode : a new page is added to select then upload the compiled software (usually firmware.bin under platformio.pio\build\dfrobot_firebeetle2_esp32e)

Note that these modes require the Web server function