2 layers59 × 34 mm
Iot postbox v1
paclema/iot-postbox
Integrated open-source HW and FW for an IoT smart mailbox sensor with Wi-Fi and LoRaWAN connectivity.
87 parts
2 layers31 × 43.6 mm
Iot postbox
paclema/iot-postboxIntegrated open-source HW and FW for an IoT smart mailbox sensor with Wi-Fi and LoRaWAN connectivity.
- Size
- 31 × 43.6 mm
- Copper layers
- 2
- Thickness
- 1.6 mm
- Parts
- 40
- Nets
- 42
- Pads
- 148
- Tracks, vias
- 572, 27
- Routed
- Yes
- KiCad
- KiCad 5 (file 20171130)
- Created
- 7 Jul 2021
- Updated
- 26 Sep 2025
Overview
Iot postbox is an open-source printed circuit board by paclema, from the paclema/iot-postbox repository on GitHub. It is a 2-layer board of 31 × 43.6 mm with 40 parts on 42 nets, routed with 572 tracks and 27 vias.
It is built around the ESP-12F, DW01 and FS8205A, with the TP4056 among its other parts. Its parts include 13 resistors, 7 capacitors, 7 connectors, 6 ICs and 5 diodes. It belongs with the radio and wireless and home automation and IoT boards and the ESP8266 boards of this library.
Main components
4
ESP-12F
SMD,24x16mm-40℃~+85℃ -96dBm 15dBm 2.4GHz 3.3V 375mA 55mA PCB UART WIFI4 SMD,24x16mm WiFi Modules ROHSDOITWiFi Modules
DW01
SOT-23-6-40℃~+85℃ 1 1.5V~8V 2.4V 4.3V 4uA Lithium Battery Not supported Overcharge protection、Over-discharge protection、Overcurrent Protection、Short-Circuit Protection Protection IC Support SOT-23-6 Battery Management ROHSGuangdong HottechBattery ManagementFS8205A
SOT-23-6-55℃~+150℃ 1.2V 1.5W 2 N-Channel 20V 31.5mΩ@2.5V 466pF 5.7nC@4.5V 58pF 65pF 6A SOT-23-6 MOSFETs ROHSTECH PUBLICMOSFETs
TP4056
ESOP-8-40℃~+85℃ 1 1A 35uA 4.2V 4V~6.5V Charging IC Lithium Battery Support Support 恒流充电、恒压充电、涓流充电、自动再充电、充电终止、可编程充电电流、软启动、欠压锁定 ESOP-8 Battery Management ROHSUMWBattery Management
README
README.mdIoT-PostBox
IoT-PostBox is a complete smart mailbox sensor solution that monitors mailbox activity and sends wireless notifications when events occur. The project consists of custom hardware designs with integrated battery management and charging system, and firmware that monitors switch sensors to detect mailbox events. The hardware has evolved from initial ESP8266-based designs (IoT-PostBox v0.x) to current ESP32S2-based designs (IoT-PostBox v1.x) with added LoRaWAN capabilities for extended range communication beyond WiFi and a optimized power management system. The device is designed for battery-powered operation with onboard charging circuitry. When an event is detected, the device wakes from deep sleep, connects wirelessly (WiFi or LoRa), publishes the event via MQTT or LoRaWAN, and returns to sleep to maximize battery life. The system includes device configuration and management through the WebConfigServer library, which provides a web-based dashboard to visualize data and handle device configurations easily using a config.json file.
Installation and use: The device is installed inside the mailbox with switches positioned to detect when the mail slot or door is opened. One switch can detect mail insertion (when the slot is opened to insert mail), while another can detect mail collection (when the mailbox door is opened to retrieve mail). This allows monitoring both mail delivery and pickup events.
Hardware evolution:
- v0.x (ESP8266): WiFi-only communication, basic power management using CH_PD pin to disable the microcontroller, battery charging system, switch sensor inputs.
- v1.x (ESP32-S2): Enhanced with LoRaWAN capability, improved power management with deep sleep modes managed by interrupts (allowing identification of wake-up source via WAKE_UP_BITMASK), advanced battery management, native USB programming, and expanded I/O options.
[!NOTE]
For detailed hardware specifications, BOMs, and pinouts, seepcb_desings/readme.md.
📁 Repository Structure
/src/— Main firmware source code for IoT-PostBox/pcb_desings/— Hardware designs, documentation, BOMs, gerbers, and 3D models/data/— SPIFFS filesystem data (configs, static webapp, certificates)/platformio.ini— PlatformIO project configuration
⚡ Getting Started
-
Select and configure your hardware:
- For IoT-PostBox PCBs: Choose between IoT-PostBox v0.x (ESP8266-based) or IoT-PostBox v1.x (ESP32-S2-based) versions. See
pcb_desings/readme.mdfor detailed specifications. - For development boards: The firmware also supports various ESP8266/ESP32 development boards (see available targets in
platformio.ini), but full compatibility and functionality is only guaranteed with the custom IoT-PostBox PCBs designed for this purpose. - Configure the appropriate target in
platformio.inifor your hardware version (e.g.,IoT-PostBox_v1for IoT-PostBox v1.x PCB). - Edit
data/config/config.jsonwith your initial configuration (WiFi credentials, MQTT settings, etc.) following the WebConfigServer library standard.
- For IoT-PostBox PCBs: Choose between IoT-PostBox v0.x (ESP8266-based) or IoT-PostBox v1.x (ESP32-S2-based) versions. See
-
Upload SPIFFS data:
sh pio run -t uploadfs -
Build and upload firmware: Use PlatformIO to compile and flash the firmware to your device.
-
Configure the device: Access the web dashboard hosted by the device for WiFi, MQTT, and power management setup, or update the configuration by editing
config.jsonand re-uploading SPIFFS data.
📈 Web Dashboard
The static web dashboard is provided by the WebConfigServer library and served directly from the device.
If you need to customize the dashboard:
- Go to the WebConfigServer repository and follow the build instructions
- Copy the generated static files to the
/data/folder - Upload
/data/to the device SPIFFS
📚 Dependencies
This project uses the following main libraries:
- WebConfigServer - Web dashboard and device configuration management
- PowerManagement - Battery monitoring and power management
📄 License
IoT-PostBox © 2019-2025 by paclema is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Hardware and firmware designs are provided for educational and non-commercial use. For commercial use, please contact the author for permission.
Parts
40| Qty | Value | Footprint | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 10K | Resistor_SMD:R_0805_2012Metric | R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7 |
| 3 | 10uF | Capacitor_SMD:C_0805_2012Metric | C1, C3, C4 |
| 3 | 1K | Resistor_SMD:R_0805_2012Metric | R8, R9, R10 |
| 3 | 1N4007 | Diode_SMD:D_SOD-123 | D1, D2, D3 |
| 2 | 1uf | Capacitor_SMD:C_0805_2012Metric | C6, C7 |
| 1 | 0.1uF | Capacitor_SMD:C_0805_2012Metric | C5 |
| 1 | 100R | Resistor_SMD:R_0805_2012Metric | R11 |
| 1 | 100nF | Capacitor_SMD:C_0805_2012Metric | C2 |
| 1 | 1M | Resistor_SMD:R_0805_2012Metric | R12 |
| 1 | 2K | Resistor_SMD:R_0805_2012Metric | R_PROG1 |
| 1 | 300K | Resistor_SMD:R_0805_2012Metric | R13 |
| 1 | Battery | Connector_JST:JST_PH_S2B-PH-SM4-TB_1x02-1MP_P2.00mm_Horizontal | J5 |
| 1 | Battery | Connector_PinHeader_2.54mm:PinHeader_1x02_P2.54mm_Vertical | J6 |
| 1 | CHRG | LED_SMD:LED_0805_2012Metric | D4 |
| 1 | DW01 | Package_TO_SOT_SMD:SOT-23-6_Handsoldering | U4 |
| 1 | ESP-12F | RF_Module:ESP-12E | U1 |
| 1 | FS8205A | Package_SO:TSSOP-8_4.4x3mm_P0.65mm | U5 |
| 1 | LED | Connector_PinHeader_2.54mm:PinHeader_1x03_P2.54mm_Vertical | J7 |
| 1 | MCP1700-3302E_SOT23 | Package_TO_SOT_SMD:SOT-23 | U6 |
| 1 | POWER | MSK12C02:1P2T_SPDT_MSK-C02_7pin | SW1 |
| 1 | PowerIn | Connector_PinHeader_2.54mm:PinHeader_1x02_P2.54mm_Vertical | J3 |
| 1 | STDBY | LED_SMD:LED_0805_2012Metric | D5 |
| 1 | Switch_1 | Connector_PinHeader_2.54mm:PinHeader_1x02_P2.54mm_Vertical | J1 |
| 1 | Switch_2 | Connector_PinHeader_2.54mm:PinHeader_1x02_P2.54mm_Vertical | J2 |
| 1 | TP4056 | lib:TP4056_SOP-8-PP | U3 |
| 1 | TTL_UART_adapter_iot_postbox | Connector_PinHeader_2.54mm:PinHeader_1x07_P2.54mm_Vertical | U2 |
| 1 | USB_B_Micro | Connector_USB:USB_Micro-B_Amphenol_10118194_Horizontal | J4 |
Questions
How big is the Iot postbox PCB?
It measures 31 × 43.6 mm and has 2 copper layers, 1.6 mm thick.
What parts does the Iot postbox use?
40 parts, built around the ESP-12F, DW01, FS8205A and TP4056. The full list of its parts is on this page, with links to each part's symbol and footprint where PCBKit's library has them.
Where can I download the Iot postbox KiCad files?
From the paclema/iot-postbox repository on GitHub, at the commit this page was made from: the board is pcb_desings/iot-postbox/iot-postbox.kicad_pcb and its schematic pcb_desings/iot-postbox_v1/INTERFACE.kicad_sch. PCBKit opens the board in the browser, with nothing to install.
Can I use the Iot postbox design in my own project?
Its repository states no licence, so its author keeps all rights: ask paclema before reusing the design.
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