Olimex ESP32-POE2 board offers up to 25W for power-intensive applications

The Bulgarian hardware manufacturer, Olimex, has designed a new ESP32 board with Power over Ethernet (PoE) functionality. The Olimex ESP32-POE2 board builds on the original ESP32-POE and features the same ESP32-WROOM-32 microcontroller module with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. However, it supports up to 25W power delivery from the Ethernet port via PoE and can be used in more demanding projects.

The Olimex ESP32-POE2 board features a low-power design and consumes only 200µA in deep sleep mode. The board can be powered via USB-C, Ethernet, or Li-Po battery. The Ethernet interface is built on Texas Instruments’ TPS2378PW chip with IEEE 802.3at classification and legacy PoE support. Powering with PoE requires at least 37V DC for seamless operation.

Two proprietary connectors (UEXT and EXT1) can be used to add sensors and other modules and expand the board’s operation for IoT projects. Users can select between 24V/0.75A or 12V/1.5A power output, with a 5V/1.5A output also available.

Olimex ESP32-POE2 specifications:

Wireless module – ESP32-WROOM-32 module with 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth LE
External Storage – micro SD card (1-bit mode)
Connectivity – 10/100M Ethernet with PoE power management based on TI TPS2378PW IEEE 802.3at Type 1-compliant chip
Expansion
- UEXT connector for Olimex modules
- EXT connector
- Debugging/Programming – USB-C port + CH340 serial to TTL chip
Misc – User button, Reset button, battery level monitor pin, external power supply detection pin
Power Supply
- USB-C port port
- Via Ethernet cable thanks to PoE
- 2-pin header for LiPo battery
External Power Supply
- 24V/0.75A or 12V/1.5A to external circuit
- 5V/1.5A to external circuit
Operating Temperature – 0°C – 70°C
Dimensions – 59 x 90 mm

ESP32-POE2 is supported by all the popular development platforms: Espressif ESP-IDF, MicroPython, ESPHome, PlatformIO, and Arduino.

Like the original board, the ESP32-POE2 is open-source hardware and KiCAD hardware design files, software, and documentation are hosted in the project’s repository on GitHub. The board is priced at €21 (about $22) and can be bought at Olimex’s store, with bulk discounts available.

Tomisin Olujinmi

Tomisin is a writer specializing in hardware product reviews, comparisons, and explainers. He is very passionate about small form factor and single-board computers.