ESP32-S3 based AC voltage controller/dimmer features a knob with integrated display

Makerfabs has recently introduced Matouch 1.28-inch ToolSet_AC Dimmer an open-source ESP32-based AC voltage controller for dimming lights or adjusting motor speeds using phase-cut dimming.

Built around an ESP32-S3 wireless MCU, it features a 1.28” capacitive touch display (240×240), and a UI designed with LVGL/Squareline and the Arduino V2.3.4 IDE. The device relies on a BT139 Triac and a zero-cross detection circuit for precise AC voltage control, along with an onboard relay to enable a full AC on/off switch. With an integrated AC-DC module providing 5V @ 0.6A, it can operate within an input range of AC 100-240V, 50Hz-60Hz, with a maximum load of 10A at 240VAC. Designed for home and industrial applications, it can control lighting environments and electrical appliances while being open-source for customization and integration into various automation projects.

Matouch 1.28-inch ToolSet_AC Dimmer specifications:

• SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-S3
  • CPU – Xtensa® Dual-core 32-bit LX7 Microprocessor with up to 240MHz clock speed
  • Memory – 512KB SRAM, 8MB PSRAM
  • Storage – 384KB ROM
  • Wireless – Wi-Fi 4 and Bluetooth 5.0 with BLE
• Memory – 8MB PSRAM
• Storage – 16MB flash
• Display
  • 1.28-inch 240×240 capacitive touchscreen
  • Integrated into the rotary knob
• Dimming
  • Phase-cut dimming using BT139 TRIAC
  • Supports leading-edge dimming with zero-cross detection
• USB – USB Type-C for power and programming
• Misc – Built-in relay for complete AC on/off switching
• Power
  • Input – AC 100-240V, 50Hz-60Hz
  • Output – AC 100-240V, 0%-100% dimming
  • Maximum Load – 10A @ 240V AC
  • Onboard AC-DC module (5V @ 0.6A) powers display and the MCU
• Operating Temperature – -20°C to +70°C

Makerfabs hasn’t just released the MaTouch 1.28″ ToolSet AC Dimmer, they’ve launched the MaTouch 1.28″ ToolSet series featuring the same knob with rotary encoder and touchscreen display. This includes an LED strip controller, stepper motor controller, DC motor controller, timer switch relay, and RGB LED matrix controller. Each board follows the same two-board design, with a main board and a control board. The control board, which houses the ESP32 and the rotary knob, connects to the main board through a male-female header.

The ESP32-based AC voltage controller can be programmed with Arduino. But for some reason, the company mentions “Arduino V2.3.4-compatible source code” and recommends using that version of the IDE, which seems a bit odd. For the UI the company mentions that it is designed with LVGL/Squareline.

The software and hardware of this device are completely open-sourced and can be found on the company’s GitHub repository. More information, including setup and programming instructions, can be found on their wiki.

Previously we have written about the Sonoff D1 Smart Dimmer Switch which is also an AC dimmer switch that allows you to dim incandescent and dimmable LED lights. Kumpee also wrote a detailed review of the MaTouch ESP32-S3 Rotary IPS Display which you may be interested in if you want to know more about the various ways a rotary encoder with display can be used.

Matouch 1.28-inch ToolSet_AC Dimmer is priced at $23 on Makerfabs, or alternatively, you’ll also find it on Tindie for $29.80.

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