ESP32-S3 (chip only) D+/D- flashing problem

cxsi.941
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Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2025 7:00 pm

ESP32-S3 (chip only) D+/D- flashing problem

Postby cxsi.941 » Fri Jul 04, 2025 7:12 pm

Hello!
I have an ESP32-S3 chip (just the chip, not the whole board). I have it on my own PCB, the only Data Lines I have are D+ and D-.
I found out to flash a completely new chip in the Arduino IDE you need to first flash a bootloader, which enables USB CDC, with UART.
So I took a USB to UART coverter and soldered it to my ESP, it is getting recognized by the PC and I can flash something on it. I tried a few things, thought it worked, solderd it on to the PCB AND it got recognized by the computer, but I still cant flash anything on it in the Arduino IDE (yes: GPIO0 -> GND), there is just always a timeout.

I just dont know what to do, maybe someone can help me :D .

Sprite
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Re: ESP32-S3 (chip only) D+/D- flashing problem

Postby Sprite » Sat Jul 05, 2025 1:16 am

I found out to flash a completely new chip in the Arduino IDE you need to first flash a bootloader, which enables USB CDC, with UART.
This is wrong: the ESP32 chips have a built-in bootloader which by itself enables USB.
So I took a USB to UART coverter and soldered it to my ESP, it is getting recognized by the PC and I can flash something on it. I tried a few things, thought it worked, solderd it on to the PCB AND it got recognized by the computer, but I still cant flash anything on it in the Arduino IDE (yes: GPIO0 -> GND), there is just always a timeout.
Do you have schematics and PCB images we can take a look at?

cxsi.941
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2025 7:00 pm

Re: ESP32-S3 (chip only) D+/D- flashing problem

Postby cxsi.941 » Sat Jul 05, 2025 9:19 am

(Thanks for your responese)
Do you have schematics and PCB images we can take a look at?
Yes, I will send them later, they are not on the Computer, that I am using to write this...
The Peripheral Schematic (https://www.mouser.de/datasheet/2/891/e ... 997643.pdf) say that I need a Capacitor from D+ to GND and one from D- to GND. And I dont have them... Could this be the cause?

Sprite
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Re: ESP32-S3 (chip only) D+/D- flashing problem

Postby Sprite » Mon Jul 07, 2025 1:33 am

The Peripheral Schematic (https://www.mouser.de/datasheet/2/891/e ... 997643.pdf) say that I need a Capacitor from D+ to GND and one from D- to GND. And I dont have them... Could this be the cause?
No, those are not necessary.

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