It works. It is also too big.
Part five. HC-01 is running in a real humidor: 522 logged samples, agreement with an independent hygrometer, and one closed control loop.
· 6 min read
enclosure-design
6 posts
ESP32-S3 enclosure design: give the antenna its 15 mm
Espressif asks for at least 15 mm of clearance around an ESP32-S3's PCB antenna inside the housing. What that means for a 3D-printed case, with sources.
· 6 min read
What a 3D-printed prototype enclosure actually costs in 2026
Filament is under half a percent of the bill. Here's the itemized total for a palm-sized ESP32 enclosure, design time included.
· 10 min read
From 3D-printed enclosure to injection molding: when to switch
A single-cavity prototype steel tool for a palm-sized enclosure runs about $10k — we've had our own parts quoted. Here's the break-even math on when it pays.
· 10 min read
STEP vs STL: which file your enclosure design actually needs
STL is a triangle mesh. STEP is real CAD geometry. Converting one direction is routine; the other throws away everything you'd want to change later.
· 11 min read
From jumper wires to a custom PCB: building the HC-01 humidor controller
An ESP32 rat's nest became a four-revision custom board. The most expensive mistake was a sensor we never actually measured.
· 4 min read