Is ESP8266 5 V Tolerant? This Curve Tracer Says Yes!
Some people state that ESP8266 is tolerant of 5 V logic levels on its GPIOs; while others vehemently disagree, pointing at the datasheet-stated 3.6 V maximum. Datasheets aren’t source code for compiling the chip, however, and aren’t universally correct and complete either. Avian decided to dig deeper into the claims, conduct an experiment with an actual ESP8266 chip; then share the results for all of us.
For the experiment, he used a curve tracer; a device capable of producing a wide range of voltages and measuring the current being consumed; then plotting the voltage-to-current relationship. This helps characterize all sorts of variables, from diode breakdown voltages to transistor characteristics. The curve tracer he uses is a capable and professional-looking DIY build of his, and arguably, deserves a separate write-up!
The reasoning behind Avian’s experiment is simple – if the pin; set to an input, starts consuming a higher amount of current at a certain voltage threshold; then there’s gotta be some chip-internal structure, intended or unintended, that would be damaged at this voltage. Curve tracer in hand, he set up an ESP-01 module to set a GPIO to input; and started increasing the voltage.
The results
The tests have shown that, while there’s a reverse biased ESD diode from GPIO pins to ground; there don’t seem to be diodes from the GPIO pin to the VCC rail; and those are the primary concern for 5 V tolerance. There does seem to be something functionally akin to a 6 V Zener diode internally; which should clamp the voltage before it gets too way high for the chip to handle. None of that should be a problem for 5 V compatibility; and it seems fair to interpret this as a confirmation of 5 V tolerance until someone shows otherwise.
Avian didn’t want to destroy an ESP8266; so the experiment was conducted with a 1 K series resistor between the curve tracer and the input; which might have biased the results a bit. On the other hand; adding series resistors in front of your inputs is an overall underappreciated practice, 5 V or otherwise. He also points out that, while the pins don’t seem to be adversely impacted by the higher input voltage; the bootloader might set some of them to 3.3 V outputs on boot-up, shorting your 5 V source to your 3.3 V rail — worth keeping in mind!
Avian’s research journeys are fun to follow, and we recommend you check his blog out; last time, we covered his research of an innocent-looking 3.5 mm jack hiding a devious audio compensation circuit. Since we first covered the ESP8266 in 2014, we’ve been researching all the things it’s really capable of, and we brought up the topic of GPIO 5 V compatibility way back in 2016 – it’s reassuring to finally put this question to rest!
Read more: https://hackaday.com/2022/05/12/is-esp8266-5-v-tolerant-this-curve-tracer-says-yes/
