NEW PROJECT ESP32-S3 KiCad EDA

Smart Ginseng Grower v4

ESP32-S3 Based Smart Ginseng Sprout Cultivator
Automated Environment Control · LED Spectrum Optimization · Remote Monitoring

51 Parts 16 GPIOs 3ch Relay WiFi + BLE

Overview

Project Overview

An IoT-based smart cultivator that automatically controls temperature, humidity, and lighting for ginseng sprouts in high-humidity growing environments.

STANDARD

SGG-200

3 tiers × 5 rows (15 rows) · 108W

LED SMPS: GT200 (200W/16.7A) Load: 54% Headroom: 52W (max 22 rows) Use: Small-scale · Home · Prototype

EXPANDED

SGG-300

3 tiers × 5 rows (15 rows) · 108W

LED SMPS: GT300 (300W/25A) Load: 36% Headroom: 132W (max 30 rows expandable) Use: Commercial · Large farm · Scalable

🧠

ESP32-S3 DevKitC-1

N8R2U (external antenna), Dual-Core 240MHz, WiFi+BLE, 36 GPIO. SMA antenna mounted outside waterproof enclosure.

🌡️

Environmental Sensing

DHT22 temperature/humidity sensor, DS3231 RTC real-time clock. 3x TM1637 FND displays showing date/temperature/humidity simultaneously.

⚡

Relay Control

G5LE-1 relay 3-channel (LED lighting, motor, spare). 2N7002 MOSFET driver. Direct AC 220V switching.

📡

Waterproof Design

Boxco ABS/PC waterproof enclosure (IP65). ESP32-S3 N8R2U external antenna ensures WiFi/BLE signal quality.

🎮

IR Remote Control

VS1838B infrared receiver for physical remote control. Offline operation available in addition to web UI.

💡

LED Grow Lights

3 tiers x 5 rows = 15 rows R:B:W LED BAR. GT200/GT300 SMPS (DC12V) for stable power supply. Timer auto ON/OFF.

Architecture

System Architecture

2-PCB architecture with 12-pin header connection. Signal flow from AC 220V power through sensors, relays, and displays.

┌─ MAIN PCB (Enclosure Base) ────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ AC 220V ── IEC C14 [SW+Fuse+Indicator] ── RV1(MOV) │ │ ├── HLK-10M05 SMPS ── 5V/2A ──┬── ESP32-S3│ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├── DHT22 ───── GPIO6 │ │ │ │ ├── DS3231 ─── GPIO8,9 │ │ │ │ ├── SW1 RESET │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├── K1(LED) ── GPIO10 ─ Q1 │ │ │ │ ├── K2(Motor)─ GPIO11 ─ Q2 │ │ │ │ └── K3(Spare)─ GPIO16 ─ Q3 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ └── [J5] 12-Pin Header ────────┘ │ └──────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────┘ │ 12-Pin Flat Cable ┌─ SUB PCB (Enclosure Lid) ───────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ │ [J1] 12-Pin Header │ │ ├── FND×3 (CLK shared) ── GPIO3/4/14/15 │ │ ├── VS1838B IR ────────── GPIO5 │ │ ├── LED ×3 (G/R/B) ───── GPIO7/12/13 │ │ └── MODE Button(IP67) ── GPIO2 │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ SGG-200: GT200 (DC12V/200W) ──── LED BAR 15 strips (3×5, 108W) SGG-300: GT300 (DC12V/300W) ──── LED BAR 15 strips (expandable to 30)

Hardware

Hardware Specifications

51 total components — Main PCB 30 + Sub PCB 21 (2-PCB architecture).

Main PCB (30 parts)

Category	Component	Spec	Qty	Role
AC Input	IEC C14 Socket	SW+Fuse+Indicator	1	AC 220V Power Inlet
Power	HLK-10M05	AC220V→5V 2A	1	SMPS Main Power
MCU	ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1	N8R2U, DIP-40 25.4mm	1	Main Controller
Relay	G5LE-1 5VDC	SPDT 10A	3	LED/Motor/Spare AC Switching
MOSFET	2N7002	N-ch SOT-23	3	Relay Driver
Sensor	DHT22	Temp/Humidity	1	Growing Environment Monitor
RTC	DS3231	I2C	1	Real-Time Clock
Protection	RV1 Varistor	14D471 MOV	1	Surge Protection
Connector	J5 12-Pin Header	2.54mm	1	Main↔Sub PCB Connection

Sub PCB (21 parts)

Category	Component	Spec	Qty	Role
FND	TM1637	7-seg 4digit	3	Date/Temp/Humidity Display
IR	VS1838B	38KHz	1	Remote Control Receiver
LED	LED ×3	Green/Red/Blue	3	Status Indicators
Switch	Push Button	Waterproof IP67	1	MODE Button
Resistor	220Ω + 10KΩ	1/4W	4	LED Current Limit + Pull-up
Decoupling	100µF + 100nF	Electrolytic+Ceramic	8	Per-Module Noise Filtering
Connector	J1 12-Pin Header	2.54mm	1	Sub↔Main PCB Connection

GPIO Map

GPIO Assignment

16 out of 36 GPIOs on the ESP32-S3 are utilized.

GPIO	Net Name	Function	Direction	Note
2	MODE_SW	TEST/RUN Switch	IN	10K Pull-up
3	FND_CLK	TM1637 CLK Shared	OUT	Shared by 3 FNDs
4	FND1_DIO	Date FND	I/O	01d~30d
5	IR_OUT	VS1838B	IN	38KHz
6	DHT_DATA	DHT22	I/O	4.7K Pull-up
7	LED_STATUS	Green LED	OUT	Lighting Status
8	I2C_SDA	DS3231	I/O	I2C Data
9	I2C_SCL	DS3231	OUT	I2C Clock
10	RELAY1_DRV	CH1 LED Lighting	OUT	Q1 → K1
11	RELAY2_DRV	CH2 Motor	OUT	Q2 → K2
12	LED_MOTOR	Red LED	OUT	Motor Status
13	LED_POWER	Blue LED	OUT	Power OK
14	FND2_DIO	Temperature FND	I/O	°C
15	FND3_DIO	Humidity FND	I/O	%RH
16	RELAY3_DRV	CH3 Spare	OUT	Q3 → K3

Schematic

KiCad Schematic (v4)

2-PCB schematics designed in KiCad 10.0.1. Click to view the original SVG.

Main PCB — Power + MCU + Relay (30 parts)

IEC C14 → RV1 → HLK-10M05 SMPS | ESP32-S3 DevKitC-1 | G5LE-1 Relay×3 + 2N7002 | DS3231 + DHT22 | J5 12P Header

Sub PCB — Front Panel Display (21 parts)

TM1637 FND×3 (Date/Temp/Humidity) | VS1838B IR | LED×3 (Green/Red/Blue) | MODE Waterproof Button | J1 12P Header

Enclosure

Waterproof Enclosure

Waterproof design to protect electronic components in high-humidity growing environments.

Boxco BC-AGS-192810 (190×280×100mm, IP65) — OpenSCAD 3D Rendering

EnclosureBoxco BC-AGS-192810

Size190 × 280 × 100mm

MaterialABS / PC

IP RatingIP65

AntennaSMA Bulkhead (IP67)

MCUESP32-S3 N8R2U (U.FL)

AC InputIEC C14 (SW+Fuse+Lamp)

External AntennaSMA Bulkhead (IP67)

2-PCB Mounting Structure

Main PCB is mounted on the enclosure base (bottom), housing AC power input (IEC C14), SMPS, ESP32-S3, and 3 relay channels.
Sub PCB is mounted on the enclosure lid (top), housing 3 FND displays, 3 status LEDs, IR receiver, and MODE button.
The two boards are connected via a 12-pin flat cable (J5↔J1 headers), enabling clean separation for assembly and maintenance.

External Antenna Configuration

ESP32-S3 N8R2U (U.FL connector) → U.FL to SMA pigtail cable → SMA waterproof bulkhead (enclosure pass-through, IP67) → External 2.4GHz SMA antenna
* Maintains enclosure waterproof rating while ensuring WiFi/BLE signal quality

LED Research

LED Spectrum Research

Optimized LED spectrum ratios and light intensity research results for ginseng sprouts (shade plants).

Optimal Spectrum Ratio

Wavelength	Color	Ratio	Role
620-660nm	Red	40%	Core photosynthesis, stem growth promotion
440-470nm	Blue	25%	Saponin synthesis, leaf development, morphogenesis
4000-5000K	White	30%	Full spectrum supplementation
720-740nm	Far-red	5%	Stem elongation, flowering regulation

PPFD50-120 µmol/m²/s

Max PPFD200 µmol/m²/s

Photoperiod12-16 hrs/day

DLI11-20 mol/m²/d

Ginseng is a Shade Plant

Ginseng (Panax ginseng) naturally grows in forest shade as a shade plant. PPFD above 200 µmol/m²/s can cause photoinhibition, suppressing growth. It should be managed at 1/3 to 1/2 the level of typical leafy greens (300-500).

LED Comparison

LED Type Comparison

Comparing efficiency, suitability, and cost-effectiveness of 5 LED types for plant cultivation.

LED Type	Efficiency (µmol/J)	Ginseng Suitability	Unit Cost	Features
Samsung LM301H	3.10	S	High	Highest efficiency, professional cultivation, full spectrum
Full Spectrum	2.2-2.8	A	Medium	Good cost-performance, suitable for research
R+B+W (2:1:1)	1.8-2.2	B+	Low	Practical for the price Selected
R+B (2:1)	1.5-2.0	B	Low	No white, unbalanced spectrum
Mono R / B	1.2-1.8	C	Low	Not recommended except for research

Selected: R:B:W = 2:1:1 Type
Lower efficiency compared to Samsung LM301H, but at 1/5 to 1/10 the price, it delivers sufficient performance for ginseng sprouts' low PPFD requirements (50-120). 50cm BAR type, IP65 waterproof.

Power

SMPS Capacity Calculation

Comparing SMPS load ratios for both models with 15 LED BARs (108W).

LED Config3 tiers × 5 rows = 15 rows

Per LED Row50cm / 7.2W

Total Draw108W

80% Safety Margin160W (SGG-200) / 240W (SGG-300)

STANDARD

SGG-200

SMPSGT200 (IP67)

OutputDC 12V / 200W / 16.7A

Load54% (108/200)

Headroom52W (max 22 rows)

Verdict✓ Sufficient

EXPANDED

SGG-300

SMPSGT300 (IP67)

OutputDC 12V / 300W / 25A

Load36% (108/300)

Headroom132W (max 30 rows expandable)

Verdict✓ Ample headroom

Selection Guide
SGG-200: Sufficient for standard 15-row setup. Ideal for small-scale, home, and prototype use.
SGG-300: Expandable up to 2x LED rows. Recommended for commercial and large-scale farms.

Crop Analysis

Indoor Crop Profitability Comparison

TOP 10 annual revenue per m² rankings for multi-tier LED plant factories.

#	Crop	Annual Rev/m²	Cycle	Annual Turn	LED	Difficulty	Payback
1	Microgreens	450~1,950만원	7~14 days	26~52	Med	★★	2~4 months
2	Baby Leaf	260~1,040만원	21~35 days	10~17	Med	★	6~12 months
3	Lion's Mane Mushroom	200~400만원	30~45 days	8~10	N/A	★★	3~6 months
4	Edible Flowers	65~390만원	30~60 days	6~9	High	★★★	12~24 months
5	Basil/Herbs	65~390만원	30~45 days	8~10	Med	★★	6~12 months
6	Ginseng Sprouts	150~350만원	45~60 days	5~6	Med	★★★★	6~12 months
7	Strawberry	195~390만원	40 days+cont.	4~6	High	★★★★	3~5 years
8	Ice Plant	45~150만원	50~70 days	5~6	Med	★★	12~18 months
9	Leafy Greens	80~180만원	25~35 days	10~12	Med	★	3~5 years
10	Reishi Mushroom	80~200만원	60~90 days	3~4	N/A	★★★	2~3 years

Crops Unsuitable for Indoor Cultivation

Crop	Reason for Exclusion
Saffron	World's most expensive spice, but only 0.5~2g yield per m² → lowest revenue per area
Wasabi	18~24 months, requires chilled flowing water, extremely high technical barrier
Vanilla	3~5 years to flower, excessive energy costs for tropical environment
Angelica/Cnidium/Licorice/Astragalus	Roots 60cm~1m+, 2~4 year cultivation, physically impossible indoors
Tomato/Bell Pepper	Extremely high light requirements → glass greenhouse is more economical

Strategy

Recommended Multi-Crop Combination

Optimal 3-crop combination controllable with a single ESP32-S3 controller.

Primary Zone A

Ginseng Sprouts

45~60 day cycle, Korea-specialized premium
18~22°C / 70~80% / LED R+B+W

Net margin 50~70%

Cash Flow Zone B

Microgreens

7~14 day ultra-fast turnover, #1 revenue per m²
18~24°C / 50~70% / LED 16h

Payback 2~4 months

Power Savings Zone C

Lion's Mane Mushroom

30~45 days, no LED needed (dark~low light)
15~20°C / 85~95% / ventilation required

Explosive global brain health demand

100-pyeong (~330m²) Multi-Crop Projection

Annual Revenue
2~4억원

Net Margin
40~60%

Payback Period
1~2 years

Roadmap

Development Roadmap

The evolution from Arduino Nano to ESP32-S3.

v1 — Arduino Nano

Basic Timer Control

Simple relay ON/OFF timer. DHT11 temperature/humidity reading. 7-seg FND display.

v3 — ESP32-C3

WiFi Connection + Web UI

Remote monitoring via WiFi. Web dashboard. I2C RTC added. Smartphone control.

v4 — ESP32-S3 (Current)

Full Automation + Waterproof Design

51 parts (2-PCB), 16 GPIOs, 3ch relay, 3 FNDs, IR remote. IEC C14 power inlet.
Waterproof enclosure + external antenna. KiCad EDA design. LED spectrum optimization.
→ PCB fabrication → Assembly → Field testing

Restricted

Pricing / Cost Analysis

Restricted data including LED supplier pricing, ginseng sprout market prices, smart farm investment costs, and ROI analysis.

Pricing

LED Domestic Supplier Price Comparison

Product	Price	W/50cm	Note
R2:B1:W1 50cm BAR	15,000원	7.2W	IP65, individual bar
R2:B1 50cm BAR	15,000원	7.2W	No white
SONQIN 5M Reel	7,510원/5M (751원/50cm)	~7.2W	60LED/m, cut-to-length
GreenMax 50cm	4,000원	~5W	Individual bar
R2:B1:W1 1m BAR	28,000원	14.4W	1m individual bar

Ginseng Sprout Market Prices (Lotte ON Reference)

Grade	50 Roots	100 Roots	Price/Root	Per kg Equivalent
Small (under 15cm)	17,900~25,900	28,500~47,000	285~470원	1.9~4.7만
Medium (15~20cm)	28,900~33,600	42,900~53,700	430~540원	2.8~5.4만
Large (20~25cm)	31,900~37,400	57,000~64,300	445~638원	3.0~6.4만
Premium (over 25cm)	40,300~44,100	66,200~71,000	595~806원	4.0~8.0만
2-Year Root	-	119,300~152,460	1,200~1,525원	8.0~15.2만

100-Pyeong Smart Farm Revenue Simulation

Item	Value
Annual Production	~1.4 million roots
Wholesale Revenue (200원/root)	~2.8억원/year
Retail Direct Revenue (430원/root)	~6.0억원/year
Annual Operating Cost	0.7~1.0억원
Net Margin (Realized)	50~70%

Initial Investment (100-Pyeong Basis)

Item	Cost	Note
Facility (Container/Dedicated)	1,500~5,000만원	Varies by scale
Multi-Tier Racks (4~5 tiers)	300~800만원	Steel/Aluminum
LED Lighting	200~500만원	R:B:W type
Environmental Control	200~500만원	Sensors, ventilation, AC
Irrigation System	100~300만원	Auto irrigation, nutrient solution
Ginseng Seed Roots (種根)	150~300만원	1-yr roots × 900 pcs (3 tiers), Jangseong Jeonnam nursery
Total	2,450~7,400만원

Global ROI Comparison (USD Basis)

Crop	Initial Invest ($/m²)	Annual OpEx	Annual Revenue	Net Profit	Payback
Microgreens	200~800	300~800	800~2,500	400~1,200	0.5~1 yr
Sprouts	100~400	150~400	250~800	100~400	0.5~1.5 yr
Herbs	500~1,500	300~700	400~1,200	100~500	1.5~3 yr
Mushrooms	300~1,000	200~400	150~500	50~200	2~5 yr
Leafy Greens	800~2,500	400~1,000	200~600	-200~200	3~7 yr+
Strawberry	1,000~3,000	500~1,200	100~400	-200~100	5~10 yr+
Tomato	1,000~3,000	600~1,500	80~250	Loss	Unprofitable

Smart Ginseng Grower v4

Project Overview

SGG-200

SGG-300

ESP32-S3 DevKitC-1

Environmental Sensing

Relay Control

Waterproof Design

IR Remote Control

LED Grow Lights

System Architecture

Hardware Specifications

Main PCB (30 parts)

Sub PCB (21 parts)

GPIO Assignment

KiCad Schematic (v4)

Main PCB — Power + MCU + Relay (30 parts)

Sub PCB — Front Panel Display (21 parts)

Waterproof Enclosure

2-PCB Mounting Structure

External Antenna Configuration

LED Spectrum Research

Optimal Spectrum Ratio

Ginseng is a Shade Plant

LED Type Comparison

SMPS Capacity Calculation

SGG-200

SGG-300

Indoor Crop Profitability Comparison

Crops Unsuitable for Indoor Cultivation

Recommended Multi-Crop Combination

Ginseng Sprouts

Microgreens

Lion's Mane Mushroom

100-pyeong (~330m²) Multi-Crop Projection

Development Roadmap

Pricing / Cost Analysis

LED Domestic Supplier Price Comparison

Ginseng Sprout Market Prices (Lotte ON Reference)

100-Pyeong Smart Farm Revenue Simulation

Initial Investment (100-Pyeong Basis)

Global ROI Comparison (USD Basis)

🔒 Restricted Section