Why I can't add Lilygo T18 to HA, even though ESP32-S2 works fine

ESPHome
1

Hi! I am trying to connect Lilygo T18 (GitHub - LilyGO/LILYGO-T-Energy), which is ESP32-wroover with integrated 18650 battery cradle to HomeAssistant.

My problem is that every time I flash a device, HA finds it again, offers to add it, but there are no devices or objects in the list. I have tried several times to connect different sensors to the board and configure them via YAML, but this does not change the situation: I can read logs from the device via Wi-Fi, but entities do not appear.

36tr0d4jdfte1
36tr0d4jdfte11076×668 70.7 KB

At the same time, everything works fine with the usual ESP32-S2, and apparently it’s because of some features of the board itself.

Here is my YAML:

esphome:
  name: ligo-t18
  friendly_name: liligo-t18

esp32:
  board: esp-wrover-kit
  framework:
    type: arduino

# Enable logging
logger:

# Enable Home Assistant API
api:
  encryption:
    key: "XXX"

ota:
  - platform: esphome
    password: "XXX"

wifi:
  ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
  password: !secret wifi_password


deep_sleep:
  run_duration: 5min
  sleep_duration: 5min

sensor:

#----------------------
# BATTERY VOLTAGE
#----------------------

  - platform: adc
    name: "Battery"
    id: battery
    pin: GPIO35
    update_interval: 30s
    accuracy_decimals: 3
    unit_of_measurement: "V"
    filters:
      - multiply: 3.6590

How to start trouble shooting?

2

Until you have it perfectly working, at least remove the deep sleep.

3

After many attemps of renaming and reflashing device, I suddenly found that device changes it’s IP address after reboot.

Screenshot from 2025-04-08 02-32-11
Screenshot from 2025-04-08 02-32-111513×462 79.6 KB

How to solve it?

4

Try static IP.

5

The log says the MAC address changed. That is not the IP address.

It also looks like you have two devices with the same name, which seems like a not so good idea.

6

also, the names in the log don’t match the name in the picture nor the name in the YAML.

7

Solution was that way:


esp32:
  board: esp32dev
  framework:
    type: arduino
    advanced:
      ignore_efuse_custom_mac: true

It was something ugly with MAC address of board, and that solved problem

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