Heltec WiFi LoRa 32 (V4) Expansion Kit with ESP32-S3 and SX1262

WiFi LoRa 32 (V4) Expansion Kit Front and Back

Engineered for the WiFi LoRa 32 series, the Heltec WiFi LoRa 32 (V4) Expansion Kit is a multipurpose ESP32-S3-based off-grid LoRa/Meshtastic communicator cum modular IoT development platform that amalgamates ESP32-S3R8 processing power with Wi-Fi, BLE, and SX1262 LoRa connectivity for low-power, long-range communication. It is specifically tailored for EU/US IoT applications and comprises a tempered glass touchscreen front, a precision-machined aluminum alloy frame, an optional high-capacity 2800mAh 18650 Li-Ion battery, and support for 863–928MHz frequency bands.

The portable device is equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5/Mesh connectivity, a Semtech SX1262 LoRa transceiver, and an amplifier with a transmit power of up to 28 ± 1 dBm. Solar charging, an 8-pin GNSS connector, optimized battery management, gold-plated 40-pin headers, a fully protected 0.96-inch OLED, and a few I/Os for expansion are all added. LoRa and 2.4 GHz antennas are supported by dual IPEX connectors, and the USB-C port has ESD and short-circuit protection. This streamlined IoT prototyping, testing, and deployment kit’s SH2.0 sensor expansion and USB/battery auto-switching features contribute to making it ideal for off-grid communication projects, mesh networks, and remote monitoring systems.

Last month, we covered the Muzi Works R1 Neo Meshtastic device, a battery-powered LoRa wireless node. Earlier, we also featured several Meshtastic-compatible devices, including the SenseCAP Indicator, XIAO ESP32S3, SenseCAP T1000-E, and others. However, the Muzi Works R1 Neo is a completely new product for us.

WiFi LoRa 32 (V4) Expansion Kit all views

Heltec WiFi LoRa 32 (V4) specifications:

• SoC: Espressif Systems ESP32-S3
  • CPU: Dual-core Tensilica LX7 32-bit microcontroller @ 240MHz
  • Memory: 512KB of internal SRAM, 2MB PSRAM
  • Storage: 384KB ROM, Octal SPI flash
  • Wireless: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 (LE)
• Storage: 16MB flash
• Display:
  • 0.96-inch OLED with 128×64 resolution
  • Connected via onboard soldered interface + B2B connector (Protected by a full plastic bracket)
• Wireless Networking:
  • 2.4 GHz 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi 4 with 40 MHz bandwidth support
  • Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 5.0 connectivity with long-range support, up to 2Mbps data rate
  • LoRa:
    • Semtech SX1262 LoRa transceiver supports 433 / 470–510 / 863–928 MHz (depending on version)
  • TX Power:
    • High-power version: 28 ±1 dBm
    • Low-power version: 21 ±1 dBm
  • Sensitivity: -137 dBm @ SF12, BW 125 kHz
  • Antenna:
    • LoRa IPEX 1.0 connector
    • 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi/BLE antenna (FPC side-mounted)
    • Optional external 2.4 GHz antenna (IPEX 1.0 pad provided; requires circuit mod)
• USB: USB 2.0 Type-C port
• Sensor: Built-in Triaxial Accelerometer (DA217)
• Expansion:
  • 2x 20-pin headers
    • 7-channel ADC1 + 2-channel ADC2
    • UART, I2C, SPI
    • 7× touch sensor pins
    • PWM
    • 28x GPIO
  • 8-pin GNSS connector for optional Quectel L76K GNSS module
  • B2B Female Expansion Socket and SMA Female Antenna Port
• Misc:
  • User, Reset and Power buttons
  • White LED, Orange LED
• Power Supply:
  • 5V/1A via USB-C port
  • 2-pin 1.25mm pitch lithium battery connector (3.3–4.4V)
  • 2-pin 1.25mm pitch solar panel connector (4.7–6V input)
  • Consumption – <20 μA in deep sleep
  • PMIC for 2800mAh 18650 Li-ion battery charging and solar input
• Housing:
  • Front Cover: Tempered Glass / Touch Screen
  • Side Cover: Aluminum Alloy
  • Rear Cover: Polycarbonate (PC)
• Dimensions: 51.7 × 25.4 × 10.7 mm (board dimension without antenna)
• Weight: 200g (excluding battery)

WiFi LoRa 32 Expansion Kit Specifications

Heltec additionally provides an updated ESP32 board package, LoRa/LoRaWAN libraries, and example projects for quick deployment. The device can be programmed using the Arduino IDE, the ESP-IDF framework, or PlatformIO. Users can find more details on Heltec’s GitHub page. Attached to the product page’s documents and resources section are schematics, datasheets, 3D models, and other resources. 

Heltec WiFi LoRa 32 (V4) PinMap

The Heltec WiFi LoRa 32 (V4) Expansion Kit is available on both Amazon and AliExpress for $39 – $50. Alternatively, Heltec also provides its own “WiFi LoRa 32 (V4) expansion housing” solution for $49.90 to 58.90. 

Images used courtesy of Ηeltec.