Hardware Assembly
Now that we're familiar with the hardware on this Thing Plus board, it's time to connect it to our computer or battery power.
Basic USB Assembly
Basic assembly of the Thing Plus ESP32-S3 only requires a USB-C cable connecting the board to a computer. Just plug the cable into the USB-C connector and move on to the Software Setup section. When powered up for the first time, the RGB LED on the "top-right" of the board should be cycling through a rainbow color similar to the video below:
Note
Your computer may not recognize the board as a known USB device if you have not installed the espressif boards package in Arduino and/or installed the espressif IDF.
Battery Assembly
If you prefer a battery-powered application, plug a single-cell LiPo battery into the 2-pin JST connector on the underside of the board like the photo below. Remember, the MCP73831 only charges the battery when V_USB has voltage present either from the USB-C connector or through the V_USB PTH pin.
For tips on the proper use of a LiPo battery and the 2-pin JST connector, please read through our Single Cell LiPo Battery Care tutorial.
Soldered Assembly
Those who prefer a traditional soldered assembly should solder wires or header pins to the PTH header on the side of the board. If you're not familiar with through-hole soldering or would like a refresher, take a look at our Through-Hole Soldering Tutorial:
