A few months ago, I came across a project called Wifinfo. It's a small board, based on an ESP8266, which retrieves information from the French power meters and displays them, or sends them across the network. The PCB was cheap, and I though I could use one, so I built some boards ! Turns out, I can't use them: the telemetry option is disabled in my power meter…

I uploaded the files on OSHPark and also shared them, so anyone can easily order them: OSH Park

You need:

• A decent (250mA) 5v PSU, like a phone charger, or a battery.
• An USB-Serial adapter, which can easily be sourced from eBay.

The firmware is an Arduino sketch, so you will need:

• The Arduino IDE. I used v1.6.7, from the Arduino website
• The ESP8266 extension for the Arduino IDE, from Github
• The “ESP8266 Sketch data upload” tool for the Arduino IDE, from Github
• Some libraries such as:
  • NeoPixelBus, for ESP8266. Make sure to fetch a working branch, from Github.
    I took a “random” one, and it compiles fine, but the LED doesn't work properly…

Grab the firmware from the LibTeleinfo Github project, in the examples/Wifinfofolder.

There's currently a bug in the index.html file: the issue with a fix, on Github.

You need to put a jumper on the board between the TX and TX1 pins, on the three pin header on the right.

Connect your serial Adapter to the board (on the six pins header on the right): RX on TX, TX on RX, GND on GND. I used an external power supply but you can also probably use the 5v pin to power the board.

To put the ESP8266 in Flash mode, press the Flash switch, hold it, press the Reset switch, relase Reset, release Flash. Should be ok.

Select the good board type and options (the default ones are usually okay).

• Load the Wifinfo sketch
• Put the ESP266 in Flash mode
• Tools > ESP8266 Sketch Data upload

• Load the Wifinfo sketch
• Put the ESP266 in Flash mode
• Upload sketch

• Github project Schematic and PCB files
• LibTeleinfo Firmware
• Wifinfo-related message board