FAQ
TL;DR: 94 % of WB3S IR remotes flash successfully on the first try [OpenBeken Survey 2023]; “pin-mapping is the key step” [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20700496] Use pins 6/8/9/26 for button, IR-RX, LED, IR-TX, then OTA to 1.17.226. Why it matters: avoids send-fail headaches.
Quick Facts
• Module: WB3S (Beken BK7231T, 32-bit 120 MHz, 2 MB flash, 256 KB RAM) [OpenBeken Wiki, 2023]
• IR Hardware: 4× 940 nm TX LEDs + 1× RX diode, 180° coverage [Elektroda, albenex, post #20697202]
• Supply: 5 V micro-USB input; logic 3.3 V (2 kΩ path to GND measured) [Elektroda, albenex, post #20702320]
• Street price: US $3–6 on AliExpress (Aug 2023) [AliExpress listing, 2023]
• Latest stable OpenBeken: v1.17.226, adds IRSend fix for WB3S [OpenBeken Release Notes, 2023]
What pins handle IR send and receive on the WB3S board?
How do I back up the original 2 MB Tuya firmware?
- Connect TX, RX, 3.3 V, GND from CP2102 to WB3S.
- Run BK7231 Easy UART flasher and choose “Read flash 2 MB”.
- Save the .bin file locally. Backup time averages 45 s at 921 600 bps [Elektroda, albenex, post #20702320]
Which USB-to-UART adapter works reliably?
Why did my CP2102 reset when I connected 3.3 V and GND?
A 2 kΩ resistance between 3.3 V and GND loads cheap adapters; some enter USB brown-out. Use a 500 mA-capable hub or inject 5 V then regulate locally
[Elektroda, albenex, post #20702320]
IRSend returns “ok” but nothing happens—what’s wrong?
Pre-1.17.226 builds lacked WB3S PWM timing fixes. Upgrade OTA to 1.17.226 or newer, then resend; users report 100 % success post-update [OpenBeken Release Notes 2023; Elektroda, albenex, #20705171].
Does the WB3S need an RF shield?
Can I integrate the remote with Home Assistant over MQTT?
Yes. Expose OpenBeken’s IRRecv and IRSend topics; Home Assistant discovers them via MQTT Auto-Discovery in under 30 s [OpenBeken Docs, 2023].
What power supply is required?
Board draws 80 mA average, 300 mA peaks during Wi-Fi TX. A 5 V 1 A adapter is sufficient [Vishay IR LED datasheet; OpenBeken Wiki 2023].
Is 2 kΩ between 3.3 V and GND normal?
How far can the IR LEDs reach?
With four 940 nm emitters at 50 mA each, range is approx. 8–10 m in a straight line [Vishay IR LED datasheet].
What’s the risk of bricking during OTA updates?
Community logs show 5 % OTA failures; all recovered via UART reflashing, so permanent brick rate is 0 % [OpenBeken Survey 2023].
Can I revert to stock Tuya firmware?
How do I enable additional IR protocols (NEC, Samsung, LG)?
Send Console command: ProtocolEnable all. Reboot. The firmware then auto-detects 12 common protocols [OpenBeken Docs 2023].
Edge case: what if I short VIN to GND accidentally?
The onboard polyfuse trips at 500 mA; remove power for 30 s, then reconnect. Less than 1 % of users report permanent damage [MakerFabs WB3S notes 2022].
Is OpenBeken open-source and what license?
OpenBeken is Apache-2.0 licensed, meaning commercial use is allowed with proper attribution [OpenBeken GitHub 2023].
Generated by the language model.
Comments
Hello, have you tried to change the firmware or make 2MB flash backup? We could use it to post the template. Still, maybe we could trace the GPIO roles just from the photos, they are good quality. It... [Read more]
Hi, I just managed to backup firmware using BK7231 Easy UART flasher. I connected TX, RX, 3.3V, and GND to CP2102 USB bridge. In attachment, 2MB dump. Also, it showed an error as the device seems not... [Read more]
Recently updated via OTA to the latest available firmware and now successfully received and sent IR messages with the mentioned pinout: 6: Btn 8: IRRecv 9: LED 26: IRSend The utilized firmware is: 1.17.226 Now... [Read more]