This document outlines the distributed ESP32 sensor architecture for the van. All nodes run ESPHome, communicating over the van's local Wi-Fi to the central Home Assistant instance hosted on the GEEKOM Mini PC. This creates a unified dashboard and enables autonomous AI management.
Located in the cabin near the OBD-II port under the steering column.
- ESP32 Microcontroller
- MCP2515 CAN Bus Controller: Plugs into the OBD-II port to read engine data.
- NEO-8M GPS Module: Provides real-time latitude, longitude, and speed reporting to Home Assistant over the van's internet connection.
GPIO Mapping:
| Component |
ESP32 Pin |
Function |
| MCP2515 |
GPIO 23 |
MOSI (SPI) |
| MCP2515 |
GPIO 19 |
MISO (SPI) |
| MCP2515 |
GPIO 18 |
SCK (SPI) |
| MCP2515 |
GPIO 5 |
CS (Chip Select) |
| NEO-8M GPS |
GPIO 16 |
RX2 (UART) |
| NEO-8M GPS |
GPIO 17 |
TX2 (UART) |
Located in the rear garage to manage the thermal output of the AI servers and electrical grid.
- ESP32 Microcontroller
- BME280 (I2C): Measures Temp, Humidity, and Pressure near the eGPU intake/exhaust.
- 2-Channel 12V Relay Module: Switches the heavy 12V loads for the garage exhaust fans.
GPIO Mapping:
| Component |
ESP32 Pin |
Function |
| BME280 |
GPIO 21 |
SDA (I2C) |
| BME280 |
GPIO 22 |
SCL (I2C) |
| Relay CH1 |
GPIO 26 |
Exhaust Fan 1 Trigger |
| Relay CH2 |
GPIO 27 |
Exhaust Fan 2 Trigger |
Located near the water tanks in the garage.
- ESP32 Microcontroller
- 2x JSN-SR04T Waterproof Ultrasonic Sensors: Measures the distance to the water surface inside the Fresh and Grey tanks to calculate percentage full.
GPIO Mapping:
| Component |
ESP32 Pin |
Function |
| Fresh Tank Sensor |
GPIO 32 |
Trigger |
| Fresh Tank Sensor |
GPIO 33 |
Echo |
| Grey Tank Sensor |
GPIO 25 |
Trigger |
| Grey Tank Sensor |
GPIO 34 |
Echo |
Located in the main living space.
- ESP32 Microcontroller
- DHT22: Monitors living space ambient temperature and humidity.
- Magnetic Reed Switches: For the Sliding Door and Rear Doors.
- PIR Motion Sensor: Security monitoring when the van is parked and armed.
GPIO Mapping:
| Component |
ESP32 Pin |
Function |
| DHT22 |
GPIO 4 |
Data |
| Sliding Door Switch |
GPIO 13 |
Input (Pull-up) |
| Rear Door Switch |
GPIO 14 |
Input (Pull-up) |
| PIR Sensor |
GPIO 15 |
Input |
Mounted to the exterior of the van for 360-degree security coverage.
- Cameras: 5x IP PoE (Power over Ethernet) Cameras (e.g., Amcrest or Reolink).
- 1x Cabin Interior (monitoring Driver and Passenger seats)
- 1x Front Forward (dashcam view from the cabin forward)
- 1x Driver Side (mounted on the side mirror)
- 1x Passenger Side (mounted on the side mirror)
- 1x Rear (mounted on the rear bumper step)
- Networking: A 12V or 24V DC-powered PoE Switch located in the tech garage. This provides a single CAT6 cable to each camera for both power and data.
- AI Integration: The camera streams feed directly into Frigate NVR running on the GEEKOM Mini PC. Frigate leverages your ASUS eGPU to perform real-time AI object detection (e.g., identifying a "person" lingering near the side door vs. a "dog" walking by).
These systems connect directly to the GEEKOM Mini PC.
- Victron Energy Grid: Victron VE.Direct to USB cables connect the SmartSolar MPPT and Phoenix Inverter directly to Home Assistant for real-time electrical grid monitoring.
- Frigate Object Detection: Feeds AI-processed camera events natively into the Home Assistant dashboard.
All of this data streams into a centralized Home Assistant Dashboard. The AI agent (running locally) uses this data matrix to:
- Automate HVAC: Turn on fans or the Espar heater based on BME280/DHT22 data.
- Protect Hardware: Force-spool the garage fans if the eGPU pushes critical temperatures.
- Ensure Power Security: Throttle AI workloads if the Victron integration reports low battery state and the OBD-II integration reports the engine is OFF.
- Security Alerts: Ping your phone with the NEO-8M GPS coordinates and PIR motion data if a door switch is tripped while armed.