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ESP32 Rowing Monitor - Setup Guide

This guide covers hardware setup, firmware building, and device configuration.

Hardware Requirements

Required Components

Item Specification Notes
ESP32-S3 DevKitC-1 N16R8 (16MB Flash, 8MB PSRAM) Or compatible ESP32-S3 board
Rowing Machine With reed switches Crivit or similar
USB-C Cable Data capable For programming and power

Optional Components

Item Purpose
Android/Wear OS Watch Heart rate monitoring via BLE
BLE Heart Rate Strap Alternative HR monitoring
Android Phone Companion app for Health Connect sync

Hardware Wiring

The ESP32 connects directly to the rowing machine's reed switches. Internal pull-up resistors are used, so no external components are needed.

ESP32-S3 DevKitC Pinout:
╔════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║  Power:                                        ║
║    USB-C → ESP32 (provides power)              ║
║                                                ║
║  Sensor Inputs:                                ║
║    GPIO 15 ← Flywheel reed switch              ║
║    GPIO 16 ← Seat position reed switch         ║
║    GND      ← Combined sensor grounds          ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

Reed Switch Connection

  1. Locate the flywheel reed switch (usually white wire)
  2. Locate the seat position switch (usually red wire)
  3. Connect flywheel switch to GPIO 15 and GND
  4. Connect seat switch to GPIO 16 and GND
  5. Combine all ground wires to a single ESP32 GND pin

Note: Reed switches are normally open. They close briefly when a magnet passes.

Building the Firmware

Prerequisites

  1. Install ESP-IDF v6.0+
  2. Set up the ESP-IDF environment variables

Important: This project requires ESP-IDF 6.0 or later for the modular driver components.

Build Commands

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/j0b333/ESP32RowingMachine.git
cd ESP32RowingMachine

# Set target to ESP32-S3
idf.py set-target esp32s3

# Configure (optional - defaults are in sdkconfig.defaults)
idf.py menuconfig

# Build
idf.py build

# Flash and monitor
idf.py -p /dev/ttyUSB0 flash monitor

Replace /dev/ttyUSB0 with your serial port (e.g., COM3 on Windows).

Clean Build

If you encounter build errors after updating:

idf.py fullclean
rm sdkconfig
idf.py set-target esp32s3
idf.py build

First Boot

  1. Power on the ESP32 (connect USB-C)
  2. The device creates a WiFi access point:
    • SSID: CrivitRower
    • Password: None (open network)
  3. Connect your phone/tablet to this network
  4. Open a browser and navigate to http://192.168.4.1

Note: The AP uses an open network for maximum compatibility with ESP32-S3. Once you configure your home WiFi credentials, the device will connect to your router and use its security.

Web Interface

The web interface displays real-time metrics:

Metric Description
Distance Total distance rowed (meters)
Time Elapsed workout time
Pace /500m Time per 500 meters
Power Instantaneous power (watts)
Stroke Rate Strokes per minute (SPM)
Calories Estimated energy burned
Heart Rate BPM from connected monitor

Settings

Access settings via the ⚙️ button:

  • Weight - Your weight for calorie calculation
  • Units - Metric or Imperial
  • Display - Show/hide power and calories
  • Auto-pause - Pause workout after inactivity

Heart Rate Monitor Setup (Optional)

The BLE Heart Rate client feature is disabled by default to reduce build complexity.

Enabling BLE Heart Rate Client

  1. Edit main/app_config.h:

    #define BLE_HR_CLIENT_ENABLED           1

  2. Run idf.py menuconfig and enable:

    • Component config → Bluetooth → NimBLE Options → Roles:
      • ✅ Enable BLE Central role
      • ✅ Enable BLE Observer role
      • ✅ Enable BLE GATT Client support

  3. Clean rebuild:

    idf.py fullclean
idf.py build

Using Heart for Bluetooth (Recommended)

  1. Install "Heart for Bluetooth" on your Android/Wear OS watch
  2. Start the app and go to the Activity screen
  3. Power on the ESP32 rowing monitor
  4. The ESP32 automatically scans, connects, and subscribes
  5. Heart rate appears on the web interface

Pairing Window: You have 120 seconds to pair. Restart the beacon on the watch if needed.

See Heart for Bluetooth for more information.

Bluetooth FTMS Connection

For use with fitness apps (Kinomap, EXR, MyHomeFit, etc.):

  1. Start a workout on the ESP32 web interface
  2. Open your fitness app
  3. Search for Bluetooth devices
  4. Connect to "Crivit Rower"
  5. Rowing data streams via FTMS protocol

Calibration

Automatic Drag Calibration

The drag coefficient auto-calibrates during rowing. Row for 50+ strokes to stabilize the drag factor reading.

Moment of Inertia Calibration

For accurate power readings, calibrate the flywheel inertia:

  1. Go to Settings → Click "Calibrate Inertia"
  2. Give the flywheel one strong pull
  3. Let it coast to a complete stop (don't touch it!)
  4. The system calculates and saves the moment of inertia

See Physics Model for calibration details.

Companion App

Sync workouts to Samsung Health / Google Fit:

  1. Install ESP32RowingMachineCompanionApp
  2. Connect to the same network as the ESP32
  3. View and sync workout sessions
  4. Sessions appear in Samsung Health via Health Connect

Troubleshooting

No Sensor Readings

  • Check wiring connections
  • Verify GPIO pins (15 for flywheel, 16 for seat)
  • Check serial monitor for debug output

WiFi Connection Issues

  • Ensure device is powered (check LED)
  • Verify SSID and password
  • Try connecting via IP: 192.168.4.1
  • Move closer to the ESP32

BLE Not Visible

  • Ensure Bluetooth is enabled on your phone
  • Check if another device is already connected (max 3)
  • Restart the ESP32

Inaccurate Metrics

  • Row for 50+ strokes to calibrate drag
  • Run moment of inertia calibration
  • Check reed switch alignment

Build Errors

  • Ensure ESP-IDF v6.0+ is installed
  • Run clean build: idf.py fullclean
  • Delete sdkconfig and rebuild

Advanced Configuration

Edit main/app_config.h for advanced settings:

Setting Default Description
GPIO_FLYWHEEL_SENSOR 15 Flywheel GPIO pin
GPIO_SEAT_SENSOR 16 Seat sensor GPIO pin
DEFAULT_MOMENT_OF_INERTIA 0.101 Flywheel inertia (kg⋅m²)
WIFI_AP_SSID_DEFAULT "CrivitRower" WiFi network name
WIFI_AP_PASS_DEFAULT "" WiFi password (empty = open network for ESP32-S3 compatibility)
BLE_DEVICE_NAME_DEFAULT "Crivit Rower" Bluetooth name