ESP01 Break-in board

I created several projects with EPS8266 wifi modules.
The small cheap ESP01 module has only a few IO pins so i did not used it until now.
In one of my recent Aliexpress China orders i also added a small cheap ESP01S module to my shopping list. I also ordered some boards to easy test and use of this module: ESP01 has 2x4 pins close to each other.

 Not easy to use on a breadboard therefore i also added to my shopping list.
(Right to left. [First is the ESP01 module itself] ) 

• ESP01 - Breadboard interface. 
• ESP01 - TTL interface
•  ESP01 - USB interface

My plan was to use the ESP01 - USB interface board to program an test the ESP8266 module.

Then the disappointment : to program the small ESP01 module you need to pull GPIO0 to ground. My cheap interface USB module has no jumper or switch to do that!
A reset button would also be nice.
And perhaps easy access to all the pins to experiment.
If i would use the TTL interface wired this to a USB TTL / RS232 (FTDI) interface cable i would have the same problem.
An option would be start from zero, using a breadboard interface, and make my own interface.
 (Later i found there are some ESP01 USB modules with programming switch. I did not find one with programming switch and reset button!)

ESP01 with USB Module 

But what is the use of these cheap "ready to use" interfaces. For programming, testing and debugging I decided to make my "ESP01 Break-in board". A board to put between the ESP01 and the boards with the 2*4 connector.
(I decided to call it "Break in board". It is not a "Break out board" to use and get access to chip pins but a "Break in" to put between the existing connections to add features.)
It needed (minimal) a programming switch, a reset button and access to the pins.
Later on i decided to add also some additional features. (See photo, final specs/feature list below.) This are additional features but not really needed.
I used a small double Side Prototype PCB Bread board Tinned Universal 20x80 mm FR4 28*6 holes.

ESP01 "Break in board"
 with EPS and USB
connected.

 (All holes are plated through). I added pins to fit in a 2*4 pin connector (on bottom) and additional 2 times 4 pins to get easy access to all pins and a female 2*4 connector for the ESP01 module (on the top). On my (current) laptop free USB connectors are at the left side. I wired my "Break-in board" with this in mind. (USB connector pointing to the right when using this board).
Mark on the PCB with an arrow the direction of the ESP01 module.
A push button is used for the reset, (Bottom of the PCB) wired to ground and reset.
While uploading a program i do not want to continuously press a button. I decided to use a small slide switch (Top).
In stock i had a three position switch. If you have a small two position slide switch you use that. The three position switch i used has 6 pins: (and two shield pins)
Left no pins are connected
Middle pin 1 and 4 are connected ' / pin 3 and 5 connected "
Right pin 1 and 4 are connected '
Pin 2 and 6 have no use (n.c.), i did bend them away and soldered the switch on the PCB. I decided to use the middle position as programming position and wired pin 2 and 5 ' to ground and GPIO0.

3 position switch

At this point my basic minimal "ESP01 Break-in board" was ready.

ESP01 "Break in" board. (top view)

 On my board i also added some other things i had in stock:

• 6 female pins connected to to ground (and next to it a) 
• 25 Points Mini Solderless Prototype Tie-point Breadboard 
• A micro switch (three pins Common, Normal open, Normal closed ) with connections to pins to easy wire them for experiments. (on bottom next to reset pushbutton).
• Passive electromagnetic impedance 16 ohm AC buzzer/2KHz 3V 5V universal buzzer (- connected to ground, other side to a pin and 100 ohm resistor with a second pin. -

On my slide switch at pin 1 and pin 4 ' contacts available are (Left open, Middle and Right closed), i wired them to two pins on the PCB.
The condensator on the ESP01 - USB interface board comes very close to PCB. Some insulation tape was added. As a final touch i used cable ties to join some cable bundles.

ESP01 "Break in" board (bottom view)

RESULT: "ESP01 Break-in board":
Switch for programming the ESP01,
Reset button,
Easy access to all pins of the ESP01.
Some additional switches.
A mini buzzer (One side connected to ground. Connect the other side e.g. with a Dupont cable to GPIO2)
Mini solderless prototype board for additional components/experiments.

ESP01 "Break in" with ESP01 and USB (bottom view)