VAL3101: WiFi/Thread/Zigbee Stepper Controller + AS5600 Encoder

The VAL3101 is the VAL3100 (ESP32-C6 — WiFi / Thread / Zigbee / Matter / BLE) with an AS5600 magnetic encoder soldered on the back and a dipole magnet included, giving you true closed-loop position control.

Why the encoder matters

• Absolute position that survives power loss — no re-homing after an outage.
• True closed-loop — instant stall / jam detection.
• No finicky StallGuard homing — the encoder always knows exactly where the motor is.

Everything else matches the VAL3100: same ESPHome firmware, same silent TMC2209 stepper driver, and the same WiFi / Thread / Zigbee / Matter / BLE radio.

ESPHome for Everyone

The VAL3101 ships as a bare board, ready to flash with the open-source firmware of your choice. The firmware is free and open on GitHub, and flashing takes about a minute over the USB-C port — no programmer, no soldering, and no Home Assistant required.

The easiest way to get started: grab the prebuilt firmware from our GitHub releases and flash it right from your browser at web.esphome.io with a USB-C cable. Once flashed and powered on, the device creates its own Wi-Fi hotspot — connect with your phone or laptop, join it to your network, and control it from any browser. It's discoverable in Home Assistant for automation, and thanks to the ESP32-C6 it can also run over Thread or Zigbee for low-power, battery-friendly setups.

Want to build something custom? The full source and configuration live in our GitHub repository — fork it, tweak it, and make it your own.

Specifications

Which board is right for you?

Don't need closed-loop control? The VAL3100 is the same board without the encoder. Only need Wi-Fi? The VAL3000 gives you the same driver and layout for less.