In this guide we'll cover how to utilize the Qwiic 5V Boost with two 5V I2C devices; such as the BlinkM LED and Sensirion SEN55 sensor. To follow along with this tutorial, users will need the following items:
- Thing Plus Development Board
- We recommend either the ESP32 Thing Plus or the RP2350 Thing Plus
- SparkFun Qwiic 5V Boost - AP3012K
- SparkFun Qwiic Cable Kit
- A 5V compatible I2C device:
- Soldering tools
- Headers and jumper Wire
- USB cable
Warning
Soldering is required for this board.
Board Layout
This is the basic layout of the Qwiic 5V Boost board.
Layout of the major components on the Qwiic 5V Boost.
Demo - BlinkM LED
In this demo, we'll connect a BlinkM RGB LED to the Qwiic 5V Boost board; and control it with an ESP32 Thing Plus development board, utilizing the Arduino IDE.
Connect the BlinkM LED
Soldering is required to connect the BlinkM LED to the Qwiic 5V Boost board. In the example below, we used headers and jumper wires to make the necessary pin connections shown in the table. Once the BlinkM LED is attached, users will need to connect the Qwiic 5V Boost board to their development board with a Qwiic cable.
Qwiic 5V Boost | BlinkM RGB LED |
---|---|
GND |
- |
5V |
+ |
SDA |
d |
SCL |
c |
Tip
If you're not familiar with using breakout board or soldering, please refer to the Hardware Overview & Assembly sections for a detailed overview of the board along with instructions on soldering to the breakout.
Example Code
With the hardware assembled, users will need to program their development board to control the BlinkM LED. In the Arduino IDE, upload the BlinkMStart
example sketch from the BlinkM Arduino library. This example will fade the hue of the BlinkM LED and output the hue values to the Serial Monitor.
Follow the steps below to upload the example code:
- Open the Arduino IDE.
- Manually install the BlinkM Arduino library, by downloading it from the GitHub repository.
- Restart the Arduino IDE.
- Open
BlinkMStart
example sketch from the BlinkM Arduino library. - Select your board and serial port; then, upload the sketch.
- Once the code compiles and uploads to the development board, open the serial monitor with the baud rate set to 9600 bps.
- The example sketch prints out the hue values as they change on the BlinkM LED.
Tip
If you're not familiar with using the Arduino IDE, refer to the Troubleshooting Tips section for related tutorials.
LED Not Changing
For users who find it hard to distinguish the changes in the LED's hue, the sketch can be modified to change the RGB values. Below, is an example of modifications that would change the red
value of the RGB LED.
Source Files
- BlinkM Arduino library
-
BlinkMStart.ino
example sketchBlinkMStart.ino
Demo - SEN55 Particle Sensor
In this demo, we'll connect the Sensirion SEN55 particulate matter, VOC, NOx, humidity, and temperature sensor to the Qwiic 5V Boost board; and read data from it with an ESP32 Thing Plus development board, utilizing the Arduino IDE.
Connect the Sensirion SEN55 Sensor
Soldering is required to connect the SEN55 sensor to the Qwiic 5V Boost board. In the example below, we used headers and a Qwiic jumper cable to make the necessary pin connections shown in the tables.
Qwiic 5V Boost | Sensirion SEN55 Sensor |
---|---|
GND |
2 |
5V |
1 |
SDA |
3 |
SCL |
4 |
GND |
5 |
Once the sensor is attached, users will need to connect the Qwiic 5V Boost board to their development board with a Qwiic cable.
Connecting the Sensirion SEN55 sensor to the Qwiic 5V Boost.
Tip
If you're not familiar with using breakout board or soldering, please refer to the Hardware Overview & Assembly sections for a detailed overview of the board along with instructions on soldering to the breakout.
Example Code
With the hardware assembled, users will need to program their development board to retrieve data from the SEN5X sensor. In the Arduino IDE, upload the exampleUsage
example sketch from the Sensirion I2C SEN5X Arduino library. This example will read the particulate matter, VOC, NOx, humidity, and temperature values from the SEN5X sensor and output them in the Serial Monitor.
Follow the steps below to upload the example code:
- Open the Arduino IDE.
- Open the Library Manager tool, search for the
Sensirion I2C SEN5X
Arduino library and install the latest version. - Open
exampleUsage
example sketch from the Sensirion I2C SEN5X Arduino library. - Select your board and serial port; then, upload the sketch.
- Once the code compiles and uploads to the development board, open the serial monitor with the baud rate set to 115200 bps.
- The example sketch prints out the particulate matter, VOC, NOx, humidity, and temperature values from the SEN55 sensor.
Tip
If you're not familiar with using the Arduino IDE, refer to the Troubleshooting Tips section for related tutorials.
Source Files
- Sensirion SEN5X Arduino library
-
exampleUsage.ino
example sketchexampleUsage.ino
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/* * I2C-Generator: 0.3.0 * Yaml Version: 2.1.3 * Template Version: 0.7.0-112-g190ecaa */ /* * Copyright (c) 2021, Sensirion AG * All rights reserved. * * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met: * * * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this * list of conditions and the following disclaimer. * * * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, * this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation * and/or other materials provided with the distribution. * * * Neither the name of Sensirion AG nor the names of its * contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from * this software without specific prior written permission. * * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" * AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE * IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE * ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE * LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR * CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF * SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS * INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN * CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) * ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE * POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. */ #include <Arduino.h> #include <SensirionI2CSen5x.h> #include <Wire.h> // The used commands use up to 48 bytes. On some Arduino's the default buffer // space is not large enough #define MAXBUF_REQUIREMENT 48 #if (defined(I2C_BUFFER_LENGTH) && \ (I2C_BUFFER_LENGTH >= MAXBUF_REQUIREMENT)) || \ (defined(BUFFER_LENGTH) && BUFFER_LENGTH >= MAXBUF_REQUIREMENT) #define USE_PRODUCT_INFO #endif SensirionI2CSen5x sen5x; void printModuleVersions() { uint16_t error; char errorMessage[256]; unsigned char productName[32]; uint8_t productNameSize = 32; error = sen5x.getProductName(productName, productNameSize); if (error) { Serial.print("Error trying to execute getProductName(): "); errorToString(error, errorMessage, 256); Serial.println(errorMessage); } else { Serial.print("ProductName:"); Serial.println((char*)productName); } uint8_t firmwareMajor; uint8_t firmwareMinor; bool firmwareDebug; uint8_t hardwareMajor; uint8_t hardwareMinor; uint8_t protocolMajor; uint8_t protocolMinor; error = sen5x.getVersion(firmwareMajor, firmwareMinor, firmwareDebug, hardwareMajor, hardwareMinor, protocolMajor, protocolMinor); if (error) { Serial.print("Error trying to execute getVersion(): "); errorToString(error, errorMessage, 256); Serial.println(errorMessage); } else { Serial.print("Firmware: "); Serial.print(firmwareMajor); Serial.print("."); Serial.print(firmwareMinor); Serial.print(", "); Serial.print("Hardware: "); Serial.print(hardwareMajor); Serial.print("."); Serial.println(hardwareMinor); } } void printSerialNumber() { uint16_t error; char errorMessage[256]; unsigned char serialNumber[32]; uint8_t serialNumberSize = 32; error = sen5x.getSerialNumber(serialNumber, serialNumberSize); if (error) { Serial.print("Error trying to execute getSerialNumber(): "); errorToString(error, errorMessage, 256); Serial.println(errorMessage); } else { Serial.print("SerialNumber:"); Serial.println((char*)serialNumber); } } void setup() { Serial.begin(115200); while (!Serial) { delay(100); } Wire.begin(); sen5x.begin(Wire); uint16_t error; char errorMessage[256]; error = sen5x.deviceReset(); if (error) { Serial.print("Error trying to execute deviceReset(): "); errorToString(error, errorMessage, 256); Serial.println(errorMessage); } // Print SEN55 module information if i2c buffers are large enough #ifdef USE_PRODUCT_INFO printSerialNumber(); printModuleVersions(); #endif // set a temperature offset in degrees celsius // Note: supported by SEN54 and SEN55 sensors // By default, the temperature and humidity outputs from the sensor // are compensated for the modules self-heating. If the module is // designed into a device, the temperature compensation might need // to be adapted to incorporate the change in thermal coupling and // self-heating of other device components. // // A guide to achieve optimal performance, including references // to mechanical design-in examples can be found in the app note // “SEN5x – Temperature Compensation Instruction” at www.sensirion.com. // Please refer to those application notes for further information // on the advanced compensation settings used // in `setTemperatureOffsetParameters`, `setWarmStartParameter` and // `setRhtAccelerationMode`. // // Adjust tempOffset to account for additional temperature offsets // exceeding the SEN module's self heating. float tempOffset = 0.0; error = sen5x.setTemperatureOffsetSimple(tempOffset); if (error) { Serial.print("Error trying to execute setTemperatureOffsetSimple(): "); errorToString(error, errorMessage, 256); Serial.println(errorMessage); } else { Serial.print("Temperature Offset set to "); Serial.print(tempOffset); Serial.println(" deg. Celsius (SEN54/SEN55 only"); } // Start Measurement error = sen5x.startMeasurement(); if (error) { Serial.print("Error trying to execute startMeasurement(): "); errorToString(error, errorMessage, 256); Serial.println(errorMessage); } } void loop() { uint16_t error; char errorMessage[256]; delay(1000); // Read Measurement float massConcentrationPm1p0; float massConcentrationPm2p5; float massConcentrationPm4p0; float massConcentrationPm10p0; float ambientHumidity; float ambientTemperature; float vocIndex; float noxIndex; error = sen5x.readMeasuredValues( massConcentrationPm1p0, massConcentrationPm2p5, massConcentrationPm4p0, massConcentrationPm10p0, ambientHumidity, ambientTemperature, vocIndex, noxIndex); if (error) { Serial.print("Error trying to execute readMeasuredValues(): "); errorToString(error, errorMessage, 256); Serial.println(errorMessage); } else { Serial.print("MassConcentrationPm1p0:"); Serial.print(massConcentrationPm1p0); Serial.print("\t"); Serial.print("MassConcentrationPm2p5:"); Serial.print(massConcentrationPm2p5); Serial.print("\t"); Serial.print("MassConcentrationPm4p0:"); Serial.print(massConcentrationPm4p0); Serial.print("\t"); Serial.print("MassConcentrationPm10p0:"); Serial.print(massConcentrationPm10p0); Serial.print("\t"); Serial.print("AmbientHumidity:"); if (isnan(ambientHumidity)) { Serial.print("n/a"); } else { Serial.print(ambientHumidity); } Serial.print("\t"); Serial.print("AmbientTemperature:"); if (isnan(ambientTemperature)) { Serial.print("n/a"); } else { Serial.print(ambientTemperature); } Serial.print("\t"); Serial.print("VocIndex:"); if (isnan(vocIndex)) { Serial.print("n/a"); } else { Serial.print(vocIndex); } Serial.print("\t"); Serial.print("NoxIndex:"); if (isnan(noxIndex)) { Serial.println("n/a"); } else { Serial.println(noxIndex); } } }
Introduction
The SparkFun Qwiic 5V Boost - AP3012K converts the logic-level and boost the power of the Qwiic connect system from 3.3V, to 5V on its PTH pins. This is handy for connecting any I2C device that requires a higher supply voltage, such as super bright LEDs or mechanisms like a DC fan on our air quality sensors. On the board, we also provide 3V3
/5V
jumpers, which can be used to configure the logic-levels of the I2C PTH pins. Therefore, this board can be utilized to connect an I2C device that requires any combination of 3.3V/5V for its power and/or signals.
Note
The boost circuit on this board is rated to source up to a 100mA at 5V output, with 90% efficiency. However, users should note that this limitation is not only dependent on the load being connected, but also the amount of current that is being sourced to the Qwiic connector system.
Hardware Overview
Design Files
-
Design Files
- Schematic
- KiCad Files
- STEP File
- Board Dimensions:
- 1.00" x 1.00" (25.40mm x 25.40mm)
-
Manipulate 3D Model
Controls Mouse Touchscreen Zoom Scroll Wheel 2-Finger Pinch Rotate Left-Click & Drag 1-Finger Drag Move/Translate Right-Click & Drag 2-Finger Drag Dimensions of the Qwiic 5V Boost. Need more measurements?
For more information about the board's dimensions, users can download the KiCad files for this board. These files can be opened in KiCad and additional measurements can be made with the measuring tool.
KiCad - Free Download!
KiCad is free, open-source CAD program for electronics. Click on the button below to download their software. (*Users can find out more information about KiCad from their website.)
Download Measuring Tool
This video demonstrates how to utilize the dimensions tool in KiCad, to include additional measurements:
Board Layout
The Qwiic 5V Boost has the following features:
-
- PTH Breakout Pins
- A set of six 0.1" pitch PTH pins that breakout the boosted power and converted TTL signals of the I2C bus; and a control pin for the boost converter.
-
- Qwiic Connectors
- The primary interfaces for the Qwiic 5V Boost, these are pass-through connectors for the I2C bus.
-
PWR
LED- A red indication LED for when the board is supplied with 3.3V.
Breakout Pins
The PTH pins of the Qwiic 5V Boost breakout: the 3.3V power supply from the Qwiic connectors that supplies power to the AP3012, the boosted 5V power output from the AP3012, a control pin to disable the AP3012, and the converted 5V, logic-level I2C signals from the Qwiic connectors.
GND
- The common ground or the 0V reference for the voltage supplies.
3V3
- The same 3.3V operating power for the Qwiic connectors.
SDA
/SCL
- The converted TTL signals of the I2C pins from the Qwiic connectors; their converted logic-level is controlled by the
3V3
/5V
jumpers. 5V
- The boost 5V power output from the AP3012 boost converter, which is rated up to ~100mA load.
SHDN
- The control signal for AP3012 boost converter; pull
LOW
to disable the IC.
I/O Configurations
With the 3V3
/5V
jumpers to configure the logic-levels of the I2C PTH pins, users can convert the power and logic-levels of the Qwiic connector to any combination of 3.3V and/or 5V on the PTH pins:
Output Power | 5V | 5V | 3.3V |
---|---|---|---|
I2C Logic-Level | 3.3V | 5V | 5V |
By default, the pins are configured to a 5V logic-level.
Maximum Load Current
We recommend a maximum load current of ~100mA from the 5V
output supply voltage from the AP3012 boost converter.
The boosted supply voltage of the boost converter will begin to drop as the current draw from the load increases. We found that for a boosted 5V output from a 3.3V input voltage, there is an inflection point around 100mA where the boosted voltage begins to drop off significantly.
Load Current | Boosted Voltage |
---|---|
10mA | 4.92V |
20mA | 4.91V |
75mA | 4.90V |
100mA | 4.89V |
150mA | 4.87V |
200mA | 4.65V |
Info
This limitation is driven by the current load and supply current for the Qwiic connect system. It is not dictated by the junction temperature of the AP3012.
Qwiic Connectors
Qwiic connectors are provided for users to seamlessly integrate with SparkFun's Qwiic Ecosystem. These are pass-through connectors that operate at the standard 3.3V operating voltage and logic-levels.
Qwiic connectors on the Qwiic 5V Boost.
What is Qwiic?


The Qwiic connect system is a solderless, polarized connection system that allows users to seamlessly daisy chain I2C boards together. Play the video, to learn more about the Qwiic connect system or click on the banner above to learn more about Qwiic products.

Features of the Qwiic System
Qwiic cables (4-pin JST) plug easily from development boards to sensors, shields, accessory boards and more, making easy work of setting up a new prototype.
There's no need to worry about accidentally swapping the SDA
and SCL
wires on your breadboard. The Qwiic connector is polarized so you know you’ll have it wired correctly every time.
The part numbers for the PCB connector is SM04B-SRSS
(Datasheet) and the mating connector on the cables is SHR04V-S-B
; or an equivalent 1mm pitch, 4-pin JST connection.
It’s time to leverage the power of the I2C bus! Most Qwiic boards will have two or more connectors on them, allowing multiple devices to be connected.
LED
There is a red PWR
LED to indicate when the Qwiic 5V Boost is powered with 3.3V. The LED can be disabled by cutting the LED
jumper.
The red PWR
LED the Qwiic 5V Boost.
Jumpers
There are four jumpers on the back of the board that can be used to easily modify the hardware connections on the board.
I2C
- This jumper can be cut to disconnect the pull-up resistors from the I2C pins of Qwiic connectors.
I2C HV
- This jumper can be cut to disconnect the pull-up resistors from the I2C pins of PTH breakout pins.
LED
- This jumper can be cut to remove power from the red
PWR
LED. 3V3
/5V
- Configures the TTL signal level for the I2C pins of PTH breakout pins to either 5V or 3.3V.
Never modified a jumper before?
Check out our Jumper Pads and PCB Traces tutorial for a quick introduction!
Hardware Assembly
Breakout Pins
The PTH pins on the Qwiic 5V Boost are broken out into six 0.1"-pitched pins on the edge of the board. These pins are used to connect a 5V I2C device to the Qwiic connect system.
New to soldering?
If you have never soldered before or need a quick refresher, check out our How to Solder: Through-Hole Soldering guide.
Configuration Options
Users will have the following options for connecting a device to the Qwiic 5V Boost:
Output Power | 5V | 5V | 3.3V |
---|---|---|---|
I2C Logic-Level | 3.3V | 5V | 5V |
Logic-Level
Users can modify the 3V3
/5V
jumpers to configure the logic-level for the SDA
and SCL
PTH pins.
By default, the pins are configured to a 5V logic-level.
Qwiic Connector
The simplest method to connect the Qwiic 5V Boost board to a microcontroller and/or other Qwiic devices, is through the Qwiic connector.
The Qwiic 5V Boost with a 5V I2C RGB LED connected to its PTH pins and daisy-chained with Qwiic cables, though its Qwiic connectors.
Tip
The intended design of the Qwiic 5V Boost board was to be utilized with the Qwiic connector system. However, the Qwiic 5V Boost can also be utilized with other interfaces, similar to how the SparkFun Logic Level Converter - Single Supply operates. The only difference is its TTL conversion, which is push-pull and not open-drain.
Troubleshooting Tips
Need Help?
If you need technical assistance or more information on a product that is not working as you expected, we recommend heading over to the SparkFun Technical Assistance page for some initial troubleshooting.
If you can't find what you need there, the SparkFun Forums is a great place to search product forums and ask questions.
Account Registration Required
If this is your first visit to our forum, you'll need to create a Forum Account to post questions.
Getting Started with the Arduino IDE
This guide assumes users are utilizing the latest version of the Arduino IDE on your desktop. If this is your first time using Arduino IDE, library, or board add-on, please review the following tutorials:
- Installing the Arduino IDE
- Installing an Arduino Library
- Installing Board Definitions in the Arduino IDE
5V Power Limitation
We recommend users limit the load current on the 5V
output supply voltage to a maximum of ~100mA.
This should not be considered as a limitation dictated by the junction temperature of the AP3012. The limitation is driven by the power supply for the Qwiic connect system and the load being placed on the boost circuit. In order to compensate for the increased current, the supply voltage from the AP3012 boost converter will begin to drop as the current draw increases.
Resources
Product Resources
- Product Page
- Design Files:
- Component Documentation:
- SFE Product Showcase Video
- Hardware Repo
Additional Resources
🏠Manufacturer's Resources
Diodes Incorporated also provides great resources for the AP3012 Buck Regulator:
