The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Connect the BH1750’s VCC to the Pico’s 3V3(OUT), GND to GND, SDA to GP8, and SCL to GP9. In MicroPython, use I2C(0) on GP8 and GP9, scan for the sensor’s address, then allow time for a light reading to finish before retrieving lux.
Wire the BH1750 to the Pico
The BH1750 is a digital I2C light sensor, so it does not connect to an analog ADC input. These connections work for both Raspberry Pi Pico and Pico W:
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| BH1750 breakout | Raspberry Pi Pico or Pico W | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| VCC | 3V3(OUT) | Supplies the sensor at 3.3 V logic. |
| GND | Any GND pin | Provides a shared ground. |
| SDA | GP8 | I2C0 data in this example. |
| SCL | GP9 | I2C0 clock in this example. |
| ADDR | GND/low for 0x23; high for 0x5C | Selects the I2C address; check the breakout’s labeling and solder-jumper arrangement. |
Pico and Pico W GPIO use 3.3 V logic; do not feed the I2C pull-ups from a 5 V rail. Raspberry Pi’s Pico W datasheet states that its I/O voltage is fixed at 3.3 V. GP8 and GP9 are one usable I2C pin pair, not the only possible I2C pins.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesSet up MicroPython and check the I2C address
Install the MicroPython UF2 intended for your board by following the Raspberry Pi MicroPython instructions. Then run this short scan from a MicroPython REPL or a saved script:
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from machine import Pin, I2C
i2c = I2C(0, sda=Pin(8), scl=Pin(9), freq=100000)
print([hex(a) for a in i2c.scan()])The code and physical wiring must use the same GPIOs. The MicroPython I2C documentation describes the I2C API and scanning attached devices. The BH1750 uses one of two 7-bit addresses: ADDR low selects 0x23, and ADDR high selects 0x5C, according to ROHM’s BH1750FVI technical note. A scan prints hexadecimal addresses, so look for 0x23 or 0x5c.
Read lux in MicroPython
Using a BH1750 driver
If a BH1750 MicroPython driver is installed on the board, create the sensor with the address reported by the scan. For the commonly used 0x23 address, a GY-302 example follows this pattern:
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from machine import Pin, I2C
from utime import sleep
from bh1750 import BH1750
i2c = I2C(0, sda=Pin(8), scl=Pin(9))
sensor = BH1750(0x23, i2c)
while True:
print(sensor.measurement)
sleep(1)The MicroPython BH1750 example names the GY-302 breakout and uses this driver pattern. If your scan returns 0x5c, pass 0x5c to the driver instead. The driver module must be present on the Pico for from bh1750 import BH1750 to work.
Allow the sensor to finish a conversion
In standard high-resolution mode, a reading takes about 120 ms typically; ROHM’s example sequence allows up to about 180 ms for completion. A program that reads too soon may retrieve an incomplete or stale result. High-resolution mode 2 has a typical resolution of 0.5 lux and a typical measurement time of 120 ms. In standard high-resolution mode, the raw 16-bit result is converted to lux by dividing by 1.2. If measurement-time settings are changed, apply the correction specified in ROHM’s technical note rather than assuming the same conversion factor.
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Troubleshoot a scan that finds no BH1750
- Check power and ground: connect VCC to 3V3(OUT), not 5 V, and make sure the sensor and Pico share ground.
- Check the address: scan for both
0x23and0x5c. The ADDR pin or solder strap selects between them. - Check SDA and SCL: confirm SDA goes to GP8 and SCL to GP9, and that the
I2C(0)constructor names those same pins. - Inspect the breakout: examine solder joints, pull-ups, and ADDR wiring. GY-302 clones may not have identical silkscreen labels or jumper arrangements.
- Wait before reading: allow about 180 ms for a conservative first test in high-resolution mode, based on the maximum wait in ROHM’s example measurement sequence.
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