PIR Motion Sensor Hookup Guide

Pages
Contributors: jimblom
Favorited Favorite 7

Introduction

Passive infrared (PIR) sensors are motion-detecting devices used in security systems across the world -- even though you may not see them, they probably see you!

PIR Motion Sensor (JST)

PIR Motion Sensor (JST)

SEN-13285
$10.95
22

Using the PIR sensor is simple: power it up, connect a pull-up resistor to the open-collector signal pin, and watch for it to go low. The PIR can sense abrupt changes in scenery as far as 10 feet (~3m) away. Once your microcontroller is sensing movement, it can trigger a buzzer, text message, tweet, or a klaxon.

Suggested Materials

This tutorial serves as a quick primer on PIR motion sensor and demonstrates how to hook them up and use them. Beyond the sensor itself, the following materials are recommended:

Arduino Uno -- We'll be using a digital pin on the Arduino to read the state of the PIR sensor's signal output. Any Arduino-compatible development platform -- be it a RedBoard, Pro or Pro Mini -- can substitute.

Jumper Wires -- The PIR sensor is terminated with a 3-pin JST cable one of the easier ways to connect this to an Arduino is to plug a few jumper cables into the connector and run them straight to an Arduino.

SparkFun RedBoard Qwiic

SparkFun RedBoard Qwiic

DEV-15123
$21.50
20
Mini Speaker - PC Mount 12mm 2.048kHz

Mini Speaker - PC Mount 12mm 2.048kHz

COM-07950
$2.10
5
Jumper Wires Standard 7" M/M - 30 AWG (30 Pack)

Jumper Wires Standard 7" M/M - 30 AWG (30 Pack)

PRT-11026
$2.45
20
LED Mixed Bag - 10mm

LED Mixed Bag - 10mm

COM-13326
$10.95
3

Beyond those two items, you may want to add a buzzer or large LED to make range testing of the PIR sensor more convenient.

Suggested Reading

PIR sensors are a great entry-level component for beginners, but there are still a few basic electronics concepts you should be familiar with. If any of these tutorial titles sound foreign to you, consider skimming through that content first.

Pull-up Resistors

A quick introduction to pull-up resistors - whey they're important, and how/when to use them.

Light

Light is a useful tool for the electrical engineer. Understanding how light relates to electronics is a fundamental skill for many projects.

What is an Arduino?

What is this 'Arduino' thing anyway? This tutorials dives into what an Arduino is and along with Arduino projects and widgets.

Resistors

A tutorial on all things resistors. What is a resistor, how do they behave in parallel/series, decoding the resistor color codes, and resistor applications.