Qwiic MultiPort Hookup Guide

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Contributors: bboyho
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Introduction

The SparkFun Qwiic Multiport adds additional ports to boards that have only one Qwiic port on their I2C bus. Once added, you can use it as a hub to add as many I2C devices to the bus as you need [1] ! You can also use the board as an alternative to a daisy chained configuration.

SparkFun Qwiic MultiPort

SparkFun Qwiic MultiPort

BOB-18012
$2.10
1

Required Materials

To follow along with this tutorial, you will need a microcontroller or single board computer with a Qwiic connector. You will also need a Qwiic cable and a way to power the board. You may not need everything though depending on what you have. Add it to your cart, read through the guide, and adjust the cart as necessary.

Besides having the Qwiic MultiPort in your cart, here are the parts if you decide to go with a microcontroller. You can easily swap out the microcontroller depending on your project's needs with MicroMod. Make sure to include the Qwiic-enabled device in your cart as well!

SparkFun Qwiic Cable Kit

SparkFun Qwiic Cable Kit

KIT-15081
$8.95
22
SparkFun MicroMod ATP Carrier Board

SparkFun MicroMod ATP Carrier Board

DEV-16885
$19.95
1
USB 3.1 Cable A to C - 3 Foot

USB 3.1 Cable A to C - 3 Foot

CAB-14743
$5.50
4
SparkFun MicroMod SAMD51 Processor

SparkFun MicroMod SAMD51 Processor

DEV-16791
$18.95
1

Here are the parts if you decide to go with a single board computer. The Qwiic SHIM kit is a great starting point if you do not have a Qwiic-enabled device in mind.

SparkFun Raspberry Pi 4 Desktop Kit - 4GB

SparkFun Raspberry Pi 4 Desktop Kit - 4GB

KIT-16386
$171.50

SparkFun Qwiic SHIM Kit for Raspberry Pi

KIT-16987

Suggested Reading

If you aren't familiar with the MicroMod ecosystem, we recommend reading here for an overview. We recommend reading here for an overview if you decide to take advantage of the Qwiic connector.

MicroMod Logo Qwiic Connect System
MicroMod EcosystemQwiic Connect System

We also recommend taking a look through the following tutorials if you are not familiar with the concepts covered in them:

Logic Levels

Learn the difference between 3.3V and 5V devices and logic levels.

I2C

An introduction to I2C, one of the main embedded communications protocols in use today.

Raspberry Pi 4 Kit Hookup Guide

Guide for hooking up your Raspberry Pi 4 Model B basic, desktop, or hardware starter kit together.

Getting Started with MicroMod

Dive into the world of MicroMod - a compact interface to connect a microcontroller to various peripherals via the M.2 Connector!

Hardware Overview

The board is a simple design that allows you to connect devices to the I2C bus easily with the Qwiic Connect System. Power and logic levels are set to 3.3V. Make sure to use a logic level converter if your board uses a voltage higher than 3.3V.

Wire Color Signal
Black GND
Red 3.3V
Blue SDA
Yellow SCL

Qwiic Connectors

There are 4x Qwiic connectors populated on the board.

alt text

LED and Jumper

In addition to the connectors, there is an LED to indicate when power is available on the I2C bus. On the back, there is a jumper in case you would like to disable the LED.

Front of Board Back of Board

Mounting Holes

There are 2x mounting holes included on the board.

Mounting Holes

Board Dimensions

Below are the board dimensions. The overall size of the board is 1.00" x 1.00". Each connector extending from the center has a width of about 0.30". As stated earlier, this board has 2x mounting holes located around the center.

Board Dimensions

Hardware Assembly

Expanding on Boards with One Qwiic Connector

Depending on the design, there may only be enough room for one Qwiic connector. Below are a few of these boards from the SparkFun catalog

SparkFun 20x4 SerLCD - RGB Backlight (Qwiic)

SparkFun 20x4 SerLCD - RGB Backlight (Qwiic)

LCD-16398
$26.95
16
SparkFun 16x2 SerLCD - RGB Backlight (Qwiic)

SparkFun 16x2 SerLCD - RGB Backlight (Qwiic)

LCD-16396
$21.95
2
SparkFun GPS Breakout - ZOE-M8Q (Qwiic)

SparkFun GPS Breakout - ZOE-M8Q (Qwiic)

GPS-15193
$49.95
8
SparkFun Power Delivery Board - USB-C (Qwiic)

SparkFun Power Delivery Board - USB-C (Qwiic)

DEV-15801
$26.95
6
SparkFun 16x2 SerLCD - RGB Text (Qwiic)

SparkFun 16x2 SerLCD - RGB Text (Qwiic)

LCD-16397
$21.50
7
SparkFun Qwiic Soil Moisture Sensor

SparkFun Qwiic Soil Moisture Sensor

SEN-17731
$19.95
2

If you are looking to connect more than one device with one Qwiic connector to your development board, you will just need a Qwiic MultiPort board and an additional Qwiic cable for each device.

Qwiic MultiPort Connecting Several I2C Devices with One Qwiic Connector on the Qwiic MicroMod Breakout

Alternative to a Daisy Chained Configuration

The Qwiic MultiPort can also be used as a hub so that you do not have to place the board with one Qwiic connector at the end of the daisy chain. Below is an example with the Qwiic SHIM Kit for Raspberry Pi. Instead of having the Qwiic 9DoF between the Pi and Qwiic SerLCD,

Raspberry Pi Connecting to the Qwiic SHIM Kit

Mounting with Standoffs

The two boards can be mounted with standoffs for a secure connection. Below is the Qwiic Micro (SAMD21), Qwiic MultiPort, Qwiic GPS (ZOE-M8Q), and a GPS antenna (W3062A) connected stacked on top of each other. They are all connected to the Qwiic SerLCD connect using Qwiic cables (with the exception of the antenna).

Qwiic MultiPort Mounted to the Board

Resources and Going Further

Now that you've connected your Qwiic MultiPort, it's time to incorporate it into your own project! For more information, check out the resources below:

Looking for inspiration? Check out any of the tutorials tagged with Qwiic for ideas on what to connect to your Qwiic system!

Qwiic MUX Hookup Guide

Have a bunch of sensors with the same I2C address? Put them on the Qwiic MUX (TCA9548A) to get them all talking on the same bus!

Qwiic Pro Kit Project Guide

The Qwiic Pro Kit was designed to allow users to get started with Arduino without the need for soldering or a breadboard. We've included three inputs (a joystick, accelerometer, and proximity sensor) and one display that can be daisy chained to the RedBoard Turbo (SAMD21) Development Board.

Pi Servo pHAT (v2) Hookup Guide

This hookup guide will get you started with connecting and using the Pi Servo pHAT on a Raspberry Pi.

SparkFun Qwiic Shield for Arduino Nano Hookup Guide

Hookup Guide for the SparkFun Qwiic Shield for Arduino Nano.