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Description
This is an RCWL-0516 microwave sensor, an easy-to-use alternative to the classic PIR sensor we know and love.
Why would you opt for a microwave sensor over PIR? The main reason is its ability to work inside a non-metallic enclosure or even through most walls, allowing you to create something like a room sensor with a clean finish that you'd be happy to have in the home (we have a great little enclosure for that here!). It also means you can use these in garden/outdoors projects, inside a waterproof enclosure.
It's also much more compact than traditional PIR sensors, and that's always a good thing!
Using microwave radar technology, this sensor detects motion in a range of 4 to 7 meters, making it ideal for a variety of projects such as human monitoring, pet detection, home automation and more! The output pin is 3.3V, and with an input of 4-28V, you can use this with your Raspberry Pi, Raspberry Pi Pico, Arduino and other similar microcontrollers.
You can even solder a light-dependent resistor (LDR) to the two angled CDS pads to disable the sensor when it detects light - handy for night-only projects, such as garden wildlife (spot those pesky foxes!).
Features
- Microwave radar technology: Uses Doppler radar for motion detection
- Detection range: Effective from 5 to 7 meters
- Wide operating voltage: 4 to 28V DC input range
- 3.3V digital output: Compatible with Raspberry Pi, Pico, Arduino and more!
- High sensitivity: Can detect motion through walls and non-metallic objects
- Compact design: Small form factor allows for easy integration into various projects
- Low power consumption: Efficient design - minimal power usage
- Option to add an LDR: Disables the sensor when it detects light, handy for night-only projects
Specifications
- Operating voltage: 4-28V DC
- Detection distance: ~5-7 meters
- Operating current: ~2.8 mA
- Output: 3.3V
- Dimensions: 36mm x 17mm
Resources
Raspberry Pi Usage
For Raspberry Pi usage (and most microcontrollers) the relevant pins will be:
- VIN - Input voltage (4-28V). Connect this to your 5V line.
- GND - Connect this to a Ground pin
- OUT - Digital output pin, connect this to a GPIO pin as an input
All you need to do then is code your project to look for a HIGH signal on the pin you connected to OUT, the same as any other digital input.
Other Pins
- CDS - Light sensor (LDR) pin, can be used for enable control
- 3V3 - This pin outputs 3.3V (it's not an input to power the module!) from an onboard regulator, offering 3.3V @ 100mA max
Package Contents
- 1 x RCWL-0516 Microwave Sensor
