It's easy to use the ENS161 with Python or CircuitPython, and the Adafruit_CircuitPython_ENS160 module. This module allows you to easily write Python code that allows you to read the ENS161 gas sensor. You can use this gas sensor with any CircuitPython microcontroller board or with a computer that has GPIO and Python thanks to Adafruit_Blinka, our CircuitPython-for-Python compatibility library.
CircuitPython Microcontroller Wiring
First, wire up an ENS161 to your board exactly as shown below. Here's an example of wiring a Feather RP2040 to the ENS161 with I2C using one of the handy STEMMA QT connectors:
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Board STEMMA 3V to breakout STEMMA VIN (red wire)
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Board STEMMA GND to breakout STEMMA GND (black wire)
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Board STEMMA SCL to breakout STEMMA SCL (yellow wire)
- Board STEMMA SDA to breakout STEMMA SDA (blue wire)
You can also use standard 0.100" pitch headers to wire it up on a breadboard:
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Board 3V to breakout VIN (red wire)
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Board GND to breakout GND (black wire)
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Board SCL to breakout SCK/SCL (yellow wire)
- Board SDA to breakout SDI/SDA (blue wire)
Python Computer Wiring
Since there's dozens of Linux computers/boards you can use, below shows wiring for Raspberry Pi. For other platforms, please visit the guide for CircuitPython on Linux to see whether your platform is supported.
Here's the Raspberry Pi wired to the gas sensor using I2C and a STEMMA QT connector:
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Pi 3V to breakout STEMMA VIN (red wire)
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Pi GND to breakout STEMMA GND (black wire)
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Pi SCL to breakout STEMMA SCL (yellow wire)
- Pi SDA to breakout STEMMA SDA (blue wire)
Finally here is an example of how to wire up a Raspberry Pi to the gas sensor using a solderless breadboard:
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Pi 3V to breakout VIN (red wire)
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Pi GND to breakout GND (black wire)
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Pi SCL to breakout SCK/SCL (yellow wire)
- Pi SDA to breakout SDI/SDA (blue wire)
Python Installation of ENS160 Library
You'll need to install the Adafruit_Blinka library that provides the CircuitPython support in Python. This may also require enabling I2C on your platform and verifying you are running Python 3. Since each platform is a little different, and Linux changes often, please visit the CircuitPython on Linux guide to get your computer ready!
Once that's done, from your command line run the following command:
pip3 install adafruit-circuitpython-ens160
If your default Python is version 3, you may need to run pip instead. Make sure you aren't trying to use CircuitPython on Python 2.x, it isn't supported!
CircuitPython Usage
To use with CircuitPython, you need to first install the ENS160 library, and its dependencies, into the lib folder on your CIRCUITPY drive. Then you need to update code.py with the example script.
Thankfully, we can do this in one go. In the example below, click the Download Project Bundle button below to download the necessary libraries and the code.py file in a zip file. Extract the contents of the zip file, and copy the entire lib folder and the code.py file to your CIRCUITPY drive.
Your CIRCUITPY/lib folder should contain the following folders and file:
- adafruit_bus_device/
- adafruit_register/
- adafruit_ens160.mpy
Python Usage
Once you have the library pip3 installed on your computer, copy or download the following example to your computer, and run the following, replacing code.py with whatever you named the file:
python3 code.py
If running CircuitPython: Once everything is saved to the CIRCUITPY drive, connect to the serial console to see the data printed out!
If running Python: The console output will appear wherever you are running Python.
# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright (c) 2022 ladyada for Adafruit Industries
#
# SPDX-License-Identifier: Unlicense
import time
import board
import adafruit_ens160
i2c = board.I2C() # uses board.SCL and board.SDA
# i2c = board.STEMMA_I2C() # For using the built-in STEMMA QT connector on a microcontroller
ens = adafruit_ens160.ENS160(i2c)
# Set the temperature compensation variable to the ambient temp
# for best sensor calibration
ens.temperature_compensation = 25
# Same for ambient relative humidity
ens.humidity_compensation = 50
while True:
print("AQI (1-5):", ens.AQI)
print("TVOC (ppb):", ens.TVOC)
print("eCO2 (ppm):", ens.eCO2)
print()
# new data shows up every second or so
time.sleep(1)
In the example, the gas sensor is instantiated on I2C. Then, in the loop, AQI, TVOC and eCO2 readings are printed to the REPL every second.
Page last edited December 02, 2025
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