It's easy to use the TMP006 sensor with Python and CircuitPython, and the Adafruit CircuitPython TMP006 module. This module allows you to easily write Python code that reads the temperature from the sensor.

You can use this 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 a TMP006 to your board exactly as shown on the previous pages for Arduino.  Here's an example of wiring a Feather M0 to the sensor with I2C:

  • Board 3V to sensor VCC
  • Board GND to sensor GND
  • Board SCL to sensor SCL
  • Board SDA to sensor SDA

Python Computer Wiring

Since there's dozens of Linux computers/boards you can use, we will show 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 with I2C:

  • Pi 3V3 to sensor VCC
  • Pi GND to sensor GND
  • Pi SCL to sensor SCL
  • Pi SDA to sensor SDA

CircuitPython Installation of TMP006 Library

Next, you'll need to install the Adafruit CircuitPython TMP006 library on your CircuitPython board.  

First make sure you are running the latest version of Adafruit CircuitPython for your board.

Next, you'll need to install the necessary libraries to use the hardware. Carefully follow the steps to find and install these libraries from Adafruit's CircuitPython library bundle.  Our introduction guide has a great page on how to install the library bundle for both Express and non-Express boards.

You need to copy the following libraries out of the library bundle into the lib folder on your CIRCUITPY drive:

  • adafruit_tmp006.mpy
  • adafruit_bus_device

Before continuing make sure your board's lib folder or root filesystem has the adafruit_tmp006.mpy, and adafruit_bus_device files and folders copied over.

Next connect to the board's serial REPL so you are at the CircuitPython >>> prompt.

Python Installation of TMP006 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:

  • sudo pip3 install adafruit-circuitpython-tmp006

If your default Python is version 3 you may need to run 'pip' instead. Just make sure you aren't trying to use CircuitPython on Python 2.x, it isn't supported!

CircuitPython & Python Usage

To demonstrate the usage of the sensor, we'll initialize it and read the temperature from the board's Python REPL.

Run the following code to import the necessary modules and initialize the I2C connection with the sensor:

import board
import busio
import adafruit_tmp006

i2c = busio.I2C(board.SCL, board.SDA)
sensor = adafruit_tmp006.TMP006(i2c)

Now you're ready to read values from the sensor using the following property:

  • temperature - The object temperature in degrees Celsius.
print(sensor.temperature)

That's all there is to reading object temperature with the TMP006 and CircuitPython!

Full Example Code

# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2021 ladyada for Adafruit Industries
# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT

import time
import board
import busio
import adafruit_tmp006


# Define a function to convert celsius to fahrenheit.
def c_to_f(c):
    return c * 9.0 / 5.0 + 32.0


# Create library object using our Bus I2C port
i2c = busio.I2C(board.SCL, board.SDA)
sensor = adafruit_tmp006.TMP006(i2c)

# Initialize communication with the sensor, using the default 16 samples per conversion.
# This is the best accuracy but a little slower at reacting to changes.
# The first sample will be meaningless
while True:
    obj_temp = sensor.temperature
    print(
        "Object temperature: {0:0.3F}*C / {1:0.3F}*F".format(obj_temp, c_to_f(obj_temp))
    )
    time.sleep(5.0)

This guide was first published on Mar 17, 2013. It was last updated on Mar 28, 2024.

This page (Python & CircuitPython) was last updated on Mar 28, 2024.

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