The Passive infrared (PIR) sensor recommended in this guide detects movement from up to 20 ft. away. It's beefier than the smaller PIR sensor usually suggested for use with the FunHouse. This sensor comes with a 1-foot cable to connect to the FunHouse. The FunHouse has a built-in port for a PIR sensor but you will not use that due to the fact that this PIR sensor needs at least 5V to operate and the PIR sensor input on the FunHouse only provide 3.3V. Do not fear, however, because a Stemma cable can be used to connect to one of the Stemma ports on the FunHouse which gives the sensor the 5V it requires to function. 

Wago Connectors

The PIR sensor cable ends have a smaller than ideal wire gauge (thickness) and will not be able to plug directly into the Stemma cable. These handy Wago wire snap block connectors can be used to connect the PIR wires to the FunHouse Stemma port. These handy little blocks make it easy to connect two wires of different gauge thicknesses without any soldering.

Wiring and Assembly

  • Plug the white cable connector onto the PIR sensor.
  • The orientation should be such that the red cable goes on the 5V+ side and the black cable lines up with the GND side.
  • Start with the black GND cable from the sensor. 
  • Take a Wago block and pull up on one of the orange levers to open the connection.
  • Insert the exposed wire end of the black GND cable.
  • Close the lever of the Wago block to lock in the wire.
  • Make sure the wire itself is latched onto and not the wire outer wrap by turning the block over.
  • Repeat this with another lever of the block using a black jumper cable
  • Repeat the above steps with the Power and Data wires.
  • Connect the jumper cables into the Stemma connector cable. 
  • Plug the Stemma Connector cable into the FunHouse A1 stemma port

Altogether it should look like this!

This guide was first published on Nov 24, 2021. It was last updated on Mar 08, 2024.

This page (Add the PIR Sensor) was last updated on Mar 08, 2024.

Text editor powered by tinymce.