Adafruit
Adafruit QT 5V to 3V Shifter Breakout - STEMMA QT / Qwiic
The Adafruit QT 5V to 3V Shifter Breakout lets you safely connect 3.3 V STEMMA QT / Qwiic sensors to 5 V microcontrollers like the Arduino Uno. Many I2C sens...
The Adafruit QT 5V to 3V Shifter Breakout lets you safely connect 3.3 V STEMMA QT / Qwiic sensors to 5 V microcontrollers like the Arduino Uno. Many I2C sensors and Qwiic-compatible devices are not 5 V safe — connecting them directly to a 5 V board risks damage. This breakout handles the voltage translation so your 3.3 V sensors stay protected.
On the input side, connect your 5 V microcontroller. The on-board 3.3 V regulator (500 mA) steps the power down while level-shifting circuitry translates I2C signals to 3.3 V on the output side. STEMMA QT / Qwiic connectors on both sides make wiring solderless, and breadboard breakout pins let you use it on a perfboard too.
Key Features
- 5 V to 3.3 V Regulation – On-board 3.3 V regulator provides up to 500 mA for connected sensors
- I2C Level Shifting – Safely translates 5 V I2C signals down to 3.3 V
- STEMMA QT / Qwiic Connectors – Plug-and-play I2C on both sides; no soldering required
- Breadboard Friendly – Breakout pins for prototyping; doubles as a QT-to-perfboard adapter
- Protects 3.3 V Sensors – Prevents over-voltage damage from 5 V microcontrollers
Also Consider
- QT 3V to 5V Level Booster – The reverse: boosts 3.3 V up to 5 V for sensors that need higher voltage
Ideal For
- Connecting 3.3 V Qwiic / STEMMA QT sensors to 5 V Arduino boards
- Protecting I2C devices that are not 5 V tolerant
- Bridging 5 V and 3.3 V I2C buses in mixed-voltage projects
- Breadboard prototyping with STEMMA QT breakout
Resources
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- breakout
- A breakout is a small circuit board that makes a tiny or hard-to-solder component easier to connect to with standard pins. It matters because this OLED module can be wired into a microcontroller project without needing to solder directly to the display’s fine contacts.
- I2C
- I2C is a two-wire communication bus used by many sensors and small modules. It matters because several I2C devices can share the same two wires, but each device needs a compatible address and your controller must support I2C.
- microcontroller
- A microcontroller is a small computer on a chip that runs your program and controls connected inputs and outputs. For this product, it is the part that reads buttons and sensors, drives the display and speaker, and communicates over Bluetooth.
- Qwiic
- Qwiic is a plug-in connector system for I2C devices that uses small 4-pin cables, so you can connect compatible sensors without soldering. It matters because your controller or adapter also needs Qwiic, or you will need a cable or breakout to wire it up.
- STEMMA
- A plug-and-cable connection system used on some maker electronics boards to make wiring simpler. If a product uses STEMMA, you need the matching cable or connector type to plug it in without soldering.
- STEMMA QT
- A small plug-in connector system for I2C boards that lets you connect compatible sensors and controllers without soldering. It matters because it can make wiring faster and less error-prone, especially when adding several small modules to a project.
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