How to not fry (bake?) my Raspberry Pi

[BakeThePi]

Hello,

I have a new Raspberry Pi, and I want to use the GPIO Pins in the future. I am a beginner at this though, and I do not want to fry (bake ) my Raspberry Pi. Do you have any tips on what I should (and shouldn't) do?

Thanks,
BakeThePi (or not)

[drgeoff]

Follow instructions from reputable sources such as the Projects section of this site and books whose authors' backgrounds indicate they know what they are writing about.

[LTolledo]

Don't (as in never ever!) put it in hot oil, in the microwave or any oven, or in open flame!!!
oopsie... with open flame... its toast/roast!

3.3v is the maximum voltage allowed for each GPIO pins (pins 1, 2 and 4, all ground pins are not GPIO pins!!!)

never short each GPIO pin with each other or the with the voltage pins or ground.

max 16mA for each GPIO pin, total 51mA for all GPIO pins combined (better limit to 0.5mA each pin... if possible)

fail those.... bye-bye RPi!


To add:
better put your RPi in a case specifically designed for the RPi, preferably non-metallic cases.

make your connections to the GPIO pins while all power sources ARE REMOVED!!

forgot to mention.... as an electronic device.... its not compatible with conductive liquids (like the lethal di-hydrogen monoxide).... so keep it away from those as well.

[boyoh]

You are given the option of setting the GPIO I/P
To a impedance level that the processor can
Respond to. In its high impedance state floating
It will not sink or source a working level signal
This being a logic level 0 low or 1 high, So you
MUST set it to a working impedance level by
Setting the internal resistance 50k or using a
External resister of 10k . If you want it to respond
To a logic 1 high you connect it to the 0v rail
If you want it to respond to a logic 0 low you
Connect it to the 3.3v rail
Leaving the GPIO IN/PUT Floating is not allowed
Because it can be influenced be stray signals( Noise
My advice is learn some basic electronics first
And Ohms Law ( Regards BoyOh )
Retired Electrical / Electronics Technician.

[PhatFil]

Dont be tempted to make live connections to the gpio pins with the pi running. Always shut down the pi system and disconnect power before making any wiring changes and check things twice and then again a 3rd time before turning on power..

[davidcoton]

Dont be tempted to make live connections to the gpio pins with the pi running. Always shut down the pi system and disconnect power before making any wiring changes and check things twice and then again a 3rd time before turning on power..

+1. Preferably take a tea/coffee break between the second and third check. Power up in haste, repent your fried Pi at leisure.

[Burngate]

Start simple - get one LED to turn on & off.

By the time you've achieved that, you'll have learned a huge amount, such things as:
- having a resistor in series with it to limit the current
- that current goes in circles - you need a ground connection for the current from the GPIO to get back to the Pi (hence the term circuit)

You'd be surprised at the number of people who've destroyed their Pi by not having a resistor in series with their LED, and also the number who complain they can't get their complicated project to work, having not joined all the grounds together.

Oh - and one more thing - when you ask a question and get an answer that works, tell us it did so. Just like dogs, we like the occasional pat.

[mahjongg]

read about the six things that will instantly destroy your RPI here: https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/view ... 1#p1467093

[hippy]

I would recommend getting an older and/or cheaper Pi to do GPIO experiments on so it's not so expensive and depressing if anything does go wrong. Older Pi's are also less sensitive to 'stupid mistakes' than later Pi, have a greater chance of recovering if you do short something out.

First thing to learn is the pin numbering of the GPIO header connector, and how the GPIO pins may be numbered, using native Broadcom GPIOn numbering and other schemes. I recommend sticking with native Broadcom numbering and shunning the rest; always refer to GPIOn name rather than header pin number.

I would recommend buying and using "Dupont jumper cables" to take GPIO pins to a breadboard or use one of the Pi-to-breadboard break-out boards.

Don't probe the header pins with a multimeter or scope probe directly if you can avoid that. Use those Dupont cables and measure remotely. Less chance of accidental shorts that way.

And a handy tip is that wire sheathing, such as from UK 6A mains cable, can be pulled off the wires, cut to short lengths, and slipped over header pins to protect them from being accidentally contacted with.

Get some kind of case or mount your Pi on some baseboard so it's not prone to slipping about. Again, less chance of any accidental shorts that way.

Always double check your wiring and header pin counting.

And finally; don't be afraid to ask if you need help or confirmation as to whether your wiring is correct.

[LTolledo]

I would recommend getting an older and/or cheaper Pi to do GPIO experiments on so it's not so expensive and depressing if anything does go wrong. Older Pi's are also less sensitive to 'stupid mistakes' than later Pi, have a greater chance of recovering if you do short something out.

This is what I have been strongly recommending before....only to be scorned at by some of the others. But my position remains the same.
For electronics tinkering with the RPi use older and/or cheaper models.

this is how I deploy it. Am using RPi1B+ for this setup.

BreadboardPi.JPG (139.48 KiB) Viewed 458 times

BreadBoardPi_view1.jpg (225.27 KiB) Viewed 458 times

[hippy]

this is how I deploy it. Am using RPi1B+ for this setup.

Pi B+ for me too - One can buy three to five of those second-hand for the price of a 4B.

Having at least one additional Pi for experimentation, software or hardware, means no risk of losing your main Pi and whatever it does if something goes wrong.

Having multiple additional Pi's means, if one does blow one up, it's swap it out and replace, and back on track again in seconds, minimal inconvenience. Sod's Law would also have it that if you have spares you'll never need them, whereas, if you don't, you will wish you had.

It also means one can risk 'pushing the boat out' when one knows there is a greater potential for disaster. The loss of one Pi isn't that bad in the grand scheme of things.

I typically buy hardware in threes as a minimum, Pi or other modules; one for use in the deployed latest version, one for experimenting for the next version, and one as a spare. It's a policy which has served me well over a number of decades.

[quarkjuggler]

Assume that you will make a programming error and be treating an input pin as an output pin. Your input should be softened with a resistor, so that if the GPIO pin has an attitude, it will win the argument--and will stay within acceptable current.