INA219 — i2c address & wiring
Bidirectional current and power monitor over a shunt resistor.
Key facts
INA219 at a glance
| i2c address | 0x400x410x420x430x440x450x460x470x480x490x4A0x4B0x4C0x4D0x4E0x4F address-selectable via pins/jumpers |
|---|---|
| Logic voltage | 3.3–5 V |
| Type | adc |
| Part | TI INA219 |
| Ships with | Gravity |
| Datasheet | TI INA219 — manufacturer documentation ↗ |
The chip
What the TI INA219 actually is
Bidirectional current and power monitor measuring shunt voltage, bus voltage, calculated current and calculated power through an external precision shunt resistor. Supports both high-side and low-side DC current sensing over i2c.
Watch out: The chip reaches all 16 addresses (0x40–0x4F) because A0 and A1 each strap to one of four places — GND, VS+, SDA or SCL. Most breakouts only expose the four you get from GND/VS+ jumpers (0x40, 0x41, 0x44, 0x45); the other twelve need A0/A1 wired to SDA or SCL by hand.
Wiring
How to connect the INA219
The INA219 talks i2c at address 0x40 (up to 16 selectable addresses, handy when you need more than one on the same bus). It runs at 3.3–5 V, so match your host's logic level — if your host is 5 V and a board on the bus is 3.3 V-only, add a level shifter. Use the compatibility checker to confirm the exact cable for your setup.
Because the address is selectable, you can run several INA219 boards on one bus by setting each to a different address — no extra wiring beyond the shared SDA/SCL.
Wiring is the usual four: power, ground, SDA and SCL, plus pull-up resistors — almost always already fitted on the breakout. Nothing showing up? Run an i2c scan first; if the bus is silent, the 7-step checklist finds it faster than guessing.
Ecosystems
Plug-together options for the INA219
INA219 breakouts ship with Gravity — keyed 4-pin cables carrying power, ground, SDA and SCL, so there's nothing to solder and nothing to wire backwards. Chain it to the next board and keep going.
Running a mixed bench? Those ecosystems interoperate more than their marketing suggests — see every connector pairing for the cable or adapter you need, or the standards overview for how they compare.
Go deeper
Guides covering the INA219
Alternatives
Other power monitoring boards
Watch the bus
Boards that clash with the INA219
These want addresses the INA219 also answers (0x42, 0x44, 0x45, 0x4A, 0x4B), so they can't share a bus with it untouched. If one is address-selectable, strap it elsewhere; if not, the conflict guide covers the multiplexer and second-bus routes, and the collision roundup explains why a scan won't warn you.
Get one
Questions
INA219 i2c FAQ
What is the INA219's i2c address?
The INA219 uses 0x40 or 0x41 or 0x42 or 0x43 or 0x44 or 0x45 or 0x46 or 0x47 or 0x48 or 0x49 or 0x4A or 0x4B or 0x4C or 0x4D or 0x4E or 0x4F, selected with an address pin or solder jumper on the board. If a scan turns up something unexpected, our i2c address list names the usual suspect for every address.
What voltage does the INA219 run at?
3.3–5 V logic. That range covers both 3.3 V and 5 V hosts, so it drops onto a Pi, ESP32 or Arduino without a level shifter.
Can I use two INA219s on one i2c bus?
Yes — set each one to a different address (0x40, 0x41, 0x42, 0x43, 0x44, 0x45, 0x46, 0x47, 0x48, 0x49, 0x4A, 0x4B, 0x4C, 0x4D, 0x4E, 0x4F) using its address pin or jumper, then wire both to the same SDA/SCL. That gives you up to 16 on a single bus before you need a multiplexer.
Does the INA219 work with Gravity?
Yes — INA219 breakouts ship with Gravity, so it plugs straight in with no soldering. Mixing ecosystems? The compatibility checker gives you the exact cable or adapter.
What should I watch out for with the INA219?
The chip reaches all 16 addresses (0x40–0x4F) because A0 and A1 each strap to one of four places — GND, VS+, SDA or SCL. Most breakouts only expose the four you get from GND/VS+ jumpers (0x40, 0x41, 0x44, 0x45); the other twelve need A0/A1 wired to SDA or SCL by hand.