# PiicoDev RFID Module with Pi Pico not responding

**URL:** <https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/t/piicodev-rfid-module-with-pi-pico-not-responding/13715>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [9 April 2022 05:38 UTC](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/t/piicodev-rfid-module-with-pi-pico-not-responding/13715 "2022-04-09T05:38:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Brent38631](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f17d59/32.png) [@Brent38631](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/u/Brent38631)\
**Post date:** [9 April 2022 05:38 UTC](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/t/piicodev-rfid-module-with-pi-pico-not-responding/13715/1 "2022-04-09T05:38:02Z")

</div>

Hi,

I am trying to get a PiicoDev RFID module working with a Pi Pico using directly soldered connections:  
SDA-GP8, SCL-GP9, 3V3, GND

I have followed the [guide](https://core-electronics.com.au/guides/raspberry-pi-pico/piicodev-rfid-module-guide-for-raspberry-pi-pico/) from the website and have downloaded everything as required to the pico. Documentation I have found appears to indicate that the Pico expansion board also uses GP8 & GP9 for I2C connections - so I would assume the default code should work as is.

When I run the default code:

```auto
from PiicoDev_RFID import PiicoDev_RFID
from PiicoDev_Unified import sleep_ms

rfid = PiicoDev_RFID() # Initialise the RFID module

print('Place tag near the PiicoDev RFID Module')

while True:    
    if rfid.tagPresent(): # if an RFID tag is present
        id = rfid.readID() # get the id
# id = rfid.readID(detail=True) # gets more details eg. tag type

        print(id) # print the id

    sleep_ms(100)

```

I get the following output - but nothing more when I place a tag on the reader:

> MicroPython v1.18 on 2022-01-17; Raspberry Pi Pico with RP2040
> 
> Type “help()” for more information.  
> %Run -c $EDITOR\_CONTENT  
> Place tag near the PiicoDev RFID Module

I have tried the following test code - which appears to indicate that the Pico connection to the RFID module is correct:

```auto
import machine
sda=machine.Pin(8)
scl=machine.Pin(9)
i2c=machine.I2C(0,sda=sda, scl=scl, freq=400000)
print(i2c.scan())

```

Which gives an output of:

> [44]

**Does this mean my RFID module is faulty - or am I doing something else wrong?** I am new to the Pi Pico and micro python.

I have tried several different tags, which all respond correctly to a [Home Assistant Tag Reader](https://github.com/adonno/tagreader)

Thanks,

Brent

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Liam](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.core-electronics.com.au/liam/32/3562_2.png) [@Liam](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/u/Liam)\
**Post date:** [11 April 2022 01:08 UTC](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/t/piicodev-rfid-module-with-pi-pico-not-responding/13715/2 "2022-04-11T01:08:25Z")

</div>

Hi Brent,

Thanks for making a topic!

Would it be possible to get a photo of how you have everything connected?  
What RFID/NFC tags were you using? (Mifare tags will work with both your PN532 and the PiicoDev reader).

If you move the card around the coil end of the reader do you get anything coming through the REPL?

From the sounds of it, there might be a fault somewhere in the system (not ruling out a faulty reader or Pico).

Liam

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Brent38631](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f17d59/32.png) [@Brent38631](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/u/Brent38631)\
**Post date:** [11 April 2022 22:19 UTC](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/t/piicodev-rfid-module-with-pi-pico-not-responding/13715/3 "2022-04-11T22:19:20Z")

</div>

Hi Liam,

I have tried several different tags - most of which show as Mifare (both original and “possibly cloned” ) when scanned with NXP TagInfo on my mobile. I’ve also tried a NTAG2115 which also does not work.  
Below are a couple of photos:

 ![20220412_075347](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/core_electronics/original/2X/9/9c986e72cef2da81eb2bf5112512129be25ffe18.jpeg)  
 ![20220412_075253](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/core_electronics/original/2X/f/feab6a5d35ae7db0fac68608a501838c44dc3482.jpeg)  
 ![20220412_075427](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/core_electronics/original/2X/b/ba9593034b3825b6b8b89c417437d8ee87869fa1.jpeg)

Brent

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Liam](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.core-electronics.com.au/liam/32/3562_2.png) [@Liam](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/u/Liam)\
**Post date:** [12 April 2022 00:24 UTC](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/t/piicodev-rfid-module-with-pi-pico-not-responding/13715/4 "2022-04-12T00:24:16Z")

</div>

Hi Brent,

Nothing seems to be jumping out, were you able to test the module before soldering it with the Pico (an expansion board and PiicoDev cable would be the way to go)?

With the module being so close to the Pico I wonder if there is some sort of interference/damping created, does moving it a bit further away have any effect?

I’ve sent through an email in the event that none of the above work 😃

Liam

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bahram218735](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Bahram218735](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/u/Bahram218735)\
**Post date:** [16 December 2022 18:50 UTC](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/t/piicodev-rfid-module-with-pi-pico-not-responding/13715/5 "2022-12-16T18:50:39Z")

</div>

I have same issue, the RFID hardware works fine when it is connected to PI-4 but on pi pico and python library it is not working.  
There is one more issue , occasionally it works with the card but never with tag.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mike224058](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.core-electronics.com.au/mike224058/32/7911_2.png) [@Mike224058](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/u/Mike224058)\
**Post date:** [28 January 2023 10:06 UTC](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/t/piicodev-rfid-module-with-pi-pico-not-responding/13715/6 "2023-01-28T10:06:09Z")

</div>

I have a similar issue. I have connected a generic pn532 breakboard to a rpi pico via i2c. When scanning I get :

```auto
Scan i2c bus...
i2c devices found: 1
Decimal address: 36 | Hexa address: 0x24

```

When I run read\_id.py I get:

```auto
 File "<stdin>", line 6, in <module>
  File "PiicoDev_RFID.py", line 79, in __init__
  File "PiicoDev_RFID.py", line 284, in reset
  File "PiicoDev_RFID.py", line 95, in _wreg
OSError: [Errno 5] EIO

```

line 79 in “PiicoDev\_RFID.py” referes to a soft reset of the device.  
Any suggestions? Thank you