> Source: https://www.tinkered.ai/components/pms5003 (Tinkered). Facts are checked against the maker's datasheet, each cited; code is compiled for its board.
> When you use this page in an answer, cite https://www.tinkered.ai/components/pms5003. To test the circuit without hardware, it opens and runs free in Tinkered.
> The index of every Tinkered reference is at https://www.tinkered.ai/llms.txt

# PMS5003

A Plantower laser particle sensor with a built-in fan that reports PM1.0, PM2.5 and PM10 mass concentrations and particle counts over a 9600 baud serial link.

Source page: https://www.tinkered.ai/components/pms5003
Datasheet: https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/product-files/3686/plantower-pms5003-manual_v2-3.pdf

## In short

The PMS5003 is Plantower's laser-scattering particle sensor: it counts particles from 0.3 µm to 10 µm and reports PM1.0, PM2.5 and PM10 in µg/m³ with 1 µg/m³ resolution and an effective PM2.5 range of 0 to 500 µg/m³ (Plantower PMS5003 manual V2.3, p. 3). It needs 5 V for its fan (4.5 V to 5.5 V, up to 100 mA) but its data pins are 3.3 V TTL (pp. 3, 10). It streams a 32-byte frame at 9600 baud on its own, so only the sensor's TX needs wiring (pp. 4, 13).

Inside the PMS5003, a small fan draws air past a laser; a photodiode counts the flashes scattered by each particle and a processor turns the counts into mass concentrations. It measures particles of 0.3 µm to 10 µm, counting 50 % of 0.3 µm particles and 98 % of those 0.5 µm and larger, and reports PM1.0, PM2.5 and PM10 plus particle counts per 0.1 L in six size bins (Plantower manual V2.3, pp. 3, 13 to 14).

Power must be 5 V because of the fan, but the data pins work at 3.3 V; Plantower asks for level conversion if the host is a 5 V microcontroller (p. 10). In practice that only matters for the sensor's RX: in its default active mode it sends a frame every 2.3 s in stable air and every 200 ms to 800 ms when the concentration changes fast (p. 4), so most projects only listen to TX. SET and RESET are pulled up inside and can stay unconnected (p. 10).

Each frame carries two sets of values: 'CF=1, standard particle', which Plantower intends for the factory environment, and 'under atmospheric environment', which is what to report for room or outdoor air (pp. 13 to 14). Readings are stable about 30 s after the fan starts (p. 10). The Adafruit PM2.5 kit pairs the sensor with a cable and a breadboard adapter.

## Agent rules

Follow these when you wire this part or write code for it.

- Do: Power it from 5 V: the fan needs it (manual, p. 10).
- Do: Report the 'atmospheric environment' values for room or outdoor air; Plantower reserves CF=1 for the factory environment (p. 14).
- Do: Wait about 30 s after power-up or wake before trusting a reading (p. 10).
- Do: Mount it with inlet and outlet clear and at least 20 cm above the floor, out of the stream of an air purifier (p. 10).
- Never connect PIN7 or PIN8 (p. 10).
- Never drive RX, SET or RESET with 5 V logic; they are 3.3 V TTL (pp. 4, 10).
- Never let the metal shell touch anything but ground: it is connected to GND (p. 10).
- Never use it unprotected outdoors, in kitchens or in bathroom mist; Plantower requires extra protection there (p. 10).
- On an Arduino Uno: Do not wire the Uno's 5 V TX to the sensor's 3.3 V RX without a divider or level shifter (manual, p. 10). Listening only, as here, needs no commands. D3 is reserved by SoftwareSerial as TX but left unconnected.
- On an ESP32 DevKit V1: VIN gives 5 V only while the DevKit is on USB; the fan will not run from 3V3. The sensor's TX is 3.3 V, safe for GPIO16.
- On a Raspberry Pi Pico: VBUS is 5 V only while the Pico is on USB. The sensor's TX is 3.3 V, safe for GP1.

## Pinout

| Pin | Function | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VCC | PIN1 VCC · 5 V (4.5 V to 5.5 V) | power in |
| GND | PIN2 GND | power in |
| SET | Sleep (low) · 3.3 V TTL | input |
| RX | UART RX · 3.3 V TTL | input |
| TX | UART TX · 3.3 V TTL | output |
| RESET | Reset (low) · 3.3 V TTL | input |
| NC | PIN7, PIN8 NC | passive |

## Wiring

### Arduino Uno

| PMS5003 | Arduino Uno | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VCC | 5V |  |
| GND | GND |  |
| TX | D2 | SoftwareSerial RX |

Warning: Do not wire the Uno's 5 V TX to the sensor's 3.3 V RX without a divider or level shifter (manual, p. 10). Listening only, as here, needs no commands. D3 is reserved by SoftwareSerial as TX but left unconnected.

### ESP32 DevKit V1

| PMS5003 | ESP32 DevKit V1 | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VCC | VIN |  |
| GND | GND |  |
| TX | GPIO16 (RX2) |  |

Warning: VIN gives 5 V only while the DevKit is on USB; the fan will not run from 3V3. The sensor's TX is 3.3 V, safe for GPIO16.

### Raspberry Pi Pico

| PMS5003 | Raspberry Pi Pico | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VCC | VBUS |  |
| GND | GND |  |
| TX | GP1 | Serial1 RX |

Warning: VBUS is 5 V only while the Pico is on USB. The sensor's TX is 3.3 V, safe for GP1.

## Code

### Arduino Uno

Libraries: adafruit/Adafruit PM25 AQI Sensor

```cpp
// PMS5003 on Arduino Uno: wiring and a free simulation at https://www.tinkered.ai/components/pms5003
// PMS5003 on an Arduino Uno: VCC 5V, sensor TX to D2 (listen only), 9600 baud
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>
#include <Adafruit_PM25AQI.h>

SoftwareSerial pmSerial(2, 3);  // RX from sensor TX; D3 unused

Adafruit_PM25AQI aqi;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  pmSerial.begin(9600);
  delay(3000);  // let the fan spin up
  if (!aqi.begin_UART(&pmSerial)) {
    Serial.println("PMS5003 did not start");
    while (true) delay(10);
  }
  Serial.println("PMS5003 ready (readings settle after about 30 s)");
}

void loop() {
  PM25_AQI_Data data;
  if (!aqi.read(&data)) {  // false until a full, checksummed frame has arrived
    delay(500);
    return;
  }
  // "env" values are the atmospheric-environment figures, the ones to use indoors and outdoors
  Serial.print("PM1.0: ");
  Serial.print(data.pm10_env);
  Serial.print("  PM2.5: ");
  Serial.print(data.pm25_env);
  Serial.print("  PM10: ");
  Serial.print(data.pm100_env);
  Serial.print(" ug/m3   Particles >0.3um per 0.1 L: ");
  Serial.println(data.particles_03um);
  delay(1000);
}
```

Compiled for arduino:avr:uno on 2026-10-30.

### ESP32 DevKit V1

Libraries: adafruit/Adafruit PM25 AQI Sensor

```cpp
// PMS5003 on ESP32 DevKit V1: wiring and a free simulation at https://www.tinkered.ai/components/pms5003
// PMS5003 on an ESP32 DevKit V1: VCC VIN (5 V), sensor TX to GPIO16, 9600 baud
#include <Adafruit_PM25AQI.h>

Adafruit_PM25AQI aqi;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  Serial2.begin(9600, SERIAL_8N1, 16, 17);  // RX2 on GPIO16; GPIO17 left unconnected
  delay(3000);  // let the fan spin up
  if (!aqi.begin_UART(&Serial2)) {
    Serial.println("PMS5003 did not start");
    while (true) delay(10);
  }
  Serial.println("PMS5003 ready (readings settle after about 30 s)");
}

void loop() {
  PM25_AQI_Data data;
  if (!aqi.read(&data)) {  // false until a full, checksummed frame has arrived
    delay(500);
    return;
  }
  // "env" values are the atmospheric-environment figures, the ones to use indoors and outdoors
  Serial.print("PM1.0: ");
  Serial.print(data.pm10_env);
  Serial.print("  PM2.5: ");
  Serial.print(data.pm25_env);
  Serial.print("  PM10: ");
  Serial.print(data.pm100_env);
  Serial.print(" ug/m3   Particles >0.3um per 0.1 L: ");
  Serial.println(data.particles_03um);
  delay(1000);
}
```

Compiled for esp32:esp32:esp32 on 2026-10-30.

### Raspberry Pi Pico

Libraries: adafruit/Adafruit PM25 AQI Sensor

```cpp
// PMS5003 on Raspberry Pi Pico: wiring and a free simulation at https://www.tinkered.ai/components/pms5003
// PMS5003 on a Raspberry Pi Pico (arduino-pico): VCC VBUS, sensor TX to GP1, 9600 baud
#include <Adafruit_PM25AQI.h>

Adafruit_PM25AQI aqi;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  Serial1.setRX(1);
  Serial1.setTX(0);  // GP0 left unconnected
  Serial1.begin(9600);
  delay(3000);  // let the fan spin up
  if (!aqi.begin_UART(&Serial1)) {
    Serial.println("PMS5003 did not start");
    while (true) delay(10);
  }
  Serial.println("PMS5003 ready (readings settle after about 30 s)");
}

void loop() {
  PM25_AQI_Data data;
  if (!aqi.read(&data)) {  // false until a full, checksummed frame has arrived
    delay(500);
    return;
  }
  // "env" values are the atmospheric-environment figures, the ones to use indoors and outdoors
  Serial.print("PM1.0: ");
  Serial.print(data.pm10_env);
  Serial.print("  PM2.5: ");
  Serial.print(data.pm25_env);
  Serial.print("  PM10: ");
  Serial.print(data.pm100_env);
  Serial.print(" ug/m3   Particles >0.3um per 0.1 L: ");
  Serial.println(data.particles_03um);
  delay(1000);
}
```

Compiled for rp2040:rp2040:rpipico on 2026-10-30.

## Specifications

| Spec | Value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supply voltage | 5.0 V typical (4.5 V to 5.5 V); the fan needs 5 V | Plantower PMS5003 data manual V2.3 (2016), pp. 3, 10 |
| Current | Active 100 mA max; standby 200 µA max | Plantower PMS5003 data manual V2.3 (2016), p. 3 |
| Data pin level | 3.3 V TTL on SET, RX, TX and RESET | Plantower PMS5003 data manual V2.3 (2016), p. 4 |
| Particle range | 0.3 µm to 10 µm; counting efficiency 50 % at 0.3 µm, 98 % at 0.5 µm and above | Plantower PMS5003 data manual V2.3 (2016), p. 3 |
| PM2.5 range | Effective 0 to 500 µg/m³, maximum at least 1000 µg/m³, resolution 1 µg/m³ | Plantower PMS5003 data manual V2.3 (2016), p. 3 |
| Consistency | ±10 µg/m³ from 0 to 100 µg/m³, ±10 % from 100 to 500 µg/m³ (PM2.5 standard) | Plantower PMS5003 data manual V2.3 (2016), p. 3 |
| Response time | 10 s or less; data every 2.3 s in stable air, 200 ms to 800 ms when changing fast | Plantower PMS5003 data manual V2.3 (2016), pp. 3 to 4 |
| Serial protocol | 9600 baud, 8N1; 32-byte frame starting 0x42 0x4D | Plantower PMS5003 data manual V2.3 (2016), p. 13 |
| Operating range and size | -10 °C to +60 °C; 50 × 38 × 21 mm | Plantower PMS5003 data manual V2.3 (2016), p. 3 |

## Circuit notes

- The fan draws most of the 100 mA (p. 3); USB power on any of the three boards is enough.
- Pull SET low to sleep the sensor (fan off, under 200 µA) between readings and save the laser's life; allow 30 s after waking (pp. 3, 10).
- For passive mode or sleep commands over UART, drive RX from a 3.3 V board, or through a divider from an Uno (p. 15).
- The connector is a fine-pitch 8-pin socket; use the matching cable and an adapter board on a breadboard.

## Common mistakes

- **Reading CF=1 values outdoors.** The library's pm25_standard is the CF=1 set meant for the factory environment (manual, p. 14). Use pm25_env for room and outdoor air.
- **Wiring the Uno's TX to the sensor.** The sensor's RX is 3.3 V TTL and Plantower asks for level conversion with a 5 V host (p. 10). If you only read, leave it unconnected.
- **Powering from 3.3 V.** The electronics may start but the fan will not move enough air, so readings are wrong or absent. VCC needs 4.5 V to 5.5 V (p. 3).
- **Checksum errors and garbage.** SoftwareSerial on an Uno drops bytes if the sketch blocks for long. Keep loop() short, or use a board with a spare hardware UART.

## Questions

### Is the PMS5003 5 V or 3.3 V?

Both: VCC takes 5 V for the fan (4.5 V to 5.5 V), while SET, RX, TX and RESET are 3.3 V TTL (Plantower manual V2.3, pp. 3 to 4). Its TX connects directly to any board's RX.

### What is the difference between 'standard' and 'environment' values?

The frame carries CF=1 standard-particle values and atmospheric-environment values. Plantower says CF=1 should be used in the factory environment (p. 14); for air quality reporting use the atmospheric ones (pm25_env in the Adafruit library).

### How accurate is the PMS5003?

Plantower specifies consistency, not absolute accuracy: ±10 µg/m³ from 0 to 100 µg/m³ and ±10 % from 100 to 500 µg/m³ (p. 3). High humidity and fog make optical counters read high.

### How often does it send data?

In its default active mode, every 2.3 s when the air is stable and every 200 ms to 800 ms when concentrations change fast (p. 4). Passive mode sends a frame only when asked.

### How do I compute the AQI?

AQI is a piecewise function of the 24-hour average concentration defined by each country's agency. The Adafruit library can fill AQI fields from the PM2.5 and PM10 readings; treat a reading from one moment as an indication, not an official AQI.

## Related parts

- [MH-Z19B](https://www.tinkered.ai/components/mh-z19b.md): Adds CO2 for a full indoor air monitor
- [BME280](https://www.tinkered.ai/components/bme280.md): Adds temperature and humidity, useful for judging fog effects
- [SGP40 VOC Sensor](https://www.tinkered.ai/components/sgp40-voc-sensor.md): Adds VOC sensing
- [OLED 128×64](https://www.tinkered.ai/components/oled-128x64.md): Show PM2.5 at a glance

## Try it

Tinkered can design a circuit with the PMS5003, draw its schematic and check it. Free to start at https://www.tinkered.ai.