How to mount a Grove Base Hat for Raspberry Pi

In my previous post, I explained how I have gotten interested in IOT devices lately. I recommend reading it before proceeding with this post as this is the first of a couple of posts that demonstrate how to put the IOT devices on a Raspberry Pi to good use. In this post specifically, I’ll show you how you can mount a Grove Base Hat onto a Raspberry Pi. The whole task should take you about 10 minutes in total.

Note: although I tested and run these sensors on a Raspberry Pi 3B+, they also work for the latest Raspberry Pi Model 4!

Mounting the Grove Base Hat

Mounting the Grove Base Hat is quick and easy. Here is what the package includes: 1 Grove Base Hat, 4 spacers, 8 screws.

Gove Base Hat top view
Grove Base Hat mounting screws and spacers

You will need a cross-head screwdriver (size 0) for the screws.

The first task is to mount the spacers onto the Grove Base Hat. Just put 4 screws through the holes on each edge from the top down. Then use your fingers to screw on the spacers on each screw at the bottom of the Base Hat. Finally, use the screwdriver to tighten the screws while holding the spacers with your fingers.

Grove Base Hat side view with spacers screwed on
Grove Base Hat bottom view with spacers screwed on (GPIO socket on the right)
Gove Base Hat standing on screwed on spacers

Now that you have the spacers in place, you can place the Grove Base Hat onto the Raspberry Pi. The Base Hat fits perfectly onto the GPIO of the Raspberry Pi, you should have no issues putting the Base Hat straight on top of it. Make sure that you push down evenly on all four sides of the Base Hat to avoid damaging the Raspberry Pi GPIO or the Base Hat.

Raspberry Pi with GPIO board on top (the 40 pins sticking out)
Grove Base Hat half-way mounted onto Raspberry Pi GPIO
Grove Base Hat fully mounted onto Raspberry Pi GPIO
Raspberry Pi with Grove Base Hat – back view
Raspberry Pi with Grove Base Hat – side view

As the last step, you will have to screw the remaining 4 screws into the spacers from the bottom of the Raspberry Pi, tightening them gently with the screwdriver.

Raspberry Pi with Grove Base Hat screwed on – bottom view

Congratulations, now you have your Grove Base Hat mounted on your Raspberry Pi. The next step is to install the grove.py software.

Raspberry Pi with Grove Base Hat – top view

Installing the Seeed grove.py software

Once your Raspberry Pi is powered up and connected to the internet, you can now install the Seeed Studio provided grove.py software to make use of your Base Hat and attached devices. The installation is rather simple via one command:

curl -sL https://github.com/Seeed-Studio/grove.py/raw/master/install.sh | sudo bash -s -

This command will install quite a few additional packages and, depending on your Raspberry Pi and internet speed, may take several minutes to install.

pi@gvenzl-raspberrypi-1:~ $ curl -sL https://github.com/Seeed-Studio/grove.py/raw/master/install.sh | sudo bash -s -
deb https://seeed-studio.github.io/pi_repo/ stretch main
Warning: apt-key output should not be parsed (stdout is not a terminal)
% Total % Received % Xferd Average Speed Time Time Time Current
Dload Upload Total Spent Left Speed
100 3822 100 3822 0 0 9901 0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:-- 9875
OK
Get:1 http://archive.raspberrypi.org/debian buster InRelease [25.2 kB]
Get:2 http://raspbian.raspberrypi.org/raspbian buster InRelease [15.0 kB]
Get:3 https://seeed-studio.github.io/pi_repo stretch InRelease [3,167 B]
Get:4 http://raspbian.raspberrypi.org/raspbian buster/main armhf Packages [13.0 MB]
Get:5 http://archive.raspberrypi.org/debian buster/main armhf Packages [260 kB]
Get:6 https://seeed-studio.github.io/pi_repo stretch/main armhf Packages [31.0 kB]
Fetched 13.3 MB in 12s (1,115 kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
80 packages can be upgraded. Run 'apt list --upgradable' to see them.
Enable I2C interface ...
I2C interface enabled...
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
python-rpi.gpio is already the newest version (0.7.0~buster-1).
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python3-rpi.gpio is already the newest version (0.7.0~buster-1).
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Reading package lists... Done
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libmraa1
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 80 not upgraded.
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Selecting previously unselected package libmraa1.
(Reading database ... 95844 files and directories currently installed.)
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libupm1
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Reading package lists... Done
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The following additional packages will be installed:
libpython3.5 libpython3.5-minimal libpython3.5-stdlib
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Get:2 http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu/raspbian/raspbian buster/main armhf libpython3.5-minimal armhf 3.5.4-4 [572 kB]
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Setting up libpython3.5:armhf (3.5.4-4) ...
Setting up python3-mraa (1.9.0-git20191021-pi20191021) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.28-10+rpi1) ...
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following NEW packages will be installed:
python3-upm
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 80 not upgraded.
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Get:1 https://seeed-studio.github.io/pi_repo stretch/main armhf python3-upm armhf 1.6.0-git20191021-pi20191021 [2,522 kB]
Fetched 2,522 kB in 1s (3,693 kB/s)
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libbma456
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libbmi088
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 80 not upgraded.
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Selecting previously unselected package libbmi088.
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Looking in indexes: https://pypi.org/simple, https://www.piwheels.org/simple
Collecting rpi-ws281x
Downloading https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/94/ac/84e88cc07510858c37ae4907e3e61f025729935b44027ea4010d5b669c45/rpi_ws281x-4.2.2-cp27-cp27mu-linux_armv7l.whl (102kB)
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Installing collected packages: rpi-ws281x
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Collecting rpi-ws281x
Downloading https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/cb/64/15806dab1fa49f91a3983b6bc8c128ff247450232855b8ba175772865c98/rpi_ws281x-4.2.2-cp37-cp37m-linux_armv7l.whl (104kB)
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Installing collected packages: rpi-ws281x
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Downloading https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/ae/fb/a3e1657c85ca077a89fbdbe45540322768e078558131c6e299705bad9e76/smbus-1.1.post2-cp27-cp27mu-linux_armv7l.whl
Installing collected packages: smbus
Successfully installed smbus-1.1.post2
Looking in indexes: https://pypi.org/simple, https://www.piwheels.org/simple
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Downloading https://www.piwheels.org/simple/smbus/smbus-1.1.post2-cp37-cp37m-linux_armv7l.whl (43kB)
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Installing collected packages: smbus
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Collecting smbus2
Downloading https://www.piwheels.org/simple/smbus2/smbus2-0.3.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl
Installing collected packages: smbus2
Successfully installed smbus2-0.3.0
Looking in indexes: https://pypi.org/simple, https://www.piwheels.org/simple
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Using cached https://www.piwheels.org/simple/smbus2/smbus2-0.3.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl
Installing collected packages: smbus2
Successfully installed smbus2-0.3.0
Looking in indexes: https://pypi.org/simple, https://www.piwheels.org/simple
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Downloading https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/83/55/81505dc68f66398c0c605cb24e9d331828a12596a8881f2b7968071e0c20/bme680-1.0.5-py2-none-any.whl
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Downloading https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/0d/57/601aa55b6f23164a3e6a06c05f22f7e5283d09db9610fd4e49f0356f5a97/bme680-1.0.5-py3-none-any.whl
Installing collected packages: bme680
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Downloading https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/31/e6/0f64f81f3c4d6a6a9c924340e33b40dd9b513faef0e164748bb114176678/rpi_vl53l0x-0.0.3.tar.gz (2.3MB)
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Building wheels for collected packages: rpi-vl53l0x
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Collecting sgp30
Downloading https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/7e/c3/a41fbb8db2ceda7ddbb58e664c4b10046f4618f0d43e8f8d4e910473bbcb/sgp30-0.1.6.tar.gz
Requirement already satisfied: smbus2 in /usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages (from sgp30) (0.3.0)
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Collecting https://github.com/Seeed-Studio/grove.py/archive/master.zip
Downloading https://github.com/Seeed-Studio/grove.py/archive/master.zip
/ 2.0MB 25.5MB/s
Requirement already satisfied, skipping upgrade: RPi.GPIO in /usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages (from grove.py==0.6) (0.7.0)
Requirement already satisfied, skipping upgrade: rpi_ws281x in /usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages (from grove.py==0.6) (4.2.2)
Requirement already satisfied, skipping upgrade: smbus2 in /usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages (from grove.py==0.6) (0.3.0)
Building wheels for collected packages: grove.py
Running setup.py bdist_wheel for grove.py ... done
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Installing collected packages: grove.py
Successfully installed grove.py-0.6
Looking in indexes: https://pypi.org/simple, https://www.piwheels.org/simple
Collecting https://github.com/Seeed-Studio/grove.py/archive/master.zip
Downloading https://github.com/Seeed-Studio/grove.py/archive/master.zip
/ 163kB 2.6MB/s
Requirement already satisfied, skipping upgrade: RPi.GPIO in /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages (from grove.py==0.6) (0.7.0)
Requirement already satisfied, skipping upgrade: rpi_ws281x in /usr/local/lib/python3.7/dist-packages (from grove.py==0.6) (4.2.2)
Requirement already satisfied, skipping upgrade: smbus2 in /usr/local/lib/python3.7/dist-packages (from grove.py==0.6) (0.3.0)
Building wheels for collected packages: grove.py
Running setup.py bdist_wheel for grove.py ... done
Stored in directory: /tmp/pip-ephem-wheel-cache-7hbbzp8z/wheels/1a/5b/70/01a949561c39a7059cd1daae9fa6d03e7b2c58d7ec4fb6245f
Successfully built grove.py
Installing collected packages: grove.py
Successfully installed grove.py-0.6
#######################################################
Lastest Grove.py from github install complete !!!!!
#######################################################
pi@gvenzl-raspberrypi-1:~ $

Once you see Lastest Grove.py from github install complete !!!!! you have successfully installed the latest version of the software. If you type in your terminal grove_ and hit the Tab key, you will see various Grove modules that you can use with your IOT devices:

pi@gvenzl-raspberrypi-1:~ $ grove_
grove_12_key_cap_i2c_touch_mpr121 grove_i2c_thermocouple_amplifier_mcp9600 grove_round_force_sensor
grove_16x2_lcd grove_imu_9dof_icm20600_ak09918 grove_ryb_led_button
grove_1wire_thermocouple_amplifier_max31850 grove_lcd_1.2inches grove_servo
grove_3_axis_accelerometer_adxl372 grove_led grove_slide_potentiometer
grove_3_axis_compass_bmm150 grove_light_sensor_v1_2 grove_sound_sensor
grove_3_axis_digital_accelerometer grove_loudness_sensor grove_step_counter_bma456
grove_4_digit_display grove_mech_keycap grove_switch
grove_6_axis_accel_gyro_bmi088 grove_mini_pir_motion_sensor grove_temperature_humidity_bme680
grove_air_quality_sensor_v1_3 grove_moisture_sensor grove_temperature_humidity_sht31
grove_button grove_multi_switch grove_temperature_sensor
grove_cap_touch_slider_cy8c grove_multi_switch_poll grove_thumb_joystick
grove_collision_sensor grove_oled_display_128x64 grove_tilt_switch
grove_current_sensor grove_optical_rotary_encoder grove_time_of_flight_distance
grove_gesture_sensor grove_piezo_vibration_sensor grove_touch_sensor
grove_gpio grove_pwm_buzzer grove_ultrasonic_ranger
grove_high_accuracy_temperature grove_recorder_v3_0 grove_uv_sensor
grove_i2c_color_sensor_v2 grove_relay grove_water_sensor
grove_i2c_motor_driver grove_rotary_angle_sensor grove_ws2813_rgb_led_strip

If you want to get your own Grove Base Hat for Raspberry Pi you can buy it here from Seeed Studio.

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