DS18B20 Digital Temperature Sensor
±0.5°C Accurate, Multi-Drop 1-Wire Interface
The DS18B20 is a digital temperature sensor built around Maxim/Dallas' 1-Wire protocol, and that single design choice is what makes it unusually convenient: dozens of these sensors can share one single GPIO pin, because each chip carries a unique 64-bit ROM code burned in at the factory that your microcontroller uses to address it individually during a bus search. Internally, an onboard delta-sigma ADC converts temperature into a digital word at a resolution you can configure from 9 to 12 bits - trading conversion speed (94ms at 9-bit) for precision (0.0625°C steps at 12-bit). It also supports an unusual ”parasite power” mode, where the sensor draws its operating power directly from the data line itself during conversions, letting you run a sensor on just two wires (data and ground) instead of three, which is especially useful for long cable runs where every extra conductor adds cost and failure points. Because the DS18B20 is factory-calibrated, there is no offset or slope calibration step required in software - you read a temperature and it is already accurate.
Key features
1-Wire Digital Interface
Multiple sensors can share a single microcontroller GPIO pin.
Unique 64-Bit Address
A factory-programmed ROM code lets you identify and read each sensor individually on a shared bus.
Configurable Resolution
Selectable from 9 to 12 bits, trading conversion speed for finer precision.
Parasite Power Mode
Can operate from the data line alone, needing only two wires instead of three.
Waterproof Probe Variants
Available in stainless-steel-sheathed probes for liquid and outdoor sensing.
Factory Calibrated
No calibration curve needed in software - readings are accurate straight out of the box.


