# Explorer pHat header modification

**URL:** <https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/explorer-phat-header-modification/6597>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [December 11, 2017, 3:25pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/explorer-phat-header-modification/6597 "2017-12-11T15:25:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dpetican](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f0a364/32.png) [@dpetican](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/dpetican)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 3:25pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/explorer-phat-header-modification/6597/1 "2017-12-11T15:25:28Z")

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I’m going to be using the Pi Zero W for some IoT courses at a local community college. I want to use the explorer phat, but also need access to the I2C and serial pins for more advanced interfacing and console cable.

I don’t see why I couldn’t just substitute a stacking header for the one included with the kit. Thoughts? Thanks.

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**Author:** ![alphanumeric](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/alphanumeric/32/2729_2.png) [@alphanumeric](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/alphanumeric)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 4:11pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/explorer-phat-header-modification/6597/2 "2017-12-11T16:11:59Z")

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That will work. Mate it to a proto zero [https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/protozero](https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/protozero) to get easy access to the GPIO etc. I’ve done it with Proto Hats and the Proto pHats, the Adafruit ones Pimoroni sells. Haven’t got my hands on the one I linked too yet to check it out. I just use the stacking header on the proto hat, then plug my pHat on top of that.

 ![DSCF0564m](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/pimoroni/original/2X/0/01bb8bb928801f04de0b2a32c115b9e98b965ae7.jpg)