(Another) Arduino Light Controller DIY build.

[Rol]

Hi,
Wiring done, downloaded Arduino 0022 & tried the "Hello world" sketch with corrections from the recommended website.
No action on screen as yet.
Just to confirm that the wiring is from the project board to the LCD.
Not sure if I should have removed all the 1.01 & 0023 program before loading 0022.
Managed to get the blinking led program running.
Will recheck all wiring and try again tomorrow.
Cheers

 

[Katchupoy]

I believe that the arduino does not install, just the drivers needed for the hardware itself.
So they will be just sitting on their own folders. I will suggest to delete the other arduino version folders and start again and create a new arduino folder. Unzipping the 0022 will do the same. We just want to start clean.

Now on my website, the first hello world was when the lcd is on top of the arduino. Now right out of the bat, the lcd sketch from arduino will not work because for some reason the pin assignments are not the same. Thats why I mentioned to make sure that inside the sketch, you have changed the pin assignments.

The second test was when you are now remotely connected via jumper wires etc. Again, we have to change the pin assignment again on the sketch to make this work.

Why change twice. Well the first one is to make sure that the hardware is working. The second one is to attempt to incorporate the actual sketch with our new arduino setup.

 

[Rol]

Ok Removed all other versions of the arduino program except 0022.
When I restarted program again, popup came up asking whether to download new version. Did not this time.

Tested all wires for correct connections and made sure there were no bad joints.
Retried the "hello world" sketch - no go.
Changed 12 & 13 back to 8 & 9 and retried hello sketch.
Success with those two wires back to own pins. " LiquidCrystal lcd(8, 9, 4, 5, 6, 7);"
So it worked back in place but not changed to 12 & 13.
I must be doing some-thing wrong.
Will continue to try & see what else came be done.

 

[Katchupoy]

Ok Removed all other versions of the arduino program except 0022.
When I restarted program again, popup came up asking whether to download new version. Did not this time.

Tested all wires for correct connections and made sure there were no bad joints.
Retried the "hello world" sketch - no go.
Changed 12 & 13 back to 8 & 9 and retried hello sketch.
Success with those two wires back to own pins. " LiquidCrystal lcd(8, 9, 4, 5, 6, 7);"
So it worked back in place but not changed to 12 & 13.
I must be doing some-thing wrong.
Will continue to try & see what else came be done.

That is good news. Thats means you finished step 4.
That is good... now lets jump to step 7 & 8...

We are now going to separate arduino and LCD and connect them via jumpers.... but wait...... we need to free up 8 & 9 for other use, and use 12 & 13 instead.

So now we need to move the wire jumpers from 8 & 9 to 12 & 13... get it?

Why do we have to do this?
Because Pin 9 is PWM and we will save this pin for other use that really needs PWM.

Ok go back and rewire 8 & 9 to 12 & 13.

and load this sketch...

Let me know what happens.

 

[Rol]

That is good news. Thats means you finished step 4.
That is good... now lets jump to step 7 & 8...

We are now going to separate arduino and LCD and connect them via jumpers.... but wait...... we need to free up 8 & 9 for other use, and use 12 & 13 instead.

So now we need to move the wire jumpers from 8 & 9 to 12 & 13... get it?

Why do we have to do this?
Because Pin 9 is PWM and we will save this pin for other use that really needs PWM.

Ok go back and rewire 8 & 9 to 12 & 13.

and load this sketch...

Let me know what happens.

Ok wires 8 & 9 back on 12 & 13.
Ran the whole sketch on page https://sites.google.com/site/caddnima/myreeftank/led_controller/arduinosketch
Verified without a problem.
Uploaded without anything happening.
Checking drivers are up to date now.
Must be close now.
Tks

 

[Katchupoy]

show me the pic again with all connected via jumpers including lcd

 

[Rol]

show me the pic again with all connected via jumpers including lcd

Project board green D 4 to D 4 Display
Black D5 to D 5
Orange D 6 to D 6
White D 7 to D 7
Blue D 8 to D 12
Yellow D 9 to D 13
Rail Green GND to GND
Red RST to RST
Side terminal Blue 5 V to 5 V
Yellow A 0 to A 0

Does it look correct?

 

[Rol]

Just looking at wiring again.
I've got 12 & 13 from LCD going to 8 & 9 on prototype shield.
No sure but these could need to be the other way round, namely 8 & 9 from LCD to 12 & 13 on prototype shield?

 

[Rol]

We have lift Off!
That worked !!

I really was not paying attention which wires went to which board.
But it's all sorted now.
Thanks Katchupoy so much for your advice and patience!

 

[Katchupoy]

aha.... we have a lift off...
Hey, now you can use the screw wings on your proto shield now for your LCD so it will be easier to connect and disconnect....
also, this way, arduino is facing up together with LCD facing up...

bottomline, all hardwares are working... we can now isolate that factor and move forward....

congrats mate.

 

[Rol]

Thinking about the rerouting of wires.
How about bending the board extender pins out ( 90 degrees) where you don't want them to connect.
Then it would be a simple job to bridge the pins with short jumpers to reallocate wire numbers etc.
Also tapping out wires that way one could connect out to the bread-board in a neater way.
Could be a time-saver.
Just a suggestion. I'll show you the plan on the next wiring section.
Going to study up on the next section tomorrow.
Cheers for now. G'nite.

 

[Rol]

Ok Have started on the bread-board wiring.

From GND to Blue rail
Blue rail jumper to Yellow J5
Brown J3 to (– ) on pot 1
1K resistor i 4 to i 7
NPN2N2222 Left leg to F 3
Centre leg H 4
Right leg F 5
Yellow J 7 to PWM 3

Blue rail jumper to Yellow J 20
Brown J 18 to (– ) on pot 2
1K Resistor i 19 to i 22
Transistor NPN2N2222 Left leg F 18
Centre leg to H 19
Right leg F 20
White J 22 to PWM 1

Not sure whether I followed your diagram correctly.
Can the resistors be any way round?
Yet to try and connect it up.
Thought I’d check with you first.

 

[Katchupoy]

Ok Have started on the bread-board wiring.
Yet to try and connect it up.
Thought I’d check with you first.

Its a bit hard to wrap my head on what you just written... let me take a look again... But yes, resistors does not have polarity.

 

[SomVan]

Thank you Katchupoy for all your help with emails and whatnot. Will be following thread now. Current I am at the point of doing something with the 2 relay modules, only thing is I'm a total noob at this so I dont know what Im to do.

 

[Katchupoy]

SomVan

Im so glad you could join us here at REEFFRONTIERS. Small but very friendly group of people. Hope you will stay, grow and learn with us here.

Happy reefing...

Newbie? dont worry, I am a newbie too... still learning that is.... Just fire away....

.

 

[user 26995]

Hey SomVan, we are all still learning. The best way to do it is ask questions and read up on what everyone else has done.....wrong...and dont do that! LOL. jk. Seriously, There is a lot of good info in old posts here.

Welcome to RF. Looking forward to seeing your system. Have fun here.

 

[Rol]

Hi SomVan,
Welcome, I'm new here myself but have learnt a lot in a short time.
Patience is the key!

 

[SomVan]

Thanks guys. I was following Kat's site, and have had my stuff sitting for over a month now. If anything, I am patient =)

 

[Rol]

Hi Katchupoy
When wiring up the POT's I see you have 2 positives and 1 negative POTs on each set of lights.
I seem to have 2 negatives and 1 positive.
Can the + & - 's be switched to make it the same as yours?
Tks

 

[Katchupoy]

Im not sure. I guess it will work.... One way to find out???