Basic Arduino Reef Controller - A Re-Write
PARTS USED:
$40 - Arduino + 16x2 LCD + Misc Items
$9 - DS1307 RTC
$10 - 5v Relay Module
Note: I chose these stores because they are local here in the US and includes free shipping, except the DS1307. They are fast shippers too.
HISTORY:
Dec of 2010 - Very first basic Arduino LED Light Controller was built. What it does is simply control the DIY LED Lights for my 75 Gallon Reef Tank.
Original Controller Function/s:
As a light controller. Instead of a simple ON and OFF timer light functions on any given time, the controller will slowly ramp the lights up and ramp it down.
As a wavemaker. I used to have these wave makers and I love them for my maxi-jets, but they died awhile back and its expensive to buy another one.
UPDATE:
July of 2012 - 19 months later, the original controller is still running strong without issues. Wanted to add another function to it but cannot without disconnecting it from my reef tank. So my solution is to build another one, trying to use exactly the same parts so I can re-use the original code.
Proposed New Function/s:
To have something to play code with without touching the reef tank and the controller attached to it. When new code is ready, only then we are going to reprogram the controller from the reef tank.
To add a temperature monitor/controller feature.
WHY BUILD ONE?
Several reasons actually.
1) To replace my dead "$50 natural wavemaker"
2) I need something that will dim my lights "like this $60 dollar unit" and
3) To replace my dead "$60 Ranco Temp Controller".
Total $170 dollars worth of devices. Who knows what else Arduino can do, maybe a PH monitor, a fan controller, or a water level monitor/alarm to name a few.
But for now we will just concentrate on the first three.
LETS BEGIN:
1). INSTALL ARDUINO SOFTWARE.
To make it work, you have to manually install the driver by following these steps.
Now it should work and should be detected by Windows 7.
Note: Plugged my Arduino to my computer via USB and nothing happened. I have windows 7 and it wont detect my Arduino. Downloaded the Arduino version 0022 software, and extracted it to my computer, still, it did not detect my Arduino.
2). SEE IF ARDUINO WORKS.
Find and open the directory folder where you unzipped the Arduino software.
Double click Arduino application.
Try to follow these steps to make sure that you can load a simple BLINK sketch to your board.
Try to change the blink frequency to 100 to see if indeed it is working.
Note: For some reason, I have to change my serial port to COM3 and Arduino Uno as my board to make it work. You might need to play around with what COM number works.
3). CHECK YOUR HARDWARE'S.
Based on the parts list and image above, we should have the following.
a) 16x2 "HD44780 compatible" LCD Keypad Shield
b) 5v Relay Module
c) DS1307 based RTC (Real Time Clock)
d) Jumper cables
e) Mini Breadboard
f) Prototype Shield
g) Arduino Uno (clone)
4). HOW TO CHECK IF THE LCD SHIELD WORKS
Put the LCD shield on top of Arduino.
Download this sketch, HelloWorld.pde, then load and run it.
You should see "hello, world!" on your LCD screen.
Note: The original helloworld.pde example from the arduino library did not work for me. You have to change the pin values to these "LiquidCrystal lcd(8, 9, 4, 5, 6, 7);" before you can make the shield to work. More info about this LCD shield can be found here.
5). ASSEMBLE/SOLDER THE RTC
When you are done, it should look like this.
6). ATTACH PROTOTYPE SHIELD + RTC
RTC together with Prototype Shield shown below. If you do not know what breadboard is or how to use it, just google it and Im sure you will see a lot of explanation on how to use it. Here is one video.
RTC pin assignments. From left to right as shown above. Vcc, Gnd, SQW, SCL, SDA.
RTC connection to Arduino Uno.
Vcc ---------------------------------- 5v
Gnd ---------------------------------- Gnd
SWQ (not used)
SCL ---------------------------------- Analog Pin 5
SDA ---------------------------------- Analog Pin 4
7). KNOW YOUR LCD SHIELD PINS
Its very important that we know what pins we are going to use and connect to our Arduino. Orientation would be that the 6 buttons of LCD shield would be in lower left corner of the image.
Copyright (c) 2011 Jonathan Oxer, DFRobot, Freetronics
So starting from the pins above, we are going to use... D9, D8, D7, D6, D5, and D4.
And for the pins below, we are going to use... RESET, 5v, Gnd, and A0.
Total of 10 wires.
So here is the LCD shield connection to Prototype Shield / Arduino.
D9----------------------------------Digital Pin 13
D8----------------------------------Digital Pin 12
D7----------------------------------Digtial Pin 7
D6----------------------------------Digital Pin 6
D5----------------------------------Digital Pin 5
D4----------------------------------Digital Pin 4
RESET----------------------------RESET
5v-----------------------------------5v
Gnd--------------------------------Gnd
A0----------------------------------A0
8). FIND A WAY TO CONNECT LCD SHIELD TO PROTOTYPE SHIELD
Use wire jumpers to connect the LCD to prototype shield, or use old hard drive IDE cables, or solder them directly to the board. Anything that will connect the LCD shield remotely to your Arduino.
You see, when you put the LCD shield on top of Arduino, you will cover up all the pins. This way (using jumpers), we will be able to free up the unused pins.
We will try to avoid using PWM pins for the LCD shield, since it doesn't need any to work. We will try to reserve at least two pins for our LED driver use. If you read this link, it will explain to you which pins are pwm and which are non-pwm. Hint, see this image, you will notice that all pwm pins have ~ (tilde) sign.
So the pwm pins are... 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, and 11.
Remember in Step 4 (above) we replaced the values of the arduino pin assignments to (8, 9, 4, 5, 6, 7). Well, we have to change it again to (12, 13, 4, 5, 6, 7). The reason for this is we are running out of pwm pins and we need at least two for our lighting. One pwm pin is equal to one channel. So we will change pin 8 and 9 to pin 12, and 13. We will be freeing up pwm pin 9 for furture use, together with 10 and 11.
I hope I am making sense.
A picture of my previous build (below)
8). ALL CONNECTED? CHECK IF IT WORKS.
Did you remember to change the code?
Did you look within the code for this string? LiquidCrystal lcd(8, 9, 4, 5, 6, 7);
And changed it to this? LiquidCrystal lcd(12, 13, 4, 5, 6, 7);
under construction! last updated, 2012-07-18