Improved Arduino LED lighting code

[sink]

Originally Posted by O2surplus

Sink,

I uploaded the TimeSet code.....Worked perfectly. I also uploaded the TankControl code again after lowering the minimum PWM state to "5" and stting the fade duration to 1 hour. All I can say is "WOW!" The dimming is completely linear, seamless, and totally natural looking. That has got to be the best Dimming Simulation that I've ever seen! I now have 90 little "moon lights" over my tank. Too cool! Thanks so much for creating and posting the codes!

I'd like to thank the Academy... I'm glad it works for you.

Just kidding. You are welcome and thanks for testing. Cleaning this up and making it available to others is the least I can do in return for all of the knowledge I've shamelessly mined from this forum so far.

[mistergreen]

How are you guys setting your time? An lcd is pretty cheap.

[O2surplus]

Originally Posted by mistergreen

How are you guys setting your time? An lcd is pretty cheap.

Sink made it so easy " a cave man could do it". He wrote a program that pulls the current time from your computer and transfers it directly to the arduino.

Look for the TimeSet sketch is his code bundle.

[mistergreen]

Yeah, I did that too but I found an lcd is helpful where you can't connect to a PC.

[sink]

Originally Posted by mistergreen

Yeah, I did that too but I found an lcd is helpful where you can't connect to a PC.

Strictly speaking an LCD would only display time, you can't actually set it using it . For that you need some buttons.

Anyway I thought about adding a display and/or buttons to my controller but ultimately I didn't see the relatively minor value being worth the added complexity. I'm very much a minimalist. You shouldn't have to set the clock very often at all--that's largely the point of the RTC--and tweaking something is a 2 minute job with a laptop.

In some way I intend this to be demo code and to be as easily adaptable as possible to different setups. To that end I don't make any assumptions about what hardware/driver/controller you have beyond there being an Arduino and a DS1307.

[O2surplus]

Originally Posted by sink

Anyway I thought about adding a display and/or buttons to my controller but ultimately I didn't see the relatively minor value being worth the added complexity. I'm very much a minimalist. You shouldn't have to set the clock very often at all--that's largely the point of the RTC--and tweaking something is a 2 minute job with a laptop.

I like the minimalist approach as well...... but it seems that I'm addicted to solder fumes! LOL I can hardly wait to build another batch of controllers that run your code.

[jcgd]

Would you guys be interested in some other ideas? There are a few more features I'm always hunting for.

[O2surplus]

Originally Posted by jcgd

Would you guys be interested in some other ideas? There are a few more features I'm always hunting for.

Okay - Justin AKA "XM-L Pioneer". What other ideas do you have? I've got my soldering iron warmed up. LOL

[sink]

Originally Posted by jcgd

Would you guys be interested in some other ideas? There are a few more features I'm always hunting for.

Ideas are always good.

[reybie]

Question for you electronics gurus. Since you're already using an arduino board already, is it possible to integrate a temperature sensor in it that can switch a relay on/off to say power a fan or heater?

I was browsing the arduino forum briefly today and I don't think there's a waterproof temp sensor (yet).

[sink]

Originally Posted by reybie

Question for you electronics gurus. Since you're already using an arduino board already, is it possible to integrate a temperature sensor in it that can switch a relay on/off to say power a fan or heater?

I was browsing the arduino forum briefly today and I don't think there's a waterproof temp sensor (yet).

You could probably just take a cheap temp sensor IC (LM35, etc) and then encase it in a tube.

[reybie]

Cool! Thanks, there was even an instructable on waterproofing the LM35.

[Tbakes]

Aaron / Sink -

I'm getting closer to my control box build (seriously - I almost have my plumbing done, electronics in the near future finally!).

How would I go about re-programming my unit? Can I ship the Typhoon back to you Aaron, or is there a USB AVR programmer solution?

If you are taking requests for new projects - I'd be interested in some simple timer code to make an autodoser work a 4-relay module that they sell on Ebay. I have a arduino duemilanove and RTC available to dedicate to the unit. If there isn't code out there already, I figured I'd give it a shot programming myself. Course the last time I programmed was in 1997!

[O2surplus]

Hey Tony,

Sink is still working on the code. He's going to send me the new code for testing once he's finished. I'll test the code out and report back to him with any bugs, or changes that need to be addressed. When we're confident that the code will work, he or I will post it up so that you guys can get your hands on it. The only things that you'll need to reprogram the controller will be a USB/ FTDI adapter ($15) and the arduino software (free). Here's a photo of the FTDI adapter connected to the controller.

[sink]

Hi. Haven't forgotten about you guys, honest. I'm traveling for work stuff. I did much of the code rewrite already (made some great progress while bored waiting for my connecting flight at JFK) but I need to debug it on some actual hardware before I let others test it. O2surplus, I'll shoot you an email next week. Hopefully we can get a controller sent over here so it arrives soon after I get home and I can get you guys some improved firmware to play with.

As an aside, I figured out before I left that while the DS1307 on my homemade controller is very accurate on battery (less than 2s/day drift) it's wildly inaccurate when the controller is powered up. I guess there is some interference happening from the driver circuit due to me not knowing how to design the board properly. This is unique to my board and has nothing to do with the code.

Anyway, the easiest fix is to pick up a tiny ChronoDot RTC board that can be plugged right into the Arduino. It a significantly more accurate RTC using a different chip (DS3231). The end result is that you have one of these (or were thinking about getting one) my code will support it very shortly.