All posts by Angelo Razo

Lighting Multiple LED’s with Multiple Photo Resistors

This tutorial describes how to control two sets of multiple LEDs using two photo resistor sensors. This is a lab responsive to different light conditions in one setting so as for lights to react appropriately to its particular conditions. This procedure will define how to set up an array of lights and how to adjust them into two groups for each to respond to its particular light resistor reading. In essence, the overall goal will be to achieve responsive lighting as an effect of multiple data collections.

The parts list:

1. Arduino UNO

2. 6 LED lights

3. 6 330 Ohm Resistors

4. 2 Photo Resistors

5. 2 10k Ohm resistors

6. Jumper Wires

Step 1 Setting LED’s

We will first place a wire connecting 5V to a positive strip of the breadboard and a wire connecting ground (GND) to a negative strip of the breadboard.

We will now begin placing the 6 LED’s onto the breadboard. Each LED is placed round side up (positive) and flat side down (negative). The LED wires should be aligned on the y-axis. Give adequate space from LED to LED, in this sample they are spaced by one block apart. The next step is to apply the 330 Ohm resistors. Each LED should contain one 330 Ohm resistor connected to its negative or flat side of the LED and grounded onto the negative strip of the breadboard.

IMG_2550

The next step is to apply a pin number to each of the LED’s. In this sample we have avoided the use of TX, RX and PWM pins (0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11) due to malfunction in the reception of instruction for each LED. We have applied a pin to the positive side of each LED. We utilized pin 13, 12, 8, 7, 4, and 2 and applied it in such order from top to bottom.

IMG_2552

Step 2 Setting Photo Resistors

For the second step we must apply the photo resistors. We apply one of them aligned to the y-axis. We then apply a 10k resistor also aligned to the y-axis. The bottom of the 10k resistor should be on the same line as the top of the photo resistor. Also, the top of the 10k resistor must be connected to the 5V using a wire connected to the positive strip of the breadboard. (Refer to drawing). The bottom of the photo resistor must also be grounded. Last but not least, the photo resistor must be given a pin for it to register data. For this we will use an analog pin A0. Repeat the same process using different squares on the breadboard for the second photo resistor. The only difference for the second photo resistor will be the assigned analog pin, analog pin A1.

IMG_2556

 

ArduinoCircuitSample

ArduinoCircuitSample

Step 3 Coding

We start the code by stating all the pins in use. First we indicate both analog pins A0 and A1. Second we create two arrays each storing a separate group of pins. We grouped pins 13, 12 and 8 into one and 7, 4, and 2 on the pin A1. We also require a pincount for each of the arrays. Each has a specific name and the number of pins per group, in this case 3 per array.

Void Setup

The next step is setting the void set up. Here we will setup an index to organize the pin order. We will also use a “for” statement to repeat a block statement or set of instruction. In this case we
declare a variable (index = 0), a test (index < pincount), and
an increment (x++). Thirdly we must declare the sensorpin as an OUTPUT, pinMode(ledPins[index], OUTPUT);. These three steps must be repeated for the second array of LED’s as shown on the image below.

Void Loop

For the void loop we must indicate a light level. This will be determined by the read on the photo resistors. Therefore, we indicate lightLevel = analogRead(sensorPin). Keep in mind this is the read for the first sensor. The next step is important in manufacturing an applicable number range of light for Arduino. Because the range is primarily (0-1023) we must manually adjust it to smaller range suitable for, (0-255). This is input as manualTune(), but is further developed as its on void after the void loop instructions.

Our next step is to identify our data received from the photo resistor and construct an instruction for the LED’s based on the data received. For this we create a “for” statement to create a set of instruction for each of the LED’s for (index = 0; index < pincount; indext++). This shows the variable, the test variable and an instruction.

We now want to tell the LED Pins where to start and what to do when receiving data. We start with an off light, analogWrite(ledPins[index], 0 or LOW);. When the photo resistor receives no evidence of light we want the LED to turn on, so we write analogWrite(ledPins[index], (lightLevel));. Add delay after this whole process to ensure that data readings are not being read simultaneously but one after the other.  Repeat this process for the second array of LEDs withing the void loop.

Manual Tune

Our final step is defining the manualTune called out in the void loop. This simply re-maps the large range light values to a range more manageable for the LED. So we describe a void manualTune(). We indicate the range we want to replace (0-1023) and place the new range (0-255), lightLevel = map(lightLevel, 0, 1023, 0, 255). Are last step is determining the new constraint of the range, lightLevel = constrain(lightLevel, 0, 255);.

 

Each photo resistor should be accommodated to 3 pins and respond to its condition within its environment.

IMG_2543

IMG_2544

Reference 

http://arduino.cc/en/Reference/HomePage

http://www.hackerscapes.com/2014/09/lab-4-communicating/