Arduino LED controller

[mrg02d]

Hello all,
I have decided to take the plunge and integrate my LED reef light with an arduino controller. Not good with programming, but intend to learn since I have programming left to do before I get my EE degree. Better get a jump start!

First things first...Got to figure out what to buy, and from where. I know sites exist that sell the stuff, but some seem to be quite rediculously expensive! $20 for a real time clock? (Sparkfun) Is that for real?

The actual arduino board seems to be $30.00 standard everywhere. Can anyone confirm that the RTC really costs that much? If so, so be it.

My plans for now:
1-Turn LEDs on and off at preset times.
2-During turn on, the leds should gradually increase in brightness.
3-During turn off, the leds should gradually decrease in brightness.
4-After lights out, a moonlight should light up. Before lights on, the moonlight should turn off. (No dimming of the moonlight).

Later additions would include controlling the powerheads, heaters, and random test probes. All test results will output to an LCD screen.

So, for what I want to do now, should the arduino board and the RTC all I need to get started?

The coding looks alot like C++ (which I was FORCED to take ) so I shouldnt have TOO much trouble coming up with commands to turn on and off my Meanwell drivers.

I will use an RC (resistor capacitor) filter to smooth the PWM output from the arduino along with a 10v supply and transistor to dim the meanwell analog supplies.

Matt

[Cliff]

Your right the price for an ardunio is relatively standard - I'd buy the official version - knockoffs are a couple of bucks less, but don't support the development of the platform, which I'm willing to do.

You don't need an additional module to reference the time, you can use Arduino playground - Time the time library - It won't be as accurate as a RTC - and you would need to devise a way to set the time, but once set it should be sufficiently accurate for your project.


I'm eventually planning on creating a controller that will stagger the turning on and off two fluroecent tubes along with a couple of LED's for moon light/wakeup effect.

I like the probe idea - it would be cool to have it monitored & send updates via email/web - might be more complicated then necessary but it would be a neat function IMO


Cliff

[pat8you]

This should be an interesting project. Sorry i can't offer much advice to you on it thought i am a mechanical not EE. My brother (Jimbo7 on the forums) did a bit of reasearch on these boards. He wants to do the same thing you are with his LED fixuture. Send him a PM i know he has been looking around at prices.

[Northern_Bee]

I was thinking of doing something simular to your Arduino led contoler how have you progressed with it?

I was also folowing some trads elsewear on it p/m me for the link


here is a good place to order parts from, they seem to have good prices, I ordered my stuff from them,and they were quite helpfull is sugesting better parts there RTC are 9 -17 $

http://www.adafruit.com/

my project is to do something simular but just on/ off but to adust the daylight and head to copy the seasons

-Lee

[MTWiley]

The guys over at reddit.com/r/arduino might be able to help you out.

Edit: After some seraching I found this, and thought you might be interested in it.

http://reefprojects.com/wiki/Main_Page

[michaelblack]

I just completed this project myself, there's a simplified build thread here:
Mike's 4ft LED fixture
One thing I should mention is it is much easier/cleaner to use a transistor (I used a 2n2222) as a switch instead of an amplifier to convert 5v pwm to 10v pwm. So hook up the arduino output through a 1k resistor to the base, emitter directly to ground, and the collector directly to dim-. Then apply a 10V source to dim+ and the 0-5v pwm signal will be identical except its now 0-10v

I tried the amplifier way and couldn't get the signal clean enough for the led driver for the driver to recognize it.
This only applies if your using a driver that takes pwm input (meanwell eln-60-48P) for the drivers with 0-10v DC input for dimming it is fine to do it as you say.

[senemedar]

Any success with the build, Matt? I'm asking, as I was thinking about something like that myself, after I finished my Moonlight project.
What I had in mind though is something more like arduino-controlled relay, so I wouldn't be worry about powering the diodes/light through the board itself, just switch them on and off. Also, maybe add some light sensor, so it would turn the lights on itself when it's getting dark a bit earlier, like winter time (just moonlight if it's before - say - 4pm, or daylight otherwise) apart from standart time-controlled mode.

I've done some research and found an Arduino UNO board for around £12 on e-bay, plus extra £4 for an Sensor Shield board; plus between £2 and £4 for switches, relays, etc. I don't think that all i need should cost me more than £30-£35.

The only tricky bit will be to program the lot, as I don't know any C... yet

[michaelblack]

My code is open source, you can find it here:
nerdwork-reef-controller - Arduino based controller for reef aquariums - Google Project Hosting
Feel free to take a look, change it, or do whatever you want with it. I am constantly adding new features to it so check back here and there.

[senemedar]

Originally Posted by michaelblack

My code is open source, you can find it here:
nerdwork-reef-controller - Arduino based controller for reef aquariums - Google Project Hosting
Feel free to take a look, change it, or do whatever you want with it. I am constantly adding new features to it so check back here and there.

errmmmm.... I tried to look at it, but it downloaded as a bunch of .pde files and I have no clue what to do with them. What file is that? What do I open them with on my Mac?

errmmmm(2)... I just fired up the Arduino software No comments

[michaelblack]

If you are on a mac, go to /home/documents/arduino/ and make a folder called ledcontroller, put all the .pde files in there and next time you start the arduino ide it will be in your sketchbook.
That code currently supports a ds1307 Real Time Clock (much cheaper than the sparkfun one), and you can set all light levels and times over the serial console.
The newer version that I am almost done has a web server, for the arduino ethernet shield, where you can set all of the necessary settings on a webpage. I am almost done that feature.
It also has support for a float switch and auto top off.

[xxlbreed]

i have automated my entire snail breeding tank (also has fish) with an arduino. Works great. All i ever do is fill water into a canister out of view and replace the dried lettuce chips i made myself. works really well and has been up and running for 4 months now. lighting is led too good luck on your project!