Arduino + WS2812

November 2, 2016

Description You can purchase long flexible strips of small surface mounted LEDs that come on a spool.  You can cut the strip to length at the cut marks.  You can solder strips together by using the solder pads. There are a number of different type of SMD (surface mounted device) LEDs available: The most common […]

Arduino + Mains power (433MHz TX + Safe)

November 1, 2016

Description Do NOT interface an Arduino board with any mains power cabling, components, etc.  However, rather than telling you what you can’t do, the polite thing to do would be to at least provide you with a solution how you can achieve the desired result in a safe way. Remote Control Mains Operated Switch In […]

Arduino + Relay

October 30, 2016

Warning Do NOT use this tutorial to connect a relay to 230Vac mains power.  I have blown the cap of a LED by connecting it directly between +5Vdc and ground once.  I have melted an electrolytic capacitor by connecting it to a voltage higher than it was rated for.  There are not too many people […]

Arduino + Safety

October 30, 2016

Electrical safety considerations This article is a strong warning to not open or manipulate any mains powered electrical equipment.  Do NOT interface an Arduino board with any mains power cabling, components, etc. This document provides some basic guidelines how to make electronics equipment electrically safe.  If anything I hope you will learn something from this. […]

Arduino + DS1307

October 28, 2016

Description A Real Time Clock (RTC) is basically just like a watch – it runs on a battery and keeps time for you even when there is a power outage.  Using an RTC, you can keep track of long timelines, even if you reprogram your microcontroller or disconnect it from USB or a power plug. […]

Arduino + Stepper (A3967) EasyStepper

October 26, 2016

Description Bipolar stepper motors always have only 4 wires.  They require a dual H-bridge to drive them.  Bipolar motors offer increased torque compared to unipolar motors.  Flyback diodes are required to prevent voltage spikes when the power to the coil is turned off and the stepper motor acts like a generator briefly (back-emf). Note: You […]

Arduino + Stepper (L298N)

October 25, 2016

Description Bipolar stepper motors always have only 4 wires.  Bipolar stepper motors always have 2 coils.  By driving the current in seperate directions through each of the coils, we can have a total of 4 different states: Coil A current flowing ‘left to right’. Coil A current flowing ‘right to left’. Coil B current flowing […]

Arduino + Stepper (ULN2003A)

October 25, 2016

Description Unipolar stepper motors have 5, 6 or 8 wires.  They do not require a dual H-bridge to drive them.  Instead, you can use a transistor for each phase and a flyback diode to prevent voltage spikes when the power to the coil is turned off and the stepper motor acts like a generator briefly […]

Arduino + Stepper (Theory)

October 23, 2016

Description Stepper motors are DC motors that move in discrete steps. They have multiple coils that are organized in groups called “phases”. By energizing each phase in sequence, the motor will rotate, one step at a time. A stepper motor has the following characteristics: rotation in both directions, precision angular incremental changes, repetition of accurate […]

Arduino – DC Motor

October 23, 2016

Description Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC) are fundamentally different. Alternating Current (AC) Mains power in Australia uses 240Vac 50Hz sine wave alternating current.  One of the benefits of alternating current is that it can be transported over long distances using high voltage transmission lines with minimal power loss compared to direct current.  Alternating […]