The last computer programming that I did was on punch cards in the early 1980's so if I ask a silly question don't be too harsh.
I have salvaged a number organ pipes from an organ that was being electronically 'upgraded'. I would like to make a clock using the pipes controlled by the arduino. The clock would have no face, hands or numbers but would play a short series of notes on the hour and different tunes on the quarter hours. It would be silenced at night. The arduino would be used to turn on the blower to supply air to the pipes and then to open the different valves to direct air to so that the pipes would sound playing the tune.
Q#1 Is the arduino the right mini computer for the job?
Q#2 Should I add a real time clock or use the ethernet shield clock? or something else.
Q#3 There seems to be a lot of discussion on switching relays, any suggestions for starting the squirrel cage blower motor? Its a fractional horse power I believe 1/4 or 1/3 hp.
Sure, the Uno would be a good microcontroller for the project. It has 20 IO pins. You would leave 0 & 1 free for serial port use/debugging, and use 18/19 for I2C connection to an RTC. DS3231 has I2C interface and internal thermally compensated crystal for long term stable time, and uses battery backup.
So you have 16 pins for fan blower relay and organ pipes.
How many AC amps does the blower need? There are lots of relays out there, many can use 5V for coil voltage, you will need a transistor to turn the coil current on/off. http://www.dipmicro.com/store/AZ942-1CT-5DE
Add a diode across the relay coils http://www.dipmicro.com/store/1N5818
NPN transistor with 180 ohm series base resistor to sink the coil current to turn the relay on.
bluebeeman:
Q#2 Should I add a real time clock or use the ethernet shield clock? or something else.
An RTC is least expensive but you have to set it.
For a self-setting clock you can use an internet time server over Ethernet (with an Ethernet Shield and nearby Internet port) or over WiFi (with a WiFi Shield and home WiFi network). Another self-setting choice if you have a window nearby is a GPS receiver.
Not sure how big are the pipes but you can use that kind of materials:
Arduino to program everything you will need is really good;
Of curse you will need real time clock to have accurate time;
high torque servos/motors(depends of how big are the pipes) to open the valves and blow inside to make the noise;
Insted of a blower (depends of what you wanna use) you can use a mini tank with compressed air because the blower gonna make extra noise and will not sound really good.
Pic. nr.1 Compressed air tank from paintball guns.
You can fill them easy with a extra valve from a gas station in the way you fill the tires.
After having all that, it's easy, connect everything pipes with plastic rubber pipes/network to the tank and servos to each sound pipe of curse you will need a electric valve to get the air outside the air tank, program the arduino and time everything in your order, wait the time and boom you have a sound clock.
It's a microcontroller, not a mini computer. But yes - as everyone else has said, this is an appropriate platform - an Uno (or almost any other Arudino) would be suitable for this task.
Plain old RTC module would be my vote. Unless you want it on the network for some other reason (like auto setting the time, or triggering the noice RTC module for sale | eBay (ebay is great for cheap assembled boards for common tasks and arduino clones - the shipping can be slow, but everything is so cheap.)
I don't think you are an IT guy
Definition of computer, (it's the same thing):
A computer is a device that accepts information (in the form of digitalized data) and manipulates it for some result based on a program or sequence of instructions on how the data is to be processed. Complex computers also include the means for storing data (including the program, which is also a form of data) for some necessary duration. A program may be invariable and built into the computer (and called logic circuitry as it is on microprocessors) or different programs may be provided to the computer (loaded into its storage and then started by an administrator or user). Today's computers have both kinds of programming.
As a COEE (child of an electrical engineer) I can appreciate the heated discourse defining the difference between a mini-computer and a micro controller. In any case thank you for the replies and the helpful information. The blower I plan on installing in the basement in a sound dampened box. I also salvaged the wind chests with their electromagnetic air valves so plan on reinstalling them w/o much need for new construction/solutions. It is shaping up to be an interesting project. Thanks again for the help.
Domino60: DrAzzy
I don't think you are an IT guy
Definition of computer, (it's the same thing):
It is clear that you are not an IT guy either.
Research Harvard architecture which is what a micro controller is and Princeton architecture which is what a mini computer is.
Basically the fundamental difference is the separation, or not of data and program memory space.
Research Harvard architecture which is what a micro controller is and Princeton architecture which is what a mini computer is.
Basically the fundamental difference is the separation, or not of data and program memory space.
If you wanna get in that side, what a microcontroller do and what a computer do?
A microcontroller is a compact microcomputer designed to govern the operation of embedded systems in motor vehicles, robots, office machines, complex medical devices, mobile radio transceivers, vending machines, home appliances, and various other devices. A typical microcontroller includes a processor, memory, and peripherals.
Basically microcontroller is a chip which do complex operations.
First programmable computer
The Z1 was created by German Konrad Zuse in his parents' living room between 1936 and 1938. It is considered to be the first electro-mechanical binary programmable computer, and the first really functional modern computer.
A computer usually named by logic gate (AND, OR, XOR, NOT, NAND, NOR and XNOR), Using combinations of logic gates, complex operations can be performed. In theory, there is no limit to the number of gates that can be arrayed together in a single device. But in practice, there is a limit to the number of gates that can be packed into a given physical space.
Which in this way microcontrollers/chip have been created:
According to Crossroads initial response I will have 16 pins to use for blower relay and pipe control. What if I want to play 20 pipes? I could couple two pipes an octave apart together but is there a way to increase the number of output pins to allow me to play 24 pipes? Im not looking to play more than that and may not have room to even mount that many pipes but it would be fun to be able to add songs to play for different occasions or holidays using different ranks of pipes.
you have a sound clock.
In any case thank you for the replies and the helpful information. The blower I plan on installing in the basement in a sound dampened box. I also salvaged the wind chests with their electromagnetic air valves so plan on reinstalling them w/o much need for new construction/solutions. It is shaping up to be an interesting project. Thanks again for the help.