I am building an induction rifle case annealer. The last part of the project is the break beam switch and the Arduino to control it. I am using the break beam to start timer that controls the annealing process. I have a Seeed Studio XIAO RP2040 with 3.3v and a 3.3v break beam switch. The break beam signal wire puts out 3.25 volts before it is broken and 0v when broken.
I just learned about Arduino last week and it is kind of exciting.
The problem is the timer uses all 0v across the start poles. I have used a momentary switch to start it, but I would like to set it up to start when you drop a case in.
The question is how would I do this. I have 6 digital I/O pins available and I think I can set
up the input from the break beam output to trigger when pin is low.
Welcome to the forum
Please explain what you mean by this. Posting a schematic of your project would help understand what you are doing
We don't have your setup in front of our eyes.
You might get better support if you present it little better.
Then this could probably be replaced by a relay controlled by the arduino.
Sorry as a new user I can't upload anything yet. as soon as I can, I will upload pictures and the Sestos timer schematic.
The Sestos timer that I am using is a four in one timer. I use Timer A to operate the solenoid that runs the induction board and timer C runs the solenoid that that drops the case after 4 seconds. When you cross pin 1 and 2 the timer process starts.
I just don't know if the Arduino has the ability to take a pin to ground.
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All you have to do to start the timer is to cross pin 1 and 2.
I could use a relay, but I was hoping that Arduino could close the pins on the timer. By 0v I mean just close the two pins or connect timer pins 1 and 2 using the break beam as the trigger.
It is most likely that one of your pins is tied to ground and the other is tied into your timer with a pullup resistor such that it is reading some +V level until it is grounded. The arduino could pull that pin to ground but you have to figure out which one it is.
Perhaps it can, but before we can answer that, we'd need to know more about it.
Oil level will rise. Use one digital pin and a float.