Hi I am very new to arduino but i would like to make a (waterproof)countdown timer for my local sailing club. I would like the following functions:
- countdown from 5 min
- giving a 2 second horn blast at: 5 min, 4 min, 1 min and 0 min
- buzzing (buzzer on arduino) 0,5 sec at 10 seconds to the min, buzzing every second
- being able to change the starting time (for instance 3 min)
- being able to sound the horn with a separate button (after the sequence, but if possible also during)
- displaying the remaining time
I have the following supplies:
- arduino nano
- 12v horn
- 5v buzzer
- 12v battery
What do i need to buy to make this project and can somebody help me with the code?
I think i need at least an lcd display and a relay but im sure im missing stuf.
I hope somebody can help me.
Cheers!
Go on Ebay and purchase one of the Arduino kits that include a LCD and learn how to program to use the LCD, switches, buzzer, etc. There are examples for all those devices.
How accurate does you timing need to be? You may need to use a real-time clock board.
Also, buy several Arduino Nano boards that do not have the pins already soldered in. You will want to wire directly in your final version in the enclosure. You do know how to solder, don't you?
Paul
Dear Paul_KD7HB,
Thanks for your reply. I just ordered 5 big buttons, a real time clock module, a TM1637 LED digital tube display and a second arduino nano.
However right now i don't have the time to learn the coding proces of arduino from scratch so i was wondering if there was an existing code that i can use for this/ if someone could help me. I know the basics of code but not enough for this project. Apart from coding my skill level in other hardware (soldering, woodwork, etc.) is high.
If you don't care to take the time to learn how to use what you have, then it is best to just buy your device.
Paul
Paul_KD7HB:
If you don't care to take the time to learn how to use what you have, then it is best to just buy your device.
Paul
or buy the programmer to write the code for him.
That would be in the Gigs forum.
.
These things are not for sale usually a person is sitting in the comity boat with a stopwacht and his hand on the button of the horn, besides that i am a college student so i don't have a lot of money unfortunately
I'm new to Arduino as well and what you are trying to do isn't that difficult. It you know nothing about Arduino this is something you can figure out in a weekend or two. But you are at college there must be 100s of students who are in computer programming classes. Ask one of them. Should only take them an evening or two.
If you want pre-written code, take a look at code for garden sprinklers. Very close to what you are looking for. At a specific time the sprinklers turn on for a specified amount of time, then turn off. (There's your code for horn blasts.) Then the wait a specified amount of time and do it again. There's your interval timing between horn blasts.
The sprinkler projects I have seen have an LCD so one can see the status and time between the horn blasts. Not difficult at all.
Then all you need is a button to manually blast the horn. You know how to do that by the third lesson.
way less trouble to find a recorded horn sound, a sound module and a big amplifier. that can be implemented in about 5 minutes. making an actual factual horn honk would be a major undertaking
To make a factual horn honk would just require a relay (if electric) or a solenoid (if air). But you are right, a WAV file would be so much easier.
Not sure why the guy purchased a RT clock shield. In five minutes the Arduino would drift maybe a millisecond or two?
Thanks for all your replies,
Yeah i think i am going to ask my fellow students. I will do some more research on the factual horn. I bought a RT clock shield because is saw it on some other projects and it only costed me 50 cents.
dehoekstra:
Thanks for all your replies,
Yeah i think i am going to ask my fellow students. I will do some more research on the factual horn. I bought a RT clock shield because is saw it on some other projects and it only costed me 50 cents.
I think you are shooting before you are aiming or even ready. The Arduino has a clock. Only reason for a RTC is to keep time when the Arduino is not powered and it's far more accurate over a year.
Your RTC did not come with a battery. (I did the same.) The battery you need is about $10. Hardly worth it, I threw mine out.
I'm new to Arduino, but what you want to do is not that difficult.
Did you make any headway on the countdown timer? I too am looking to make a countdown timer and have zero experience.
One question I hit when reading the first couple of replies...
You probably don't need a display other than a couple of LEDs.
Use a rotary switch or something simple to set your start time (not a keypad) - if there are only a couple of values - they can be selected / hard coded - e.g. 5-4-3-2-1 mins... if yiou need fractional times you probably should use a keypad and display, unless you develop a simple strategy for selecting 5-4-3-2-1 plus :00 or :30 secs (for example)
Power for the horn will probably be an issue - then you'll need a resistor, FET and diode to drive it, possibly a relay for the current if it's a typical car-horn.
The code is pretty easy - but don't use delay() for timing, because that will cause grief later on.
Good luck - come back for help if you get it started, and need pointers.
Doug101:
I think you are shooting before you are aiming or even ready. The Arduino has a clock. Only reason for a RTC is to keep time when the Arduino is not powered and it's far more accurate over a year.
Your RTC did not come with a battery. (I did the same.) The battery you need is about $10. Hardly worth it, I threw mine out.
I'm new to Arduino, but what you want to do is not that difficult.
For less than $5.00 (USD) you can buy a Time Delay Relay. Buy two. One to use as a count down. The second the for length of time for the horn blast. No Arduino or conning needed. You will need at least one relay. Just make a a time delay and you are halfway there.
Except, OP wants multiple horn beeps, and a buzzer at different times.
That was the original poster in 2019.
jiggy26252 Is just looking for a countdown timer.
Good point, I’m going back to sleep.