(status) tower lights plus audio alarm howtodo with an arduino

Projects General Guidance
1

I actually have a few questions, but they all relate to one base problem:

I need to get alarm lights (like you see on offshore platforms or in Petrochemical industries) working wireless. So far I have come up with a few hardware solutions, but to make it all work together I’m thinking I need an Arduino. Now I don’t have any experience with Arduino, but know my way round programming languages (Java, Python, PHP). I also don’t know much about electronics, but the basics, I do know how to solder though.

What I have so far is the bare necessity of this project:

4 wireless buttons http://www.ops-ecat.schneider-electric.com/ecatalogue/browse.do?cat_id=BU_AUT_60642_L3_Z090&conf=basket&ctg=&el_typ=product&nod_id=0000000008&prd_id=ZB4RTA3&scp_id=Z090&tab=0

1 4-channel receiver http://www.ops-ecat.schneider-electric.com/ecatalogue/browse.do?cat_id=BU_AUT_60642_L3_Z090&conf=basket&ctg=&el_typ=product&nod_id=0000000009&prd_id=ZBRRC&scp_id=Z090&tab=0

1 tower of 4 status lights http://www.ops-ecat.schneider-electric.com/ecatalogue/browse.do?cat_id=BU_AUT_1057_L3&conf=basket&ctg=&el_typ=product&nod_id=0000000009&prd_id=XVMB1RAGB&scp_id=Z000&tab=0

What I need it to do is this: when I push the green button the green light must go on plus an audio alarm should sound. When I consequently press the orange button the green light must go off and the audio alarm connected with the green light goes off, the orange light must come on plus the associated audio alarm, and so on with red and blue.
Then I also need to be able to use another button to toggle audio on or off.

What do I use for this? I have looked at an Arduino Uno and thought that some relays could be used to switch on the lights from output signals from the Uno. But how strong is that signal exactly? Thus: what relays do I need? Another issue for me is the audio: can I generate 4 different (alarm) sounds through the Uno and how do I make it audible?

When all this is working I would love to also trigger some 15 sound effects through WiFi and make that audible, concurrent with the audio alarms. I’ve looked at the Arduino WiFi Shield and the AdaFruit Wave Shield, but I’m not sure how to get commands through WiFi to the Uno and consequently to the Wave Shield Adafruit Wave Shield for Arduino Kit [v1.1] : ID 94 : $22.00 : Adafruit Industries, Unique & fun DIY electronics and kits.

Could anyone shed some light on this? I’m not looking for a step-by-step, but rather some (very clear) pointing in the right direction (and maybe some clarification on some subjects :wink: later on)

Thanks a lot,

Arjan

2

The audible alarms could easily be acheived by using a piezo buzzer or a speaker and the arduino tone() command. See

for an example. As for the four buttons controlling the lights, that is the easy part. The arduino can only produce one tone at a time so when you write a new tone it overwrites the old one and when you turn on the light you just turn off all others. I will gladly provide some code if needed.
L

3

Thanks for clearing this up Luke,

I think I will go ahead with this project and just start building it. I think I will manage on the code side, but if I get stuck I would gladly bother you again. Do you have any thoughts on the WiFi and sound module? It looks like a lot to figure out and any help is more than welcome.

Arjan

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Take a look at the arduino controller app for android. I don't know how the android part works but the arduino side just uses simple HTML to receve and send messages. Since you know programming you will understand this better than I do but in know in use it and love it because it so simple and just works. If you want to use a device other than a wireless device (phone or such) as I assume you do you may want to check out the nrf2401 depending on your range. As for the relays no you shouldn't run relays right off the board it may work but its not good for the chip so use a transistor to drive the relays. The audio shield isn't really that bad to use and when you buy something like this ( not a Chinese knock off ) you usually get some stuff to help you understand how it works.