Tortoise vivarium controller

[hallowed31]

@cameraguy

Since you make the serial print its own function, would that allow the loop function to run faster?

No. And yes, in a way.
It definitely makes it faster to comment out once you don't need/want it for debugging anymore, and I suppose does make your loop faster by not performing those lines of code, but not in a way you would really notice in an application such as yours.
For an operation that relied on tight tolerances between the controller(s) and device(s) interacting with one another, it might be more noticeable, but I'm thinking more of industrial automation type stuff here, no so much the sort of thing hobbyists like you and I are putting together.

@cameraguy

Also does the serial print function need to be at the end?

Not at all. It's a style convention I happen to prefer as I tend to follow a certain flow/order of operations, if you will, when I code. As long as the values don't change between the time you read a sensor, say, and print to Serial, it doesn't really matter.

@cameraguy

Or would I need to give each function its own serial print function?

You could but don't have to. It's all whatever you find works best for you, based on trial and error. Your code will be "imperfect" by your standard dozens of times, right? And only "correct" once.

Once it's "correct" - heed this advice: Do Not Change It, Ever. What you do is, make a copy, name it V2 or something like that, put a note at the top commented out with your change goals and remind yourself it's a working copy built off the name of the last one.

In fact, I like to make a note at the top of the good sketch that I don't even comment out just in case my absentminded butt decides to go willy nilly on that nice code. That way, it will throw the error when I try to compile right to that note to myself and I can just close the sketch and not save any of the changes I might have just made.

@cameraguy

As for the amount of delays, I was using LEDs in the circuit as the water pump and relays just to see if what I was doing was working. Eventually the actual parts, I.e. relays and water pump will be placed in the build.

I figured as much but as i think i said before, that's the part you will have fun tweaking to your liking once all your basic functions are working. (or Godzilla's liking, really, I mean who's the real CEO in this project?).
Tip: for now, just make two generic delays if you decide to stick with delays. Just two quick ones, maybe delay(300); and delay(600);.
In fact, I like to make delays when I use them, their own separate function so it's really easy to change them all at once later on.:

void shortD(){ 
delay(300);
}

void longD(){ 
delay(600);
}

then just call them in your code by calling the whole function:

digitalWrite(someDevice, HIGH);
shortD();
digitalWrite(someDevice, LOW);
longD();

@cameraguy

You guys are a massive help and infinitely better than I at this

Thanks and happy to help.
I'm not better at this than you are, though. I have just been at the hobby longer (about 10 years now). I'm you. I made all the same mistakes and more starting out, and still make lots of mistakes before my stuff works the way I want. I have just found more efficient ways of finding my mistakes.

As you are discovering, there is nothing simple in this hobby. I mean, look at the hard core circuit builders in this forum, some of those true gurus like @Grumpy_Mike or @LarryD . The stuff they post half the time here still looks like hieroglyphs to me and show me I'm still just a beginner in electronics compared to them - at 10 years in!

[cameraguy]

Okay so I've made a copy of the code, as I currently have a few things working properly. On the copy I'm trying to set up the timer for the relays, but I can't seem to figure out how to do that. I know I have to create something that states "if time since RTC get time" digital write XX, HIGH. But I have no idea how to write that in code. I've been reading through the examples with the library, but when I try to create it line of code, it fails. Granted I don't know how to make this part. Thanks for the help.

/*
Godzilla monitor v1. Monitor temperature and humidity with 2x DHT22's. Temperature parameters are >75 <90*F. 
Humidity parameters are >40 <60%. Humidity is controlled by a submersible waterpump that activates when humidity falls 
below 40%, connected to an IoT relay, should only need 1 relay switch. A UVB light is also connected to an IoT and will 
cycle between 12hrs on / 12hrs off, should also need 1 relay switch here as well. Temperature and humidity will be 
displayed on a 16x2 LCD. A red LED will illuminate when temp or humidity is out of parameters. A blue LED will 
illuminate when the water pump is active. A green LED will illuminate when a relay is activated. 

-Eventually I want to connect it to the internet, possibly a different arduino board.
*/

#include <DHT.h>
#include <LiquidCrystal.h>
#include <I2C_RTC.h>

static DS3231 RTC;

//DHT11 signal pin
#define DHT_1 dht_1(2);
#define DHT_2 dht_2(3);

//Type of DHT
DHT dht_1(2, DHT22);
DHT dht_2(3, DHT22);

//LED pins
//RED DHT1-32
//RED DHT2-33
//Yellow DHT1-34
//Yellow DHT2-35
//BLUE-36
//GREEN-31
//GREEN-30



//LCD signal pins
// initialize the library by associating any needed LCD interface pin
// with the arduino pin number it is connected to
const int rs = 13, en = 12, d4 = 5, d5 = 6, d6 = 7, d7 = 8;
LiquidCrystal lcd(rs, en, d4, d5, d6, d7);


void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
//starting various things

//RTC Starting - MUST change time and day if changing program
  RTC.begin();
  RTC.setHourMode(CLOCK_H24);

  RTC.setDay(8);
  RTC.setMonth(10);
  RTC.setYear(2024);

  RTC.setHours(19);
  RTC.setMinutes(16);
  RTC.setSeconds(10);

  RTC.setWeek(19);

  RTC.setDate(8,10,24);
  RTC.setTime(19,16,10);

  //DHTs Starting
  dht_1.begin();
  dht_2.begin();

  //LCD Start
  lcd.begin(16, 1);

  // Print a message to the LCD.
  lcd.print("Godzilla's House");
  delay(3000);
  lcd.clear();
  lcd.println("Since Apr30,2024");
  delay(3000);
  lcd.clear();
  
}

void loop() {
  // set the cursor to column 0, line 1
  // (note: line 1 is the second row, since counting begins with 0):
  lcd.setCursor(16, 1);

  //RTC calling date and time
  switch (RTC.getWeek());
  Serial.print(RTC.getHours());
  Serial.print(":");
  Serial.print(RTC.getMinutes());
  Serial.print(":");
  Serial.print(RTC.getSeconds());
  Serial.print(" ");

  Serial.println("Monitoring");

  //This is DHT_1
  // Reading temperature or humidity takes about 250 milliseconds!
  // Sensor readings may also be up to 2 seconds 'old' (its a very slow sensor)
  float h = dht_1.readHumidity();
  // Read temperature as Celsius (the default)
  float t = dht_1.readTemperature();
  // Read temperature as Fahrenheit (isFahrenheit = true)
  float f = dht_1.readTemperature(true);

  // Check if any reads failed and exit early (to try again).
  if (isnan(h) || isnan(t) || isnan(f)) {
    Serial.println(F("Failed to read from DHT_1!"));
    lcd.println(F("Failed to read from DHT_1!"));
    return;
  }

  Serial.print(F("Hum: "));
  Serial.print(h);
  Serial.print(F("%  Temp: "));
  Serial.print(f);
  Serial.print(F("°F"));
  lcd.print(F("Hum: "));
  lcd.print(F("%  Temp: "));
  lcd.print(F("°F"));


 delay(600);
    
 //This is DHT_2
 // Reading temperature or humidity takes about 250 milliseconds!
  // Sensor readings may also be up to 2 seconds 'old' (its a very slow sensor)
  float h2 = dht_2.readHumidity();
  // Read temperature as Celsius (the default)
  float t2 = dht_2.readTemperature();
  // Read temperature as Fahrenheit (isFahrenheit = true)
  float f2 = dht_2.readTemperature(true);

  // Check if any reads failed and exit early (to try again).
  if (isnan(h) || isnan(t) || isnan(f)) {
    Serial.println(F("Failed to read from DHT_2!"));
    lcd.println(F("Failed to read from DHT_2!"));
    return;
  }

  Serial.print(F("Hum: "));
  Serial.print(h2);
  Serial.print(F("%  Temp: "));
  Serial.print(f2);
  Serial.print(F("°F"));


 //If temp above 73 on DHT1/2 turn on Red LEDs   
    if (dht_1.readTemperature(); f < 75.00, f > 90.00) digitalWrite(32, HIGH);
    else digitalWrite(32, LOW);
    if (dht_2.readTemperature(); f2 < 75.00, f2 > 90.00) digitalWrite(33, HIGH);
    else digitalWrite(33, LOW);
    delay(600);

//IF Humidity below 40% turn on Yellow LEDs
    if (dht_1.readHumidity(); h < 40, h > 60) digitalWrite(34, HIGH);
    else digitalWrite(34, LOW);
    if (dht_2.readHumidity(); h2 < 40, h2 > 60) digitalWrite(35, HIGH);
    else digitalWrite(35, LOW);

//Relay 1 for UVB light, 12hrs on, 12hrs off, 2 green LEDs show when active
//12hrs in milliseconds: 43200000 ms
    
    delay(600);
    digitalWrite(30, HIGH);
    delay(600);
    digitalWrite(30, LOW);

//Relay 2 
    digitalWrite(31, HIGH);
    delay(600);
    digitalWrite(31, LOW);

//Waterpump operation - Change parameters before going LIVE, currently set-up for testing
if (h < 40, h2 < 40){
digitalWrite(40, HIGH);
digitalWrite(36, HIGH);
} 
else if (h >= 60, h2 >= 60) {
  (digitalWrite(40, LOW));
  digitalWrite(36, LOW);
return;
}
}
//if (h2 < 3); digitalWrite(40, HIGH);
// }else digitalWrite(40, LOW);
//if (digitalWrite(40,HIGH), digitalWrite(40, HIGH);
// }else digitalWrite(36, LOW);