Published February 29, 2020 © GPL3+

Minimal parts simple word clock

Simple word clock using 2812b leds.

BeginnerFull instructions provided3,384

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Arduino Nano R3

Real Time Clock (RTC)

DS 1307

2812b addressable rgb Leds

Breadboard (generic)

Jumper wires (generic)

Card stock, glue, misc supplies

Software apps and online services

Arduino IDE

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Soldering iron (generic)

Story

This was a project I wanted to do when I saw it on project hub, but using shift registers, external power supply and complicated wiring didn’t allow me to pursue it. When 2812b addressable LEDs became available I was able to reduce the size of the project where my Arduino could power the leds and programming could address them without shift registers.

Not having fancy equipment, ie 3d printer, printed circuit manufacturing, etc,, the masking parts are made of cardboard and the LEDs are mounted on cardboard without a printed circuit. The word plate is printed on plain paper however vellum or translucent plastic might be better. The circuit is simple and the size of the project requires no more than 7 LEDs to be on at any given time which allows The Arduino nano to power them.

First step was to print a faceplate layout. I chose to make it 7 cm by 7 cm so one LED could provide enough light for each word segment.

Face plate layout

Second step make cardboard mask to separate face plate segments.

Making cardboard mask to separate segments

Layout LEDs on cardboard to fit segment mask.

Mask on LEDs

Connect LEDs. The LEDs on the layout below are numbered

LED numbers

LED wiring

The sketch as written shows the hour segments in different colors indicating AM or PM. Also the time is adjusted to the time the sketch is run so the RTC will be correct. No effort was made to shorten code as it is easier to understand as written.

Code

wordclock2812.ino

#include <Wire.h>
#include "RTClib.h"
#include <FastLED.h>
#define NUM_LEDS 22
#define DATA_PIN 7
CRGB leds[NUM_LEDS];

RTC_DS1307 rtc;


void setup () {
 
  

  Serial.begin(9600);
  if (! rtc.begin()) {
    Serial.println("Couldn't find RTC");
    while (1);
  }

  if (! rtc.isrunning()) {
    Serial.println("RTC is NOT running!");
    
  rtc.adjust(DateTime(F(__DATE__), F(__TIME__)));
    
  }

{

FastLED.addLeds<WS2812, DATA_PIN, RGB>(leds, NUM_LEDS);
}

}
void loop () {
    DateTime now = rtc.now();
   int h;
   
    Serial.print(now.hour(), DEC);
       h=(now.hour());
     if (now.minute()>34){
      h=h+1; 
     }
      
   
    Serial.print(':');
    Serial.print(now.minute(), DEC);
    leds[0] = CRGB::Yellow;
    leds[20] = CRGB::Yellow;
     FastLED.show();
    if (now.minute() <=4){
      Serial.print ("nothing");
      
        leds[1] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[2] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[3] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[4] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[5] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[6] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[7] = CRGB::Black;
         
          FastLED.show();
      }
      else if (now.minute() <=9){
      Serial.print ("five minutes past");
        leds[5] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[6] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[10] = CRGB::Red;
          FastLED.show();
      }
      else if (now.minute() <=14){
      Serial.print ("ten minutes past");
        leds[5] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[2] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[6] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[10] = CRGB::Red;
          FastLED.show();
      }
      else if (now.minute() <=19){
      Serial.print ("quarter past");
        leds[2] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[4] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[6] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[10] = CRGB::Red; 
          FastLED.show();
      }
      else if (now.minute() <=24){
      Serial.print ("twenty minutes past");
        leds[4] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[3] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[6] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[10] = CRGB::Red;
           FastLED.show(); 
      }
      else if (now.minute() <=29){
      Serial.print ("twenty-five minutes past");
      
        leds[3] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[5] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[6] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[10] = CRGB::Red; 
          FastLED.show();  
      
      
      }
      else if (now.minute() <=34){
      Serial.print ("half past");
        leds[3] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[5] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[1] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[6] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[10] = CRGB::Red; 
          FastLED.show();  
          
       
      }
      else if (now.minute() <=39){
      Serial.print ("twenty-five minutes to");
        leds[1] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[10] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[3] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[5] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[6] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[7] = CRGB::Red; 
          FastLED.show();  
      
      }
      else if (now.minute() <=44){
      Serial.print ("twenty minutes to");
        leds[4] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[5] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[3] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[6] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[7] = CRGB::Red;
           FastLED.show(); 
      }
      else if (now.minute() <=49){
      Serial.print ("quarter to");
        leds[3] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[4] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[6] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[7] = CRGB::Red; 
          FastLED.show();
      
      }
      else if (now.minute() <=54){
      Serial.print ("ten minutes to"); 
        leds[4] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[2] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[6] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[7] = CRGB::Red;
          FastLED.show();
      
        
      }
      else if (now.minute() <=59){
      Serial.print ("five minutes to"); 
        leds[2] = CRGB::Black;
        leds[5] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[6] = CRGB::Red;
        leds[7] = CRGB::Red;
          FastLED.show(); 
      }
    
 
    
    if (h==1){
      leds[21] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[9] = CRGB::Blue;
      FastLED.show();
    }
    if (h==2){
      leds[9] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[11] = CRGB::Blue;
     FastLED.show(); 
    } 
    if (h==3){
      leds[11] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[8] = CRGB::Blue;
      FastLED.show();
    } 
    if (h==4){
      leds[8] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[12] = CRGB::Red; 
      FastLED.show();
    }
      if (h==5){
      leds[12] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[13] = CRGB::Red;
      FastLED.show();
      }
    if (h==6){
      leds[13] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[16] = CRGB::Red;
     FastLED.show(); 
    }
    if (h==7){
      leds[16] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[15] = CRGB::Blue;
      FastLED.show();
    } 
    if (h==8){
      leds[15] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[14] = CRGB::Blue; 
      FastLED.show();
    }
     if (h==9){
      leds[14] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[17] = CRGB::Blue;
      FastLED.show();
      }
    if (h==10){
      leds[17] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[18] = CRGB::Blue;
     FastLED.show(); 
    }
    if (h==11){
      leds[18] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[19] = CRGB::Blue;
      FastLED.show();
    } 
    if (h==12){
      leds[19] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[21] = CRGB::Green;
     FastLED.show(); 
    } 
      
     if (h==13){
      leds[21] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[9] = CRGB::Green;
      FastLED.show();
    }
    if (h==14){
      leds[9] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[11] = CRGB::Green;
     FastLED.show(); 
    } 
    if (h==15){
      leds[11] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[8] = CRGB::Green;
      FastLED.show();
    } 
    if (h==16){
      leds[8] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[12] = CRGB::Green; 
      FastLED.show();
    }
      if (h==17){
      leds[12] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[13] = CRGB::Green;
      FastLED.show();
      }
    if (h==18){
      leds[13] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[16] = CRGB::Green;
     FastLED.show(); 
    }
    if (h==19){
      leds[16] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[15] = CRGB::Green;
      FastLED.show();
    } 
    if (h==20){
      leds[15] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[14] = CRGB::Green; 
      FastLED.show();
    }
     if (h==21){
      leds[14] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[17] = CRGB::Green;
      FastLED.show();
      }
    if (h==22){
      leds[17] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[18] = CRGB::Green;
     FastLED.show(); 
    }
    if (h==23){
      leds[18] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[19] = CRGB::Green;
      FastLED.show();
    } 
    if (h==0){
      leds[19] = CRGB::Black;
      leds[21] = CRGB::Red;
     FastLED.show(); 
    }   
      
    
      
    Serial.print(':');
    Serial.print(now.second(), DEC);
    Serial.println();
    
   
    
    Serial.println();
    delay(3000);
}

Credits

garysat

4 projects • 36 followers

Minimal parts simple word clock

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Story

Schematics

WORDCLOCK2812

Code

wordclock2812.ino

Credits

garysat

Comments

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Minimal parts simple word clock

Minimal parts simple word clock

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Story

Schematics

WORDCLOCK2812

Code

wordclock2812.ino

Credits

garysat

Comments

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