Arduino is one of the most easy microcontroller to get started with,but unexpected problems can set in and it can be frustrating to solve. Here are 9 common mistakes to avoid.
arduino board is one of the most widely used microcontroller in the world,this is because of its flexibility to code. has a beginner in learning Arduino, you need to know common mistakes to avoid.
The tech industry is booming this days,many like minds are coming into the industry, previously we discussed(Level-1) Crazy About Arduino: Your End-To- End Workshop – Level 1 (Free!!! Course) This course really helped me in knowing the introduction to Arduino programming, don't panic while getting started with Arduino. from this articles you will learn how the common mistakes can be avoided while getting started
All microcontroller are very hard to work with when it comes to powering the ic,you have to know the appropriate voltage needed before you send in voltage through the Vin pin. most Arduino board has three ways of powering it, you can power the Arduino form the USB port. The USB port will supply the actual voltage needed to power the board effectively.each board has different capabilities of voltage they can work with. The normal is 6.5 to 12V DC,this voltage can be supplied through the DC barrel jack on the Arduino board.the Vin pin is also available board,they both work for desame purpose.
Here are the common mistakes you must avoid while working with Arduino.
1. Applying power to the board.
powering an Arduino board can be very fustrating,you must supply the right voltage to the board through the Vin port In most cases batteries are used to supply power to the board. The V+ of the battery is been connected to the Vin on the board,and the GND of the battery is been connected to the common GND on the board. if you interchange this connection,the ic may get fried.
This problem occurred to me when I was getting started with Arduino. Always check the connection properly before powering the board.
The Arduino board needs 5v dc form a battery or Ac adapter before it can work effectively,this will avoid the board form getting fried, excessive voltage on the board will cause several damages to the board. It is very necessary to know the basics principles guiding electronics,you don't need to acquire a degree for this,it is very critical to know the power requirements of board before working with it.
2. interfacing components directly to the Arduino pin.
This one catches a lot of folks out who are eager to dive right into projects. It is possible to use some low powered components directly with the Arduino pins. In many cases though, the components can draw much power from the Arduino, risking this will destroy your microcontroller.
The worst offender here is motors. Even low power motors pulls a varied rate of power, they are usually unsafe to use with the Arduino pins directly. For a truly DIY way to use a motor, you need to use a H-bridge. These chips allow you to control a DC powered motor using your arduino pins, without risking frying your board.
These small chips separate the power supply from the Arduino, and allow the motor to move in both directions. Perfect for DIY robotics or remote control vehicles. The easiest way to use these chips is as part of a shield for your Arduino, and they are available for under $2 from Aliexpress, or if you are feeling adventurous, you could always make your own.
For beginners using motors with Arduino, Adafruit have tutorials using both the chip itself and their breakout motor shield.
3. working on Relays and MOSFETs
Other electrical/electronics components is likely to draw more predictable amounts of power form the Arduino, but do not attached them directly to your microcontroller because it is very dangerous. While attaching some of this module directly to the board for testing you have to be very careful, it is very better to cultivate the habit of using an external power source to power and control your relay, or MOSFET.
While there are differences between the two, .MOSFET is a semiconductor components while a relay is an electro-mechanical components. They are used for desame function. Both can be used as a switch between a power source and component, which is turned on or off by an Arduino board. A relay completely makes isolation from the circuit which controls it, and functions solely as an on/off switch.
MOSFET has properties to allows different amounts of power to flow through by using pulse width modulation (PWM) from an Arduino pin.
3. Misunderstanding Breadboards
The most fustrating part while making connection on the Arduino board is short circuiting,This occur when some parts of the circuit are joined in a wrong manner. This can destroy your Arduino board.It can destroy your board permanently.
To avoid misunderstanding while using a breadboard, it is very important to know how a breadboard functions.
The most important aspect here is getting it right. On full and half size breadboards, the outer rails work horizontally and the inner rails vertically, with a gap in the middle of the board. Mini breadboards only have vertical rails,once your connections are correct you don't to bother anyone.
The most easiest way to avoid causing a short circuit on a breadboard is simply to check if your components are placed correctly on the bread board before powering up the Arduino board. That last-minute glance can save you a multitude of woes!
4. making bad soldering.
short circuit can still happen when you do rough soldering of your components on the Ferro boards or pcb, this happen on smaller boards especially Arduino Nano. having tiny bob of soldering lead between two pins of the Arduino board Will cause a short which could wreck your microcontroller. you must avoid this by been sensible and very vigilant, and always make sure you learn how to solder as much as possible,this will improve your skills.
while getting started with soldering, it can be very hard and it may not be an easy task, soldering takes a vital role in electronics generally,bad soldering can really ruin your board completely. Try to work on your soldering skill to get better results.
5. Wiring Things Up to the Wrong Pins
Working with microcontrollers means working with pins. Most components and many boards come with pins to attach them to protoboard. Knowing which pin does what is essential in making sure things work the way you want them to.
A common example is the previously mentioned MOSFET. The three legs on a MOSFET are called the Gate, Drain, and Source. Mixing any of these up could cause power to flow in the wrong direction or cause a short circuit. This can destroy your MOSFET, Arduino, appliance, or if you are really unlucky, all three!
Always look for a datasheet or pin out of a component before using it to determine exactly which pin goes where, and how much power it requires to use.
6. Syntax Errors in Code
Moving away from the hardware side of Arduino, there are plenty of mistakes to be made when coding. such errors are missing semicolons at the end of lines,missing/wrong type of brackets,spelling errors
Any one of the above problems, while minor, will stop your program from compling.
Each one of these errors, though minor, will stop your program from working. It can be quite frustrating at first to tell exactly what is wrong, though it does get much easier with time.
If coding an Arduino is your first foray into coding, welcome! It's a rewarding hobby to learn, and given how certain types of programmers are in demand, it could be a great change of career! There are good habits to learn as a coder, and these habits apply to all programming languages so it's worth learning them early.
7. Serial Nonsense
The serial monitor is the Arduino's console. It is where you can send any data taken from the Arduino's pins and display it as friendly to read text. Unfortunately as many of you probably already know, it is not always this simple.
In the early days of trying to get things working, there is nothing more frustrating than setting up your microcontroller to print to the Serial monitor and getting nothing back but utter nonsense. Fortunately, there is almost always an easy solution.
When initiating the Serial monitor in code, you also set its baud rate. This number simply refers to the number of bits per second that are sent to the serial monitor. In the below example, the baud rate is set to 9,600 in code. Make sure you set it to the same value using the drop down menu at the bottom of the serial monitor too, and everything should display properly.
You may notice in the serial monitor that there are several speeds to choose from. There is rarely any need to change the baud rate, unless you are transferring large chunks of data. At 9,600, the serial monitor can print close to 1,000 characters per second. If you can read that fast, congratulations, you are clearly a wizard.
8. Missing Libraries
The extensive and ever growing list of libraries available for Arduino is one of the things that makes it so accessible for newcomers. Libraries written by experienced coders and released for free make it possible to use complex components such as weather sensors without needing to know complex coding.
You can install libraries straight from the IDE by selecting Sketch > Include Library > Manage Libraries to bring up the library browser.
Once you have installed your libraries then you can use them in any project, and many come with example projects of their own. There are two possible pitfalls here.Using code that requires a library you do not have.Trying to use parts of a library that you have not included in your project.
In the first instance, if you find a piece of code that seems perfect for your project, only to find it refuses to compile once you have it in your IDE, check that it doesn't include a library that you have yet to install. You can check this by looking at the #include <xxxx> at the top of the code. If it includes something you haven't installed yet it isn't going to work!
In the second case you have the opposite problem. If you are using functions from a library you have installed onto you computer and the code refuses to compile, it may be that you forgot to include the library in the sketch you are currently working on. For example, if you wanted to use LCD display in your project, you would need to add #include "LiquidCrystal.h" at the start of your code to let it know to look for the library.
9. how to avoid Floating pins.
For our penultimate mistake, we must consider floating pins. By floating, what we really mean is that the voltage of a pin fluctuates giving an unstable reading. This causes particular problems when using a button to trigger something on your Arduino, and can result in unwanted behavior.
This is due to unwanted interference from surrounding electronic devices, but it can be easily countered using the Arduino's internal pull up resistor.
In conclusion working on Arduino boards can be very demanding,it requires dedication and hard work before you can be very versatile while using it. Online communities has really improve many hobbyist minds set and skills. this article will help you avoid many of this mistakes.
Now that you know the common mistake to avoid while working with Arduino board, this will improve your skills outrightly.
8. Missing Libraries
The expansive and ever growing list of libraries available for Arduino is one of the effects that makes it so accessible for beginners. Libraries written by educated coders and released for free make it possible to use complex factors similar as rainfall detectors without demanding to know complex coding.
You can install libraries straight from the IDE by opting Sketch> Include Library> Manage Libraries to bring up the library cyber surfer.Once you have installed your libraries also you can use them in any design, and numerous come with illustration systems of their own. There are two possible risks then.Using law that requires a library you don't have.Trying to use corridor of a library that you haven't included in your design.
In the first case, if you find a piece of law that seems perfect for your design, only to find it refuses to collect formerly you have it in your IDE, check that it does not include a library that you have yet to install. You can check this by looking at the#include at the top of the law. If it includes commodity you have not installed yet it is not going to work!
In the alternate case you have the contraryproblem.However, it may be that you forgot to include the library in the sketch you're presently working on, If you're using functions from a library you have installed onto you computer and the law refuses to collect. For illustration, if you wanted to use TV display in your design, you would need to add#include"LiquidCrystal.h"at the launch of your law to let it know to look for the library.
9. how to avoid Floating pin.
For our penultimate mistake, we must consider floating pins. By floating, what we really mean is that the voltage of a pins fluctuates giving an unstable reading. This causes particular problems when using a button to spark commodity on your Arduino board.
This is due to unwanted hindrance from girding electronic bias, but it can be fluently combated using the Arduino's internal pull up resistor.
In conclusion working on Arduino boards can be veritably demanding, it requires fidelity and hard work before you can be veritably versatile while using it. Online communities has really ameliorate numerous layman minds set and chops. this composition will help you avoid numerous of this miscalculations
Related Topics
(Level-1) Crazy About Arduino: Your End-To- End Workshop – Level 1 (Free!!! Course)
Top 5 Electronics Projects For Beginners (part 1)
Top 3 Simple Electronics Projects for Beginners (the final part).
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