Summary of Arduino TFT Forecast Weather Station with ESP8266
This project constructs a weather forecast station using an Arduino Mega 2560 and ESP8266 WiFi module. It displays current conditions, a three-day forecast, wind data via an analog gauge, and indoor temperature from a Dallas 18b20 sensor. The system retrieves time via NTP and icons from an SD card, featuring customizable brightness control for the 7-inch TFT display.
Parts used in the Arduino TFT Forecast Weather Station:
- Arduino Mega 2560
- 7 inch TFT display
- TFT/SD shield
- ESP8266 Serial WiFi module
- Logic level converter or voltage divider
- Dallas 18b20 one wire temperature sensor
- 40 pin Male to Female Ribbon cable
- 7 inch LCD case
- 256mb to 2gb SD card (FAT16 formatted)
- 9v or 12v power supply or usb cable
- Wires and soldering iron
This project, builds on Wunderground weather forecast via the Internet.
Specs:
1. 3 days weather forecast (Low&High temps, probably of precipitation, condition icons)
2. Current weather conditions (Current temp, feelslike temp, humidity, pressure)
3. Current wind directions & speed with analog gauge meter.
4. Indoor temperature with Dallas 18b20 Temperature sensor.
5. NTP time via Wunderground time server.
Step 1: Materials:
1. Arduino Mega 2560,
2. 7″ inch TFT display (I used this display Ebay Link )
3. TFT/SD shield (I used this shield Ebay Link )
4. ESP8266 Serial WiFi module,
5. Logic level converter or use voltage divider. ( Sparkfun Link )
6. Dallas 18b20 one wire temperature sensor.
7. 40 pin Male to Female Ribbon cable (Ebay Link )
8. For 7″ LCD case. Maybe use this or another case. (Ebay Link )
9. 256mb to 2gb(maximum) SD card for icon storage. (Must be FAT16 formatted).
10. 9v or 12v power supply or usb cable for power connection.
11. Some wires and soldering iron.
Step 2: Connections :
Connections we make, as shown in picture. After making the connections, we are installing a TFT/SD shield.
I use voltage divider instead of logic level converter. But I would definitely recommend using logic level converter.
Step 3: Lcd Brightness Control (If You Want to Skip This Step!)
CAUTION : May damage the TFT Screen. If you dont want to change the brightness, skip this step.
Remove the resistor of LED_A.
Connect cable as in the picture.
And connect Arduino pin 12 (must be connect PWM pin).
Step 4: Icon Files and Libraries
Necessary libraries :
Henning Karlsen UTFT Library – Link
Henning Karlsen TinyFat Library – Link
Henning Karlsen UTFT_TinyFat Library – Link
Time Library – Link
Timer Library – Link
OneWire Library – Link
Dallas Temperature Library – Link
ArduinoJson Library – Link
Unrar Icons.rar file and copy files to “SdCard” root folder.
Step 5: Sketch File Modifications
First of all edit sketch file for your information :
SSID “Your Ap Name” – For example SSID “Tufan_Home”
PASS “Your AP password” – For example PASS “1234567890”
LOCATION ID “Your location name” – For example LOCATION ID “England/London”
GMT Settings this line : “ntpTime = ((longConv) + 7200);” //7200 = +7200 secs = +2 Hour 😉
Read more: Arduino TFT Forecast Weather Station with ESP8266
- What features does this weather station provide?
The project provides a 3-day weather forecast, current weather conditions, wind directions and speed with an analog gauge meter, indoor temperature, and NTP time. - How can I control the LCD brightness?
You must remove the resistor of LED_A, connect a cable as shown in the instructions, and connect Arduino pin 12 which must be a PWM pin. - Does the system use an SD card for storage?
Yes, an SD card ranging from 256mb to 2gb is required for icon storage and must be FAT16 formatted. - Can I use a voltage divider instead of a logic level converter?
Yes, you can use a voltage divider, though the author recommends using a logic level converter. - What libraries are necessary for this project?
Necessary libraries include UTFT, TinyFat, UTFT_TinyFat, Time, Timer, OneWire, Dallas Temperature, and ArduinoJson. - How do I configure the location settings in the sketch?
Edit the LOCATION ID line in the sketch file to match your specific location name, such as England/London. - What is the recommended power source for this device?
A 9v or 12v power supply or a USB cable can be used for the power connection. - Where should the icon files be placed on the SD card?
You must Unrar the Icons.rar file and copy the files to the SdCard root folder.
