Summary of Gravitational force Mater using Arduino
This article details a DIY project to convert five unused LED locations in a late 80s VW gauge cluster into a functional G-Meter. The creator uses an Arduino microcontroller and an accelerometer to detect lateral gravitational forces, driving RGB LEDs to visualize the data. The guide provides a complete parts list for both a custom PCB build and a simpler setup using a standalone Arduino board with a project box.
Parts used in the VW G-Meter Project:
- Circuit Board (or Perf board)
- ATmega168/328 Microcontroller
- 28 Pin socket
- 5 RGB LEDs (Common Anode)
- 5 Resistors 1K ohm
- 5 Resistors 500 ohm
- 16MHZ Resonator
- 104 capacitor
- 10uf capacitor
- 3.3v regulator (LM1117T)
- Ribbon cable
- Header connectors
- Accelerometer (ADXL335)
- 9v Battery Connector
- Arduino Board (Alternative option)
- Project box (Alternative option)
- Small wires for jumpers
Step 1:
All parts needed if you wish to make it standalone:
1 -Circuit Board
1- ATmega168/328
1- 28 Pin socket
5- RGB LEDs (Mine were common anode)
5-Resistors 1K ohm
5-Resistors 500 ohm
1- 16MHZ Resonator
1- 104 cap
1- 10uf cap
1- 3.3v rg. (LM1117T)
1- ribbon cable
1- header connectors
1- Acceleromoter
1- 9v Batt. Connector
Here is the picture of the wiring needed for a breadboard setup.
The orange wires hook to the 500 ohm resistors and then hook to the RED LED cathode.
The Green wires hook to 1kohm resistor the hook to the GREEN LED cathode.
The common anode is hooked to +3.3v
X axis output of ADXL335 goes to PIN 0 (Picture is slightly different)
+3.3v and Gnd are hooked to power and ground pins of ADXL335
The AREF pin on the Arduino is hooked to +3.3v
Step 2:
“digitalWrite(led1G, HIGH);” turns the LEDs to OFF not ON.
If you use common cathode you will need to change the code.
If you wish to change the pin number just change the beginning of the code:
int led1G = 2;
int led1R = 3;
int led2G = 4;
int led2R = 5;
int led3G = 6;
int led3R = 7;
int led4G = 8;
int led4R = 9;
int led5G = 10;
int led5R = 11;
int X_AXIS = 0;
Step 3:
Here is an image of the circuit board I designed using expresspcb I also attached the PCB file and a parts list for doing this. You can make this board or leave all of you components on the arduino and try to fit it all in project box.
1- Arduino
5- RedGrenBlue LEDs (Mine are common anode)
1- Project box (if you don’t want it in your dash)
1- 9v Battery
1- Accelerometer (I used ADXL 335 from adafruit) http://www.adafruit.com/products/163
1- piece of Perf board
5- Resistors 1K ohm
5- Resistors 500 ohm
And some small wires for jumpers.
For more detail: Gravitational force Mater using Arduino
-
What is the purpose of this project?
To utilize five dummy LED locations in a late 80s VW gauge cluster by installing a lateral gravitational force meter. -
How do you wire the common anode LEDs differently than common cathode?
If using common anode LEDs, setting a digital pin to HIGH turns the LED OFF, whereas common cathode logic requires different code settings. -
Which pin connects to the X axis output of the ADXL335?
The X axis output of the ADXL335 connects to PIN 0 on the microcontroller. -
What voltage regulator is required for the circuit?
A 3.3v regulator, specifically the LM1117T, is needed for the power supply. -
Can you build this without designing a custom circuit board?
Yes, you can leave all components on the Arduino and fit them into a project box or use a piece of perf board. -
What specific accelerometer model does the author recommend?
The author used the ADXL335 accelerometer from Adafruit. -
How are the green LED cathodes connected in the wiring diagram?
The Green wires hook to 1kohm resistors which then connect to the GREEN LED cathode. -
What is the function of the AREF pin in this setup?
The AREF pin on the Arduino is hooked to +3.3v to set the reference voltage.
