User:Lukaststanley/enes100/P2 Wind Turbine

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Write problem/project Goal
Going to get the arduino software to work with the windturbine. Found a useful link to help with the analog input problem from the last project /Tutorial/AnalogInput

The code the arduino site used, uses a Potentiometer to vary the current, but if left open, this should make it so we can measure up to 5 volts!! A limitation of the previous build.

My First Task
Doing a lot of research on how to get the arduino to read the voltage up to 5v. Turns out the code that was originally used in the last project had some kind of limitation on it. The code that I found from the arduino site works perfectly. Now I am going to start research ways to get the information from the serial monitor to a LCD display. I will need to get the type of LCD display we have to find out more about it.

Summary of actual work over first weekend
So far things have gone as planned. By changing the code to the one found on the arduino site, we have been able to read a range of numbers (0-32/0v-5v) through the serial monitor.

Week1 Narrative
This is a spreadsheet of the data collected for testing the amount of power that was generated by the wind turbine. (The blower setting was set to medium for all of these.)

At 10ft the turbine required a slight push to get it going, but maintained itself after that.

To test that the arduino was accurately measuring the current, we used a variable power supply. To make sure the power supply was accurate we tested it with a volt meter.

This is a spreadsheet of the data collected for testing the accuracy of the arduino.

It's interesting that 2.5v=512 and 5.0v=1023 (very close to 1024)

Because this is linear I used an Avgerage Rate of Change Formula (Ex. Rate=(1024-512)/(5v-2.5v))

With this I can take what the serial monitor reads and divide it by 204.8. (Ex. SM/204.8=Volts)

My Second Task
Next week I will be looking for the coorilation between the serial monitor readings and the voltage that it is reading. I also plan on finding wiring diagrams for the LCD and a way to send information to it.

Summary of actual work over second weekend
So far I went with what I proposed last week. Needed to program the formulas. Wiring and software seem somewhat on point.

Week2 Narrative
Found a code that allows for the arduino to control the contrast to the LCD through software. Here



This method of controlling the contrast seems viable. The only problem is that we lack the capacitor required(at least the one he used in the tutorial). I used something close comparatively, mainly the 100uf portion was matched, only had a 35v version of it.

This did not work, even when setting multiple different values for the contrast pin.

My Third task
Use a potentiometer in place of software to control the contrast. Also program the formulas for converting the information to watts.

Summary of actual work over third weekend
Split up the load between teammates. I chose to work on the code and convert the information from the Serial Monitor into Volts,Amps, and Watts.

Week3 Narrative
Had big success with the arduino this week. Below is the code I used:

This code worked very well. It read the values needed for this project! It is also ready for the LCD to be attached.

My Fourth task
Going to try and get the LCD working this week, but if not for sure next week. I will be also doing some testing with it using the serial monitor. Maybe find a more effecient fan that can use the wind power from one of the set distances from the leaf blower tested in week 1.

Going to use this as a guide for next week Tutorial/LiquidCrystal

Summary of actual work over fourth weekend
Would have been nice to get the LCD to print the results, but other than that, completed the conversions and serial monitor read out.

Week4 Narrative
This is the code that I have compiled, cleaned up. I am Going to adjust the conversions to be variables in the preload portion of the code, so someone can change the values as needed.

The Adjusted code for variables.