Arduino: Potentiometer
Diagrams & Code
Brown County Library
Some projects require the use of the serial monitor in your Arduino IDE program (or whatever you are using to
transfer code to the Arduino).
Projects 01 & 02: Reading a Potentiometer and Changing a Potentiometer Reading to a
Percentage
Components needed:
Arduino Uno board
breadboard
3 jumper wires
10k potentiometer
/*
Potentiometers 01 : Reading a Potentiometer
Source: Code adapted from Arduino.cc AnalogReadSerial
(https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/AnalogReadSerial)
*/
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600); // initialize the serial communication
// Note: analog pins are automatically set as inputs
}
void loop() {
int potValue = analogRead(A0); // get a reading from the potentiometer on A0
Serial.println(potValue); // print out the value you read
delay(100); // a delay makes values easier to read
}
3/2018
Brown County Library
/*
Potentiometers 02 : Changing Potentiometer Reading to a Percentage
Source: Code adapted from Jeremy Blum's Exploring Arduino
(http://www.exploringarduino.com/content/ch6/)
*/
int potPin = A0; // potentiometer is connected to analog 0 pin
int potValue; // variable used to store the value coming from the sensor
int percent; // variable used to store the percentage value
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600); // initialize the serial communication
// Note: analog pins are automatically set as inputs
}
void loop() {
potValue = analogRead(potPin); // get a reading from the potentiometer, assign the name potValue
percent = map(potValue, 0, 1023, 0, 100); // convert reading to a percentage
Serial.print("Analog Reading: "); // print out the potentiometer reading
Serial.print(potValue);
Serial.print(", Percentage: "); // print out the percentage
Serial.print(percent);
Serial.println("%");
delay(1000); // wait a second
}
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Brown County Library
Project 03: Blink LED Based on Potentiometer Reading
Components needed:
Arduino Uno board
breadboard
5 jumper wires
10k potentiometer
220 ohm resistor
LED
3/2018
Brown County Library
/*
Potentiometers 03 : Blink LED Based on Potentiometer Reading
Source: Code adapted from SparkFun Inventor's Kit Example Sketch 2
(https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/sik-experiment-guide-for-arduino---v33/experiment-2-reading-a-
potentiometer)
*/
int potPin = A0; // potentiometer is connected to analog pin 0
int ledPin = 13; // LED connected to digital PIN 13
int potValue; // variable used to store the value coming from the sensor
void setup() {
pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT); // LED is as an output
Serial.begin(9600); // initialize the serial communication
// Note: analog pins are automatically set as inputs
}
void loop() {
potValue = analogRead(potPin); // read the value from the sensor and assign the name potValue
Serial.println(potValue); // print out the value you read
digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH); // turn the LED on
delay(potValue); // pause for sensorValue in milliseconds
digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW); // turn the LED off
delay(potValue); // pause for sensorValue in milliseconds
}
3/2018
Brown County Library
Project 04: Control Two LEDs with a Potentiometer
Components needed:
Arduino Uno board
breadboard
6 jumper wires
10k potentiometer
2 x 220 ohm resistors
2 x LEDs (two different colors, if possible)
3/2018
Brown County Library
/*
Potentiometers 04 : Control Two LEDs with a Potentiometer
Source: Code adapted from Jeremy Blum's Exploring Arduino
(http://www.exploringarduino.com/content/ch6/)
and "Getting Started with Arduino" by Banzi/Shiloh (3rd ed.)
*/
int potPin = A0; // potentiometer is connected to analog 0 pin
int redPin = 13; // red LED connected to digital PIN 13
int greenPin = 12; // red LED connected to digital PIN 12
int potValue; // variable used to store the value coming from the sensor
int percent; // variable used to store the percentage value
void setup() {
pinMode(redPin, OUTPUT); // red LED is as an output
pinMode(greenPin, OUTPUT); // green LED is as an output
// Note: analog pins are automatically set as inputs
}
void loop() {
potValue = analogRead(potPin); // read the value from the potentiometer and assign the name potValue
percent = map(potValue, 0, 1023, 0, 100); // convert potentiometer reading to a percentage
if (percent < 50) { //if the percentage is less than 50%...
digitalWrite(redPin, HIGH); // turn the red LED on
digitalWrite(greenPin, LOW); // turn the green LED off
} else { //or else if it is more than 50%
digitalWrite(redPin, LOW); // turn the red LED off
digitalWrite(greenPin, HIGH); // turn the green LED on
}
}
3/2018
Brown County Library
Project 05: Control a RGB LED with a Potentiometer
Components needed:
Arduino Uno board
breadboard
8 jumper wires
10k potentiometer
3 x 220 ohm resistors
RGB LED (common cathode)
3/2018
Brown County Library
/*
Potentiometers 05 : Control a RGB LED with a Potentiometer
Source: Code adapted from SparkFun Inventor's Kit Example Sketch 10
(https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/sik-experiment-guide-for-arduino---v33/experiment-10-reading-a-
soft-potentiometer)
*/
int potPin = A0; // potentiometer is connected to analog 0 pin
int redPin = 11; // red pin is connected to 11
int greenPin = 10; // green pin is connected to 10
int bluePin = 9; // blue pin is connected to 9
int potValue; // variable used to store the value coming from the sensor
// Global PWM brightness values for the RGB LED.
// These are global so both loop() and setRGB() can see them.
int redValue, greenValue, blueValue;
void setup() {
// No need for any code here
// Note: analog pins are automatically set as inputs
}
void loop() {
potValue = analogRead(potPin); // read the value from the potentiometer and assign the name potValue
setRGB(potValue); //Set a RGB LED to a position on the "rainbow" of all colors based on the potValue
}
void setRGB(int RGBposition) { // a new function to make the "rainbow" of colors possible
int mapRGB1, mapRGB2, constrained1, constrained2; // define varibles that we need in this function
mapRGB1 = map(RGBposition, 0, 341, 255, 0); // the function maps each potentiometer value to a specifc color
constrained1 = constrain(mapRGB1, 0, 255); // combination of the three RGB lights
mapRGB2 = map(RGBposition, 682, 1023, 0, 255);
constrained2 = constrain(mapRGB2, 0, 255);
redValue = constrained1 + constrained2; //Create the red peak
greenValue = constrain(map(RGBposition, 0, 341, 0, 255), 0, 255) //Create the green peak
- constrain(map(RGBposition, 341, 682, 0,255), 0, 255);
blueValue = constrain(map(RGBposition, 341, 682, 0, 255), 0, 255) //Create the blue peak
- constrain(map(RGBposition, 682, 1023, 0, 255), 0, 255);
analogWrite(redPin, redValue); // Display the new computed "rainbow" color
analogWrite(greenPin, greenValue);
analogWrite(bluePin, blueValue);
}
3/2018
Brown County Library
Project 05a: Control a RGB LED with a Soft Potentiometer
Components needed:
Arduino Uno board
breadboard
8 jumper wires
Soft potentiometer (example)
3 x 220 ohm resistors
1 x 10k ohm resistor
RGB LED (common cathode)
Use the same code from Project 05, but adjust your setup as follows. Then replace the regular potentiometer
with a soft potentiometer (plugging the legs into the same lines on the breadboard).
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Brown County Library
Ideas to Build On
Learn more about how the soft potentiometer works by running some simple code to see a graph of where
you finger is on the slider:
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/softpot-hookup-guide#example-circuit
Adjust the code from Project 4:
Add a yellow LED to create a stoplight
What if you wanted both lights to be on for some of the time (for example, when the reading is less
than 350 the red is on, between 350 & 650 both lights are on, and above 650 just the green is on)
Hint: you have to add an additional else if statement (check out the code for Serial Monitor Project 3
for reference).
Control the three RGB colors with three potentiometers:
https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/FIELDING/arduino-rgb-color-mixer-b81863
A slightly more complex version: https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/shakram02/arduino-color-
mixer-d6264a
Learn More
Want to learn more about how potentiometers work? Try these resources:
Arduino – Analog Read Serial.
https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/AnalogReadSerial
Random Nerd Tutorials: How a Potentiometer Works.
https://randomnerdtutorials.com/electronics-basics-how-a-potentiometer-works/
Resistor Guide: Potentiometer.
http://www.resistorguide.com/potentiometer/
Sparkfun SIK Experiment Guide for Arduino V4.0 – Circuit 1B: Potentiometer.
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/sparkfun-inventors-kit-experiment-guide---v40/circuit-1b-potentiometer
Sparkfun SIK Experiment Guide for Arduino V3.3 – Experiment 10: Reading a Soft Potentiometer.
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/sik-experiment-guide-for-arduino---v33/experiment-10-reading-a-soft-
potentiometer
Sparkfun Tutorials: Analog to Digital Conversion.
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/analog-to-digital-conversion
Sparkfun Tutorials: SoftPot Hookup Guide.
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/softpot-hookup-guide
Sparkfun Tutorials: Voltage Dividers.
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/voltage-dividers
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Brown County Library
