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Arduino - RTC
In this tutorial, we are going to learn:
- How to get data and time (seconds, minutes, hours, day, date, month, and year) using Arduino and Real-Time Clock DS3231 Module.
- How to make daily schedule with Arduino
- How to make weekly schedule with Arduino
- How to make schedule on speficic date with Arduino
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About Real-Time Clock DS3231 Module
Arduino itself has some time-related functions such as millis(), micros(). However, they can not provide the date and time (seconds, minutes, hours, day, date, month, and year). To get date and time, we needs to use a Real-Time Clock (RTC) module such as DS3231, DS1370. DS3231 Module has higher precision than DS1370. See DS3231 vs DS1307
Pinout
Real-Time Clock DS3231 Module includes 10 pins:
- 32K pin: outputs the stable(temperature compensated) and accurate reference clock.
- SQW pin: outputs a nice square wave at either 1Hz, 4kHz, 8kHz or 32kHz and can be handled programmatically. This can further be used as an interrupt due to alarm condition in many time-based applications.
- SCL pin: is a serial clock pin for I2C interface.
- SDA pin: is a serial data pin for I2C interface.
- VCC pin: supplies power for the module. It can be anywhere between 3.3V to 5.5V.
- GND pin: is a ground pin.
For normal use, it needs to use 4 pins: VCC, GND, SDA, SCL
The DS3231 Module also has a battery holder.
- If we insert a CR2032 battery, It keeps the time on module running when the main power is off.
- If we do not insert the battery, the time information is lost if the main power is off and you need to set the time again.
Wiring Diagram
This image is created using Fritzing. Click to enlarge image
Arduino - DS3231 RTC Module
| DS3231 RTC Module | Arduino Uno, Nano | Arduino Mega |
|---|---|---|
| Vin | 3.3V | 3.3V |
| GND | GND | GND |
| SDA | A4 | 20 |
| SCL | A5 | 21 |
How To Program For DS3231 RTC Module
- Include the library:
#include <RTClib.h>
- Declare a RTC object:
RTC_DS3231 rtc;
- Initialize RTC:
if (! rtc.begin()) {
Serial.println("Couldn't find RTC");
while (1);
}
- For the first time, set the RTC to the date & time on PC the sketch was compiled
rtc.adjust(DateTime(F(__DATE__), F(__TIME__)));
- Reads date and time information from RTC module
DateTime now = rtc.now();
Serial.print("Date & Time: ");
Serial.print(now.year(), DEC);
Serial.print('/');
Serial.print(now.month(), DEC);
Serial.print('/');
Serial.print(now.day(), DEC);
Serial.print(" (");
Serial.print(now.dayOfTheWeek());
Serial.print(") ");
Serial.print(now.hour(), DEC);
Serial.print(':');
Serial.print(now.minute(), DEC);
Serial.print(':');
Serial.println(now.second(), DEC);
Arduino Code – How to get data and time
/*
* Created by ArduinoGetStarted.com
*
* This example code is in the public domain
*
* Tutorial page: https://arduinogetstarted.com/tutorials/arduino-rtc
*/
#include <RTClib.h>
RTC_DS3231 rtc;
char daysOfTheWeek[7][12] = {
"Sunday",
"Monday",
"Tuesday",
"Wednesday",
"Thursday",
"Friday",
"Saturday"
};
void setup () {
Serial.begin(9600);
// SETUP RTC MODULE
if (! rtc.begin()) {
Serial.println("Couldn't find RTC");
Serial.flush();
while (1);
}
// automatically sets the RTC to the date & time on PC this sketch was compiled
rtc.adjust(DateTime(F(__DATE__), F(__TIME__)));
// manually sets the RTC with an explicit date & time, for example to set
// January 21, 2021 at 3am you would call:
// rtc.adjust(DateTime(2021, 1, 21, 3, 0, 0));
}
void loop () {
DateTime now = rtc.now();
Serial.print("Date & Time: ");
Serial.print(now.year(), DEC);
Serial.print('/');
Serial.print(now.month(), DEC);
Serial.print('/');
Serial.print(now.day(), DEC);
Serial.print(" (");
Serial.print(daysOfTheWeek[now.dayOfTheWeek()]);
Serial.print(") ");
Serial.print(now.hour(), DEC);
Serial.print(':');
Serial.print(now.minute(), DEC);
Serial.print(':');
Serial.println(now.second(), DEC);
delay(1000); // delay 1 seconds
}
Quick Steps
- Navigate to the Libraries icon on the left bar of the Arduino IDE.
- Search “RTClib”, then find the RTC library by Adafruit
- Click Install button to install RTC library.
- You may be asked for intalling some other library dependencies
- Click Install All button to install all library dependencies.
- Copy the above code and open with Arduino IDE
- Click Upload button on Arduino IDE to upload code to Arduino
- Open Serial Monitor
- See the result on Serial Monitor.
COM6
Date & Time: 2021/10/6 (Wednesday) 11:27:35
Date & Time: 2021/10/6 (Wednesday) 11:27:36
Date & Time: 2021/10/6 (Wednesday) 11:27:37
Date & Time: 2021/10/6 (Wednesday) 11:27:38
Date & Time: 2021/10/6 (Wednesday) 11:27:39
Date & Time: 2021/10/6 (Wednesday) 11:27:40
Date & Time: 2021/10/6 (Wednesday) 11:27:41
Date & Time: 2021/10/6 (Wednesday) 11:27:42
Date & Time: 2021/10/6 (Wednesday) 11:27:43
Date & Time: 2021/10/6 (Wednesday) 11:27:44
Autoscroll
Clear output
9600 baud
Newline
Arduino Code – How to make daily schedule with Arduino
/*
* Created by ArduinoGetStarted.com
*
* This example code is in the public domain
*
* Tutorial page: https://arduinogetstarted.com/tutorials/arduino-rtc
*/
// Date and time functions using a DS3231 RTC connected via I2C and Wire lib
#include <RTClib.h>
// event from 13:50 to 14:10
uint8_t DAILY_EVENT_START_HH = 13; // event start time: hour
uint8_t DAILY_EVENT_START_MM = 50; // event start time: minute
uint8_t DAILY_EVENT_END_HH = 14; // event end time: hour
uint8_t DAILY_EVENT_END_MM = 10; // event end time: minute
RTC_DS3231 rtc;
char daysOfTheWeek[7][12] = {
"Sunday",
"Monday",
"Tuesday",
"Wednesday",
"Thursday",
"Friday",
"Saturday"
};
void setup () {
Serial.begin(9600);
// SETUP RTC MODULE
if (! rtc.begin()) {
Serial.println("Couldn't find RTC");
while (1);
}
// sets the RTC to the date & time on PC this sketch was compiled
rtc.adjust(DateTime(F(__DATE__), F(__TIME__)));
// sets the RTC with an explicit date & time, for example to set
// January 21, 2021 at 3am you would call:
// rtc.adjust(DateTime(2021, 1, 21, 3, 0, 0));
}
void loop () {
DateTime now = rtc.now();
if (now.hour() >= DAILY_EVENT_START_HH &&
now.minute() >= DAILY_EVENT_START_MM &&
now.hour() < DAILY_EVENT_END_HH &&
now.minute() < DAILY_EVENT_END_MM) {
Serial.println("It is on scheduled time");
// TODO: write your code"
} else {
Serial.println("It is NOT on scheduled time");
}
printTime(now);
}
void printTime(DateTime time) {
Serial.print("TIME: ");
Serial.print(time.year(), DEC);
Serial.print('/');
Serial.print(time.month(), DEC);
Serial.print('/');
Serial.print(time.day(), DEC);
Serial.print(" (");
Serial.print(daysOfTheWeek[time.dayOfTheWeek()]);
Serial.print(") ");
Serial.print(time.hour(), DEC);
Serial.print(':');
Serial.print(time.minute(), DEC);
Serial.print(':');
Serial.println(time.second(), DEC);
}
Arduino Code – How to make weekly schedule with Arduino
/*
* Created by ArduinoGetStarted.com
*
* This example code is in the public domain
*
* Tutorial page: https://arduinogetstarted.com/tutorials/arduino-rtc
*/
// Date and time functions using a DS3231 RTC connected via I2C and Wire lib
#include <RTClib.h>
// UNCHANGABLE PARAMATERS
#define SUNDAY 0
#define MONDAY 1
#define TUESDAY 2
#define WEDNESDAY 3
#define THURSDAY 4
#define FRIDAY 5
#define SATURDAY 6
// event on Monday, from 13:50 to 14:10
uint8_t WEEKLY_EVENT_DAY = MONDAY;
uint8_t WEEKLY_EVENT_START_HH = 13; // event start time: hour
uint8_t WEEKLY_EVENT_START_MM = 50; // event start time: minute
uint8_t WEEKLY_EVENT_END_HH = 14; // event end time: hour
uint8_t WEEKLY_EVENT_END_MM = 10; // event end time: minute
RTC_DS3231 rtc;
char daysOfTheWeek[7][12] = {
"Sunday",
"Monday",
"Tuesday",
"Wednesday",
"Thursday",
"Friday",
"Saturday"
};
void setup () {
Serial.begin(9600);
// SETUP RTC MODULE
if (! rtc.begin()) {
Serial.println("Couldn't find RTC");
while (1);
}
// sets the RTC to the date & time on PC this sketch was compiled
rtc.adjust(DateTime(F(__DATE__), F(__TIME__)));
// sets the RTC with an explicit date & time, for example to set
// January 21, 2021 at 3am you would call:
// rtc.adjust(DateTime(2021, 1, 21, 3, 0, 0));
}
void loop () {
DateTime now = rtc.now();
if (now.dayOfTheWeek() == WEEKLY_EVENT_DAY &&
now.hour() >= WEEKLY_EVENT_START_HH &&
now.minute() >= WEEKLY_EVENT_START_MM &&
now.hour() < WEEKLY_EVENT_END_HH &&
now.minute() < WEEKLY_EVENT_END_MM) {
Serial.println("It is on scheduled time");
// TODO: write your code"
} else {
Serial.println("It is NOT on scheduled time");
}
printTime(now);
}
void printTime(DateTime time) {
Serial.print("TIME: ");
Serial.print(time.year(), DEC);
Serial.print('/');
Serial.print(time.month(), DEC);
Serial.print('/');
Serial.print(time.day(), DEC);
Serial.print(" (");
Serial.print(daysOfTheWeek[time.dayOfTheWeek()]);
Serial.print(") ");
Serial.print(time.hour(), DEC);
Serial.print(':');
Serial.print(time.minute(), DEC);
Serial.print(':');
Serial.println(time.second(), DEC);
}
Arduino Code – How to make schedule on speficic date with Arduino
/*
* Created by ArduinoGetStarted.com
*
* This example code is in the public domain
*
* Tutorial page: https://arduinogetstarted.com/tutorials/arduino-rtc
*/
// Date and time functions using a DS3231 RTC connected via I2C and Wire lib
#include <RTClib.h>
// UNCHANGABLE PARAMATERS
#define SUNDAY 0
#define MONDAY 1
#define TUESDAY 2
#define WEDNESDAY 3
#define THURSDAY 4
#define FRIDAY 5
#define SATURDAY 6
#define JANUARY 1
#define FEBRUARY 2
#define MARCH 3
#define APRIL 4
#define MAY 5
#define JUNE 6
#define JULY 7
#define AUGUST 8
#define SEPTEMBER 9
#define OCTOBER 10
#define NOVEMBER 11
#define DECEMBER 12
// event from 13:50 August 15, 2021 to 14:10 September 29, 2021
DateTime EVENT_START(2021, AUGUST, 15, 13, 50);
DateTime EVENT_END(2021, SEPTEMBER, 29, 14, 10);
RTC_DS3231 rtc;
char daysOfTheWeek[7][12] = {
"Sunday",
"Monday",
"Tuesday",
"Wednesday",
"Thursday",
"Friday",
"Saturday"
};
void setup () {
Serial.begin(9600);
// SETUP RTC MODULE
if (! rtc.begin()) {
Serial.println("Couldn't find RTC");
Serial.flush();
while (1);
}
// sets the RTC to the date & time on PC this sketch was compiled
rtc.adjust(DateTime(F(__DATE__), F(__TIME__)));
// sets the RTC with an explicit date & time, for example to set
// January 21, 2021 at 3am you would call:
// rtc.adjust(DateTime(2021, 1, 21, 3, 0, 0));
}
void loop () {
DateTime now = rtc.now();
if (now.secondstime() >= EVENT_START.secondstime() &&
now.secondstime() < EVENT_END.secondstime()) {
Serial.println("It is on scheduled time");
// TODO: write your code"
} else {
Serial.println("It is NOT on scheduled time");
}
printTime(now);
}
void printTime(DateTime time) {
Serial.print("TIME: ");
Serial.print(time.year(), DEC);
Serial.print('/');
Serial.print(time.month(), DEC);
Serial.print('/');
Serial.print(time.day(), DEC);
Serial.print(" (");
Serial.print(daysOfTheWeek[time.dayOfTheWeek()]);
Serial.print(") ");
Serial.print(time.hour(), DEC);
Serial.print(':');
Serial.print(time.minute(), DEC);
Serial.print(':');
Serial.println(time.second(), DEC);
}
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