Getting Started

This document explains the step-by-step process for building and programming the Tech-Box.io LCD Alarm Clock.  Exciting News: Guided Video Instructions are coming soon!

 

 

Table of Contents - LCD Alarm Clock Instruction Guide

Getting Started

Thank you for purchasing a Tech-Box.io product! We are so happy to welcome you to the Maker community! If you have any questions or issues while assembling your kit, please reach out to Support@tech-box.io and our support team will be happy to assist you!

This guide provides step-by-step instructions to build and program the Tech-Box.io LCD Alarm Clock kit, purchasable in the Tech-Box.io Shop (Shop Now). Source code and the required libraries and drivers are also available for download within this guide, making it easier than ever to complete your Arduino inspired project!

Below and on the following pages you will find sections for the downloads, electrical wiring, programming, and housing assembly. Be sure to read each part and step fully and carefully as you continue through the guide! Throughout this guide, there will be keywords with highlighted links that you can click to learn more about a particular component or phrase.

 

• (A) Two-Tone Acrylic Housing -- This is used to build the case that houses all of the electronics. (Note: A breakdown of housing components as Parts A-1 through A-9 is shown below)
  
  
  
  
  
  
• (B) LCD Screen (20x4 Characters) -- This is a Liquid Crystal Diode (LCD) display that is used to display the current time in a stylized theme. It receives the current time from the Nano Board microcontroller via its input pins
  
  
• (C) Nano Board Arduino Compatible Microcontroller -- This is the "brain" of the kit and is known as a microcontroller. It controls all of the other components/parts through its inputs and outputs and is where the code for the project is uploaded to
  
  Note: The reset (RST) button on this microcontroller RESTARTS the program from its first line of code, it does NOT completely reset the entire controller.
  
  
• (D) DS3231 Real Time Clock (RTC) -- This is a highly precise clock that accurately keeps the current time, even when disconnected from power, and communicates that "real" time to the Nano Board microcontroller
  
  
• (E) CR2032 Coin Cell Battery -- This is a coin cell battery that is used to keep the DS3231 Real Time Clock powered when the Alarm Clock is disconnected from power. This allows the DS3231 RTC to continue tracking time precisely without external power. This battery will already be installed in the DS3231 RTC when it arrives, DO NOT remove it or you will have to re-program the DS3231 RTC
  
  
• (F) 30-Pin Breadboard -- This is the base where all of the kit's components will be placed or connected and is the foundation for electronics prototyping
  
  
• (G) 3 Position Rocker Switch -- This is a switch which has 3 different positions that can be selected: I, O, and II. This switch provides two inputs to the kit's microcontroller, meaning that two separate "On-Off" signals can be received as inputs. The switch shows these inputs with the "I" and "II" markings for signals 1 and 2
  
  
• (H) Alarm Buzzer (5V) -- This is a 5-volt buzzer that the Nano Board can control with a variable frequency (which means that the "sound" or frequency the buzzer makes can be customized)
  
  
• (I) 12kOhm Resistors -- (Qty. - x2) -- These pieces introduce electrical resistance to the circuit they are placed in. For this kit, these are used as "pull-down" resistors which are meant to keep input signals to the Nano Board from "floating" or having an indeterminate value. When no voltage is applied to the input signal, any excess charge still in the circuit will be "pulled-down" through these resistors to the ground voltage
  
  
• (J) 10kOhm Dial Potentiometer -- This is also essentially a variable resistor which means that the resistance through the potentiometer can be changed by turning the knob of the potentiometer. This one is used to control the time you wish to set the alarm for
  
  
• (K) Mini USB Cable -- This cable will act as both the programming cable (when connected to the Nano Board and your computer) and as the power cable (when connected to the Nano Board and US Wall Plug) for this kit
  
  
• (L) US Wall Plug (Only included if selected at time of purchase) -- This is an AC-to-DC power adapter (like the ones used for cell phone chargers) and converts the power from your wall outlet to power that can be used by the Nano Board and other components in this kit
  
  
• (M) Male-to-Male (M-M)  Breadboard Jumper Wires -- (Qty. - x8 loose, 8 pre-soldered) -- These wires have exposed metal pins on each end of the wire. These pins can be inserted into the breadboard holes to connect separate parts of the breadboard or other components. The wires may come attached to each other, but can be easily separated as shown in the image below
  
  
  
  
  
  Note: The colors of the wires provided in your kit are randomized. Therefore, the colors used in this guide do NOT matter and your wiring does NOT have to match the color scheme used in the following photos. You are free to use whichever colors you prefer when wiring this kit.
  
  
• (N) Male-to-Female (M-F) Breadboard Jumper Wires -- (Qty. - x4 loose) -- These wires have an exposed metal pin on one end of the wire and a plastic slot on the other end into which another metal pin can be inserted. These wires can be inserted into the breadboard holes to connect other components with exposed pins. The wires may come attached to each other, but can also be easily separated as shown in the image above, under the Male-to-Male Breadboard Jumper Wires
  
  Note: The colors of the wires provided in your kit are randomized. Therefore, the colors used in this guide do NOT matter and your wiring does NOT have to match the color scheme used in the following photos. You are free to use whichever colors you prefer when wiring this kit.
  
  

Note: For the remainder of the guide, each component will be referred to by the letter shown next to its description above. For example, the Nano Board will be referred to as "Part (C)" or "Component (C)".

 

Downloads

All required downloads for this kit are linked below. This list is only for reference, and you do not need to download them at this time. You will be able to download each file when it is used later in the guide.

1. Tech-BoxIO_LCD_Alarm_Clock.ino

 

Electrical Assembly

The first step when assembling this kit is to start assembling all of the electrical components. The following instructions will walk you through the assembly process, with step-by-step images provided underneath each step:

1. Begin by locating the bottom of the LCD Alarm Clock housing (Part A-3) and position it with the black side facing up. Peel the protective backing off of the Breadboard (Part F) to expose the adhesive tape and place the breadboard (Part F) onto the bottom of the housing (Part A-3) exactly as shown in the image below, making sure to align the corners of the breadboard (Part F) with the "L" shaped alignment cutouts on the bottom of the housing (Part A-3), as highlighted by the arrows below. The orientation and position of the breadboard (Part F) are very important, so be cautious when completing this step. DO NOT attempt to remove the breadboard (Part F) from the bottom of the housing after it is adhered or the breadboard will become damaged. (Hint: Use the ROW and COLUMN numbers on the breadboard (Part F) for proper orientation)
   
   Note: The bottom of the housing is NOT shown in the following steps for greater clarity!
   
   
   
   
   
2. Remove the Nano Board (Part C) from its packaging and insert it into the Breadboard (Part F) as shown, ensuring that pin D12 on the Nano Board is inserted into pin position G1 on the breadboard. It is important to ensure that the Nano Board (Part C) is pushed all the way into the breadboard so that the pins are securely connected. To do this, ensure the pins are properly lined up with the holes in the breadboard to avoid damaging them, and then push firmly until the Nano Board rests against the breadboard. The Nano Board (Part C) will control all of the components for the Alarm Clock which will all be installed later!
   
   Note: The wiring for this kit is VERY important. Be sure to double-check each connection and make sure that the location is correct and matches each image shown before moving onto the next step or your kit may not work correctly!
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Insert the two 12kOhm Resistors (Part I) into the breadboard (Part F) in pin locations H27 and H29, and then insert the other end of each resistor into the "A"-side (-) column on the "A"-side at rows 27 and 29, as shown below. You will need to bend the leads (or exposed wires) of the resistors to route them correctly. Additionally, the orientation of the resistor does not matter, as resistors are inherently bi-directional (or can pass electrical current and signals in both directions). These resistors will act as Pull-down resistors for the 3-position rocker switch (Part G), keeping the inputs to the Nano Board (Part C) from floating or having an unknown value. IMPORTANT: Make sure the leads (or the exposed wires) of each resistor do not touch any other lead or errors will occur.
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Your kit should arrive with this battery (Part E) already installed. If so, you can skip this step, otherwise, follow the directions below. Place the CR2032 Coin Cell Battery (Part E) into the DS3231 Real Time Clock (Part D), with the positive (+) side of the battery facing outward once it is inserted, as shown. This battery will allow the DS3231 RTC to keep accurate track of time even while the clock is unplugged, so you will never have to reset it!
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Insert the DS3231 Real Time Clock (Part D) into the breadboard (Part F) with the 32K pin located in pin position J19 and the GND pin in position J24, as shown. (Note: The pins are labeled on the front of the DS3231 RTC (Part D) circuit board - on the opposite side of the coin cell battery (Part E)). The DS3231 RTC (Part D) is an extremely accurate Real Time Clock that compensates for temperature differences when measuring the changes in the frequency of its crystal which oscillates with a known base frequency. This allows it to track time more accurately than a microcontroller, like the Nano Board (Part C), could by itself.
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Locate the top of the clock housing (Part A-4) and insert the 3-position Rocker Switch (Part G) in the orientation shown with the colored side of the housing facing upward. This rocker switch (Part G) will allow us to set the time we want the Alarm Buzzer (Part H) to sound and to enable/disable the alarm.
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. Take 4 of the Male-Female Breadboard Jumper Wires (Part N) and insert the female ends onto the header pins GND through SCL on the 20x4 LCD Screen (Part B), as shown. Be sure to push the wires completely onto the header to ensure a good connection. These wires provide the necessary signals to properly control the 20x4 LCD Screen (Part B). (Note: Remember you can separate the wires if needed by gently tearing them apart).
   
   The colors of the wires provided in your kit are randomized. Therefore the colors used in this guide do NOT matter and your wiring does NOT have to match the color scheme used in the following photos. You are free to use whichever colors you prefer when wiring this kit.
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. Locate the front of the clock housing (Part A-1) and remove the black knob, washer, and nut from the Dial Potentiometer (Part J 1-4), as shown in the image below. (Note: The Dial Potentiometer (Part J) has an alignment tab shown in the inset image J-1 which will be used in the following step). Hint: The knob of the potentiometer (Part J) pulls off and attempting to unscrew it may damage or break the potentiometer; The nut of the potentiometer (Part J) can be removed by rotating it in a counterclockwise direction to unscrew it.
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. Insert the 10kOhm Dial potentiometer (Part J-1) with pre-soldered wires into the front of the housing with the wires facing downward ensuring that the alignment tab of the dial potentiometer (Part J-1) lines up with the smaller hole in the front of the housing (Part A-1), as highlighted by the arrow in the image below. This dial potentiometer will allow us to change the time when setting the alarm.
   
   
   
   
   
   
10. Place the washer (Part J-2) over the dial potentiometer (Part J-1) and screw on the nut (Part J-3) by rotating it clockwise until very finger tight. Then, rotate the dial potentiometer stem (Part J-1) counterclockwise as shown by the arrow until you feel the stem hit a hard stop approximately in the orientation shown.The part breakdown for the dial potentiometer (Part J 1-4) is shown under step 8, above.
    
    
    
    
    
    
11. Place the knob (Part J-4) of the potentiometer onto the stem (Part J-1) in the orientation pictured.
    
    
    
    
    
    
12. Use two Male-Male Breadboard Jumper Wires (Part M) to connect pin locations I23 and I24 to the "A"-side (-) column at row 24 and to the "A"-side (+) column at row 24 on the breadboard (Part F) (I23 -> (+)24 and I24 -> (-)24), as shown. (Note: Remember, you can separate the wires if needed by gently tearing them apart)
    
    
    
    
    
    
13. Use two Male-Male breadboard wires (Part M) to connect pin locations I21 and I22 to pin locations A9 and A8 respectively on the breadboard (Part F) (I21-A9 and I22-A8), as shown. (Note: Previous wires removed for better image clarity)
    
    
    
    
    
    
14. Use two Male-Male breadboard wires (Part M) to connect pin locations A14 and A15 to the "A"-side (-) column at row 14 and to the "A"-side (+) column at row 14 on the breadboard (Part F) (A14 -> (-)14 and A15 -> (+)14), as shown. (Note: Previous wires removed for better image clarity)
    
    
    
    
    
    
15. Insert the breadboard wire connected to the black wire of the Alarm Buzzer (Part H) into the "A"-side (-) column at row 1 on the Breadboard (Part F), and then insert the breadboard wire connected to the red wire of the Alarm Buzzer (Part H) into pin location J4 on the breadboard (Part F), as shown in the image below. This allows for the Alarm Buzzer to be operated by one of the output pins from the Nano Board (Part C). The frequency of the buzzer can also be altered in the code to create custom sounds and patterns! (Note: Previous wires removed for better image clarity)
    
    Note: The wiring for this kit is VERY important. Be sure to double-check each connection and make sure that the location is correct and matches each image shown before moving onto the next step or your kit may not work correctly!
    
    
    
    
    
    
16. With the silver indention on the Dial Potentiometer knob (Part J) oriented as shown in the image below, insert the leftmost wire into the "A"-side (-) column at row 5 on the breadboard (Part F), the center wire to pin location A5, and the rightmost wire to the "A"-side (+) column at row 5. This connects the potentiometer (Part J) to the V+ and GND reference voltages of the Nano Board (Part C) while also connecting the output from the potentiometer to an analog input pin. As the potentiometer (Part J) rotates, it slowly changes the voltage the Nano Board (Part C) reads from its input pin. (Note: Previous wires removed for better image clarity)
    
    
    
    
    
    
17. Use two Male-Male Breadboard Wires (Part M) to connect pin locations I27 and I29 to pin locations J1 and J3 respectively on the breadboard (Part F) (I27-J1 and I29-J3), as shown (Note: Remember, you can separate the wires if needed by gently tearing them apart). These connections tie the outputs from the rocker switch (Part G) to input pins on the Nano Board (Part C), while also allowing the signals to be “pulled down” to the GROUND voltage when the switch is not active. (Note: Previous wires removed for better image clarity)
    
    
    
    
    
    
18. Connect the 3-position Rocker Switch (Part G) to the breadboard (Part F). With the rocker switch (Part G) facing upward, connect the wire underneath the “II” position on the Rocker Switch to pin location J27 on the breadboard (Part F), the wire below position “I” on the Rocker Switch to pin location J29, and the wire below position “O” on the Rocker Switch to the "A"-side (+) column at row 30, as shown in the image below. Making these connections allows the Nano Board (Part C) to read two inputs from the rocker switch (Part G), signalling what state the switch is in. (Note: Previous wires removed for better image clarity)
    
    
    
    
    
    
19. Connect the previously installed Breadboard Wire (Part N) from the GND pin on the LCD Screen (Part B) into the "A"-side (-) column at row 26 on the breadboard (Part F), as shown. This connection supplies the LCD Screen (Part B) with a ground connection. (Note: Previous/excess wires removed for better image clarity)
    
    
    
    
    
    
20. Connect the previously installed Breadboard Wire (Part N) from the VCC pin on the LCD Screen (Part B) into the "A"-side (+) column at row 26 on the breadboard (Part F), as shown. This connection supplies the LCD Screen (Part B) with a power connection. (Note: Previous/excess wires removed for better image clarity)
    
    
    
    
    
    
21. Connect the previously installed Breadboard Wire (Part N) from the SDA pin on the LCD Screen (Part B) into pin location B8 on the breadboard (Part F), as shown. This wire is one half of the communication wiring for the LCD Screen (Part B). (Note: Previous/excess wires removed for better image clarity)
    
    
    
    
    
    
22. Connect the previously installed Breadboard Wire (Part N) from the SCL pin on the LCD Screen (Part B) into pin location B9 on the breadboard (Part F), as shown. This wire is the other half of the communication wiring for the LCD Screen (Part B). (Note: Previous/excess wires removed for better image clarity)
    
    
    
    
    
    

If the LCD Screen (Part B) is not illuminating yet, that is okay, as the Mini USB Cable (Part K) needs to be connected to power.

Congratulations! You have completed the wiring of your new LCD Alarm Clock! With the wiring complete, it is time to program the Nano Board (Part C). (Note: This DIY kit comes pre-programmed for the timezone of your shipping address, so the programming section of this guide can be skipped by continuing onto Section 3 - The Housing, by following this link. However, if you do wish to complete the programming section and to learn the programming process, you must open the link to this instruction guide on your Windows or MacOS computer to download the required files and programming tool. To do this, go to https://tech-box.io/LAC on your computer's internet browser and select Section 2 - Programming!) Continue to the next page and follow the steps in that section to successfully program the Nano Board.