Summary of Analog reading box using an Arduino
The article describes building a serially connected switch box intended for a school music project, designed solely as a tutorial for creating the box, not for playing melodies. The box features six switches arranged in series with resistors to create voltage divisions readable via analog pins on a microcontroller. The enclosure is prepared by drilling holes for the switches, an on/off switch, and an LED power indicator. Wires connect the switches with resistors in cascade, enabling analog voltage reading for each switch state.
Parts used in the Serial Connected Switch Box:
- Some wire
- 6x switch
- 1x LED
- 1x 330 ohm resistor
- 5x 2000 ohm resistor
- 1x 10,000 ohm resistor
- 1x plastic box
- Small piece of prototyping board
I made this box for my music project to our school. This is only tutorial for the box, no for playing melody. It´s based on serial connected switches.
You will need:
Some wire
6x switch
1x LED
1x 330 ohm resistor
5x 2000 ohm resistor (etc.)
1x 10 000 ohm resistor
1x plastic box
small piece of prototyping board
Step 1: Making a wire
First you need to prepare the connecting wire. Take three wires, three pins and a piece of prototyping board with prepared lines of conductive material. I chose this type: the middle pin is analog value and others are VCC and GND.
Step 2: Prepare the box
Take the front side of box and make five holes (i use my soldering iron for it 🙂 ) Put the switches to the holes.
Then take a top part of the box. Make there two holes. One for placing ON/OFF switch and one for LED (power indicator) .
Step 3: Connecting switche and resistors
As I said in step before it´s based on cascade of switches. To middle pin of first switch is connected the VCC power source. Left pin is connected to resistor, which goes to middle pin of next switch. The right pin is connected to wire, which is common for all switches (you can see on schematic). The resistor on last switch is connected to common wire.
6x switch
1x LED
1x 330 ohm resistor
For more detail: Analog reading box using an Arduino
