Dark Sensor using Arduino
JULY 11, 2017 BY ENGINEEERING PROJECTS 0 COMMENTS
The project ‘Dark Sensor using Arduino’ uses an arduino board, a LDR and switching circuit. The circuit is
basically a light operated circuit which operates when dark is detected on LDR.
Circuit Diagram of Dark Sensor using Arduino.
Circuit diagram of the projects ‘Dark Sensor using Arduino’ is shown in figure 1, build around a arduino
uno board, a LDR, three transistors and few other electronics components. The LDR is basically a
transducer which change one form of energy to another form (change in light intensity to change in
resistance). The resistance of LDR is changed according to intensity of light falling on it, more the light on
the LDR, the less the resistance and vice-versa.
The change of intensity of light on LDR is given to one of the digital pin of arduino uno (D2) through the
emitter of transistor T1. Variable resistor VR1 is used to set the sensitivity of LDR1. Capacitor C2
provides a small delay in order to interpret the change in resistance according to intensity of light. As
digital input (pin 2) is configured in logic-low level where resistor R2 is used as pull-down resistor.
When the shadow (dark) is detected at LDR1 is trigger the transistor T2 which further switch on the
piezo buzzer (PZ1). One can also connect the high power external alarm to the relay RL1. One digital
output (D12) is used to control the switching the relay RL1 through transistor T3. LED1 is used to
indicate that the alarm went off.
Software :
The code of dark sensor using arduino is written in arduino programming language and burned in
arduino uno board using arduino IDE shown below.
// DARK SENSOR USING ARDUINO //
int relayPin = 12; // Relay Output Pin
int sensorPin = 2; // Sensor Input Pin
int ledPin = 8; // Reminder LED Output Pin
int piexoPin = 10; //Piezo-speaker Output Pin
int val = 0; // variable for reading the Input Pin status
void setup() {
pinMode(relayPin, OUTPUT); // Set Relay as output
pinMode(sensorPin, INPUT); // Set Shadow Sensor as input
pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT); // Set LED as output
pinMode(piexoPin, OUTPUT); // Set Piezo-Speaker as output
void loop(){
val = digitalRead(sensorPin); // read input value
if (val == HIGH) { // check if the input is HIGH
digitalWrite(relayPin, HIGH); // turn Relay ON
digitalWrite(ledPin,HIGH); // turn LED ON
playTone(500, 600);
delay(100);
playTone(500, 800);
delay(100);
else {
digitalWrite(relayPin, LOW); // turn Relay OFF
playTone(0, 0);
delay(300);
// duration in mSecs, frequency in hertz
void playTone(long duration, int freq) {
duration *= 1000;
int period = (1.0 / freq) * 1000000;
long elapsed_time = 0;
while (elapsed_time < duration) {
digitalWrite(piexoPin,HIGH);
delayMicroseconds(period / 2);
digitalWrite(piexoPin, LOW);
delayMicroseconds(period / 2);
elapsed_time += (period);
PARTS LIST OF DARK SENSORS USING ARDUINO
Resistors (all ¼-watt, ± 5% Carbon)
R1, R2 = 470 Ω
R3, R4 = 1 KΩ
VR1 = 4.7 KΩ
Capacitors
C1 = 100 µF/ 16V
Semiconductors
T1 – T3 = BC547 (NPN transistor)
D1 = 1N4007 (General purpose Rectifier Diode)
Arduino Uno Board
LED1 = 5mm any color LED
Miscellaneous
RL1 = 9V, 1C/O relay
PZ1 = Piezo Buzzer
LDR1 = LDR
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