programming relays wit millis code

Question

Trainset info,

Turnout 1 = relay 1 - makes turnout track go left
          = relay 2 - makes turnout track go right
Turnout 2 = relay 3 - makes turnout track go left
          = relay 4 - makes turnout track go right
 Signal 1 = relay 5 - makes signal go green - train 1 starts driving
          = relay 6 - makes signal go red - train 1 stops for signal
 Signal 2 = relay 7 - makes signal go green - train 2 starts driving
          = relay 8 - makes signal go red - train 2 stops for signal

I have a arduino - uno and a 8 relay board. I want to run a program (loop) for 1/2 hour / 1800 seconds. Switching time should be 2 seconds (relay ON)

Can somebody help me with a millis code please.

Loop times should be:

relay 1 = (2),1250,(2),546 - total 1800 seconds
relay 2 = 620,(2),630,(2),546 - total 1800 seconds
relay 3 = 10,(2)1260,(2),526 - total 1800 seconds
relay 4 = 630,(2),640,(2),512 - total time 1800 seconds
relay 5 = 20,(2),1270,(2),505 - total time 1800 seconds
relay 6 = 600,(2),750,(2),446 - total time 1800 seconds
relay 7 = 640,(2),640,(2),516 - total time 1800 seconds
relay 8 = 1240,(2),450,(2),106 - total time 1800 seconds

Regards, Martinus van Walsum xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.com

Answer 1

This is functional. I would do more by making a function to be called with the time and state information. It would reduce the number of if statements. But this is simple to understand. I started with Blink without delay.

I did two relays. For the others, copy and paste, then change the relay numbers and times.

/*
  Blink without Delay
  http://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/BlinkWithoutDelay
*/

const int On =  1;
const int Off =  0;

// constants won't change. Used here to set a pin number:
const int ledPin =  LED_BUILTIN;// the number of the LED pin
const int relay1 =  5;
const int relay2 =  6;

// Variables will change:
int ledState = LOW;             // ledState used to set the LED

// Generally, you should use "unsigned long" for variables that hold time
// The value will quickly become too large for an int to store
unsigned long previousMillis = 0;        // will store last time LED was updated

int    secondCount = 0;

// constants won't change:
const long interval = 1000;           // interval at which to blink (milliseconds)

#define onTime  2           //relay on time

#define relay1_on1 0
#define relay1_on2 (relay1_on1+onTime+1250)

#define relay2_on1 62
#define relay2_on2 (relay2_on1+onTime+630)


void setup() {
  // set the digital pin as output:
  digitalWrite(relay1, Off);
  digitalWrite(relay2, Off);
  pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(relay1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(relay2, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {
  // here is where you'd put code that needs to be running all the time.

  // check to see if it's time to blink the LED; that is, if the difference
  // between the current time and last time you blinked the LED is bigger than
  // the interval at which you want to blink the LED.
  unsigned long currentMillis = millis();

  if (currentMillis - previousMillis >= interval) {
    // save the last time you blinked the LED
    previousMillis = currentMillis;

    //------------------------------
    // Relay 1
    if (secondCount == relay1_on1) {
      digitalWrite(relay1, On);
    }
    if (secondCount == (relay1_on1 + 2)) {
      digitalWrite(relay1, Off);
    }

    if (secondCount == relay1_on2) {
      digitalWrite(relay1, On);
    }
    if (secondCount == (relay1_on2 + 2)) {
      digitalWrite(relay1, Off);
    }

    //------------------------------
    // Relay 2
    if (secondCount == relay2_on1) {
      digitalWrite(relay2, On);
    }
    if (secondCount == (relay2_on1 + 2)) {
      digitalWrite(relay2, Off);
    }

    if (secondCount == relay2_on2) {
      digitalWrite(relay2, On);
    }
    if (secondCount == (relay2_on2 + 2)) {
      digitalWrite(relay2, Off);
    }


    //------------------------------
    // if the LED is off turn it on and vice-versa:
    if (ledState == LOW) {
      ledState = HIGH;
    } else {
      ledState = LOW;
    }

    // set the LED with the ledState of the variable:
    digitalWrite(ledPin, ledState);

    secondCount++;
    if (secondCount == 180) {
      secondCount = 0;
    }
  }

}