Arduino Powered Binary Clock

Step 3 Creating the Arduino Binary Clock PCB

You have a few options with this step.  You could use your Arduino board and run all the components to it.  This option however, you wont have access to your Arduino as long as you are using the clock :(              so you would have to buy another one.

You can Build Your Own Arduino onto a piece of Protoboard, and then run the connection wires to a seperate protoboard that has the LED's on it.  This was the method that I used for my first clock design.

A better approach would be to etch your own copper PCB.  The second clock that I designed I went with this method.  There are pleanty of Instructables on how to do this.  Since this method requires more equipment, I am going to keep with the first clock design for instruction purposes. Later or on your own you can research other methods if you would like to attempt etching your own PCB.

Once you have the protoboard that will be used as your Arduino completed. Use your actual Arduino board, and upload the sketch supplied at the end of this tutorial.  Pop that chip out, and place it in the protoboard Arduino.

The resistors and leds will be connected from the second protoboard, down to your designed Arduino board. Follow the attached schematic with this step.

Arduino Pin 1 connects to Resistor 1 which connects to LED 1, which connects to GND.
Arduino Pin 2 connects to Resistor 2 which connects to LED 2, which connects to GND.
* repeat this process for all 13 resistors, pins and led's.

SOLDERING TIP.
Place a tiny and thin layer of solder onto the area that you are going to be soldering to first, then with one hand holding the soldering iron, and the other using a pair of tweezers, place the component onto the area to be soldered to. Hold it down with the tweezers, and then reheat the solder. Keep pressure applied with the tweezers and move the solder iron away. Now you can let go with the tweezers and the part will be connected into place. More Instructables for soldering.