BlackberryJamMan

Hi Eddy,A nice design. Thank you for sharing.

Hi Hasofbah,When you plug in your USB cable, you should see the COM port in your Arduino program under Tools --> Port.If you cannot see a port, you need to change your USB cable or your ESP8266 board as it should appear automatically.

A nice development - thanks for sharing

Thank you for your post. I have not experienced the connectivity issues you describe. My version takes about two seconds to connect to the router and then the time is diplayed in an instant. I wonder if you could do an experiment by setting up a hotspot on your cellphone and see if that makes a difference?I have been running a version of this for around three years continuously - the LEDs seem to be fine but that is part of the fun - customise it to your own taste. Good luck.

OK - let's go back to basics. Are you able to print out basic test prints on your printer?I use a mixture of sugar water spread over my heated plate which provides a sticky surface. I have also printed this piece with a skirt so that it has a larger surface area to stick to the bed (you can add a skirt to your print in your slicer settings - I use Cura).

Well done! Your perseverance has paid off.The GPIO pins have two different numbering systems. The actual number on the board is not that same as the logical number that is used in the program (this is a slight frustration when working with these types of boards).So GPIO2 (Pin 2 in the program) is actually connected to D4 on the board - I don't think I have made a mistake on this in my instructions?I'm glad you had that thrill of excitement when it worked for the first time :-)

If you look at code lines 315 - 332, you will see that the program will output some messages when it connects to your wifi - this will be the first thing it does before displaying the time, so you will know that it is working (you do not need to connect the neopixels for this to work).I use the cheap wemos D1 mini board from aliexpress.I think Paul Stoffregen has picked up the development of the time library, but you can download them from github - I think either one will work.

No need to apologize - the whole point of doing this is to learn something new!It sounds like the program is compiling and you are able to upload it. On the board, there is a physical reset button. When you press this, it restarts the board and runs the code - have a go at pressing this when you have uploaded the program and see what happens.If this doesn't work, I would go back to basics to check the board with a simple Blink program that will flash the onboard LED.Can you load up the program File/Examples/01.Basics/Blink to check that the uploading and basic board operation is working. When we know that is OK, we can start to look at other issues.

Did you use a resistor (to limit the current) for the data line and a capacitor across the power lines (to reduce voltage spikes)?If you keep the ESP8266 connected to USB, you will be able to see some messages on the serial monitor.

Nice! I like the circular hole design for the front face. Great work.

I think this will work if you print all the parts at this scale factor. I would print the neo-pixel ring support first to check that it fits your Wesiri version.

Try downloading the neopixel support ring and printing it again. I have aligned it so it is flat with the bed.

Try printing the new version of the stl ring that I have uploaded.

Thank you - I have now exported the file so it is flat on the bed without having to align it in your slicing software.

All 3D printers are different and you will need to 'tune in' your settings for your specific printer.The settings I used for my print were 0.2mm layer height, 0.4mm nozzle, PLA temperature 210 °C, print speed 50mm/S, infill 20%.I did not use any support but I did add a 5mm brim to help with adhesion to the bed. I have a heated glass plate and use a sugar solution to help it stick.

Hi Narayanan,I think this will work. The connections are for positive, negative and data, so you can use the same circuit diagram. I do not think you will need to use the extra power connector.Good luck.

You do not need to edit the stl files, but Cura will allow you to place them flat on your bed as it will know all the settings for your printer.

Hi Narayanan,Thank you for the positive feedback - glad you got it working :-)

Hi,The stl files are good - lots of people have successfully printed them. You need to check your settings in Cura and slice the files so that it uses the specific settings for your printer.. There is a tool that will allow you to lay the object flat on the bed before you slice it.My advice - print out a simple test piece to make sure your printer settings are OK. You can then import the stl files and slice them - Cura will show you what face of the model is in contact with the bed of the printer, so you should check this before you print it.Have another go..........

If you download the schematic diagram, you will have a high resolution jpeg, so you can zoom into it and see the pinout numbers.The important numbers are the GPIO pin numbers - these are the ones you need to match up on the version of your board. If you look at the code, you will see I have commented these on lines 29 - 37 to help you.

That device looks good.If you get stuck, tell me what step you are working on.1) Select the correct device in Tools --> Board --> Wemos D1 RS & Mini2) Insert your SSID and password --> Compile the code3) Keep the usb lead connected. Open Tools-->Serial MonitorWhat output do you see in this window?

Don't give up. When you are building a project, they often do not work first time, so you need to work through it step-by-step to find out what the problem is. This will improve your skills and understanding.Would you like me to help you do this?

If it has compiled OK and you have uploaded it to the ESP8266, then the next thing to look at is the output in Tools --> Serial Monitor.What messages does it display?

OK - let's go through it one step at a time.Have you compiled the .....Europe.ino code in the Arduino IDE?

OK - try this:-1) Download the .ino file.2) Open it in your Arduino IDE (it will create a folder to put this file in)3) Select the com port and correct board you are using in the IDE4) Compile and upload the sketch.If you have a problem, tell me what step you get stuck on?

Hi Narayanan,Can I just check the dates for changeover?If you are using New Zealand Standard Time (NZST), I think the daylight saving times are from the last Sunday in September until the first Sunday in April ?

OK - no problem.Have a look in section 8 and you will see the sketch for NZ.Let me know when you get it working :-)

These sound like excellent developments to the project - thank you for sharing.

You are most welcome. I am glad it has given you some pleasure.I do have another project on the go that will build on what I learnt designing this one. It may be a little while until it is ready to release but at least you have something that you can tinker with yourself in the meantime.

Good work. I think you are right about the quality assurance of some of these cheaper components. If I am tinkering with the device on my desk, I tend to leave it plugged in and only run it off the batteries when going out for a viewing......which usually doesn't last longer than 10 minutes once it has been calibrated.Have you managed to use it to track a flyby yet?

Thank you.Using the Arduino Library Manager, install "Time" by Michael Margolis.

Great job - thank you for sharing. It's a good idea to have the white pointer so it will be much easier to see when using it in the dark. I did wonder about using 'glow in the dark' filament for this.

Nice idea - easy to tell the time in the dark - thanks for sharing.

Yes, the power jack is 5.5 mm x 2.1mm.All the parts can be found in the 'supplies' section. I have not provided links to specific components as the parts are quite generic and may be easily substituted. Good luck.

Hi, I have sliced the neo-pixel support ring in Cura and added a brim. You should be able to print it out from here (2 hours 20 mins). It has been uploaded to section 6 of the instructable - TBW_neopixel support ring.gcode.

You are most welcome. Perhaps you could upload a photo of your clock when it is finished?

Hi, India does not use daylight saving time throughout the year, so lots of the code can be deleted. I have uploaded a version for India in the code section 8. Let me know if you get it working.

Hi, people have been successful printing out this stl on a range of different printers, so I don't think that there is any problem with it. I have printed several with a brim but I always reduce the speed for the first two layers to make sure it has properly adhered to the bed. I printed it in PLA and used a sugar solution as a bed adhesive. I can send you the gcode if you think that will help?

Great Job - well done.It's good that you experimented with some different ways to do this as it will help you to understand how it works.You are right......it is possible to get the clock to show the right time, but if the algorithm or settings are not correct, there will be some days of the year when the time is out of sync. Thank you for sharing.

It looks like the rules are different for different regions within Mexico.If you download the code for North America, you can adapt it as followsFor your area:-begins at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of Aprilends at 2:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of OctoberLook in the main loop() and change the code // find the first Sunday in April (4) as the day the time switches to DST // start at April 1 and work forwards to find the first Sunday int find_start_DST = 1; while (find_day_of_the_week(find_start_DST, 4, year())!= "Sunday"){ find_start_DST+=1; } // find the last Sunday in October (10) as the day the time switches back // start at October 31 and work backwards to find the Sunday int find_start_GMT = 31; while (find_day_of_the_week(find_start_GMT, 10, year())!= "Sunday…

It looks like the rules are different for different regions within Mexico.If you download the code for North America, you can adapt it as followsFor your area:-begins at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of Aprilends at 2:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of OctoberLook in the main loop() and change the code // find the first Sunday in April (4) as the day the time switches to DST // start at April 1 and work forwards to find the first Sunday int find_start_DST = 1; while (find_day_of_the_week(find_start_DST, 4, year())!= "Sunday"){ find_start_DST+=1; } // find the last Sunday in October (10) as the day the time switches back // start at October 31 and work backwards to find the Sunday int find_start_GMT = 31; while (find_day_of_the_week(find_start_GMT, 10, year())!= "Sunday"){ find_start_GMT-=1; }There are also some differences when the switch takes place. // find the unix timestamp for the switch over dates starting at 2 o'clock in the morning long DST_begins = makeTime(2,0,0,find_start_DST,4,year()); long GMT_begins = makeTime(2,0,0,find_start_GMT,10,year());Let me know if you get it working - good luck.

Hi Alexander, it sounds like there might be a problem with the hardware. Things to check include your soldering joints to make sure there are no bridges across the contacts. Is the capacitor connected around the right way? If you are happy these are OK, we can look for some other things to try out.

Excellent - thank you for sharing.

Well done, maybe you could post a picture?

Nice design - thanks for sharing

I agree, it should be left in orginal condition. But they don't build radios like that anymore....perhaps you could make a miniature replica case with modern circuitry.........something to ponder for the future

My pleasure - great job!You have made some nice modifications here - you won't be able to stop tinkering with it now.....there's always something new to experiment with.P.S. Is that an art-deco radio underneath? How about fitting a Raspberry Pi internet radio inside?

Phew! I'm exhausted just listening to all the testing you have been doing :-) There are a few things that I thought of in your description:-Did you copy and paste the code from the webpage into the arduino IDE? This can sometimes cause problems as there are hidden characters on the webpage.It sounds like the hot glue might have had an impact on the circuit. Although it is OK to use it on circuits as it is an insulator, I think it could have some capacitance effects. As the circuit is running at 800KHz, it could potentially affect the transmission of this signal. I would be tempted to remove the hot glue and see if you can get it working again.Anyway, well done ......you have had it working. I agree.....sometimes the best solution is to leave it alone and come back to it with a fresh brai…

Phew! I'm exhausted just listening to all the testing you have been doing :-) There are a few things that I thought of in your description:-Did you copy and paste the code from the webpage into the arduino IDE? This can sometimes cause problems as there are hidden characters on the webpage.It sounds like the hot glue might have had an impact on the circuit. Although it is OK to use it on circuits as it is an insulator, I think it could have some capacitance effects. As the circuit is running at 800KHz, it could potentially affect the transmission of this signal. I would be tempted to remove the hot glue and see if you can get it working again.Anyway, well done ......you have had it working. I agree.....sometimes the best solution is to leave it alone and come back to it with a fresh brain.

OK - I have re-uploaded it....can you try to download it again?If you want to debug what is happening, can you open Tools --> Serial Monitor and it will give you some messages about what it is doing.

Hi Bill,It sounds like you are really close to getting it working. I have created a new sketch and uploaded it in step 8. You should be able to get this version and upload it to your ESP8266 to get it working (I have tested the code on my clock and it is showing the correct time for your location). Let me know if this works for you......or we might need to look at the hardware.

Thank you, Gareth. Yes, it is possible to remove the light show - you would need to amend the software (a good opportunity to tinker).It should be quite straightforward - have a look in the code - I think I have used sensible names so you will be able to recognise and remove the effects that you don't want.(If you show the code line numbers in the arduino IDE, it is lines 427-463)Of course, you could add a switch. You would need to test the state of the switch and then use an if statement to decide whether or not to show the lights. This is quite easy to do.....but adding a switch may affect the design lines of clock......good luck.

This is an awesome project. I particularly like the way you document your thought processes, which are so important before you begin the build. The write up is detailed and informative. Truly inspirational to show what can be achieved in the maker community. Keep up the good work.

You can download the code from https://content.instructables.com/ORIG/FZS/EKMZ/KKTQE0R7/FZSEKMZKKTQE0R7.ino

No, I have had a version of this clock running in a public place for about 4 years without it needing to be rebooted. I suspect that your device might be losing connection with the internet. This could be because of the power supply....if the voltage drops when all the lights are illuminated, it could cause it to have problems.I love your mirror clock design - nice work!

They are two different projects by different people. You could go to that project page and post a comment there if you have any questions about it.

Are you referring to my code or to mr_fid's example?

I think the connection sequence is more of a concern when testing out using neopixels. I have certainly killed a neopixel strip when experimenting with them and not following this connection procedure. When the circuit is fully connected and has the added protection of the current limiting resistor and spike-reducing capacitor, it really is not a problem to connect the power via the jack socket.

Thank you - you are right - I think I was in the middle of writing some Python when I edited the response :-)There is a bit of flexibility on the resistor and capactitor values, so I am sure you will be fine. Check out the uberguide in the reference list for safety advice if you haven't used neopixels before.

Another nice way to present the time. Thanks for sharing.

My pleasure - you have added a nice feature to the design - thank you for sharing.

Great job - old school is good - a nice development to the design. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you. I think the SGP4 library will be my next stage of development. I will take a look at the magnitude code too.....all good ideas - thanks.

Thank you. I used the MP1584EN board.

I get a lot of my components from Aliexpress.The slip ring was a 6-channel 2A model with a 12.5 mm diameter body and 24mm diameter top ring with three securing holes.The DC buck converter (MP1584EN) is wired to the battery pack and secured inside the battery compartment with double sided foam tape.I designed a space for the DIKAVS 5v buzzer (but I haven't incorporated this into my software yet).

Thank you. Yes, I used an app to help me spot the ISS in my back garden - they are great aren't they? That's what got me thinking about designing a stand alone device that could do it.

A nice idea. I think that is certainly possible using this type of design.

Thank you. It's a nice idea to add a laser pointer but I think it would need a re-design. I know there are some sensitivities about using laser pointers continuously pointed in the sky due to the risk to aircraft, so I think I would want to be able to control it and switch it off after a quick pulse of light to show where it is pointing. This is a problem as the arm is currently able to continuously rotate, so I would perhaps need to incorporate a second slip ring to provide power and control to a laser module....I think the design would start to get bulky and a bit too complex. However, I am currently working on a different design to achieve this on another project ......watch out for a new instructable in the future :-).

Thank you. Some nice development ideas to think about too.

It's just a name......I used it to pay respect to Bram's original idea. Of course, it wouldn't be difficult to mark the actual equinoxes with a light show......how about getting the top half then the bottom half to light up referencing the equal lengths of night and day?

This is the beauty of sharing these ideas - lots of different things to try out until you get the style you like. The decaying pixels are a nice idea...I think you will have to solve the problem of working out the number of the pixel before and after the one you want to illuminate.....this will be a bit tricky when it transitions from 59 --> 0 but is perfectly possible. Have fun experimenting and good luck.

Thank you. There are already some nice 3D printed Stargate models....I wonder if someone will do a mashup of these two projects?

Thank you. It should be easy to transfer to a different NTP server. In America you could use north-america.pool.ntp.org or you could use the generic pool.ntp.org and the system should find the closest server for your region.I think the rules for daylight saving time in America are different from the UK.The rules are that DST:begins at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March (at 2 a.m. the local time time skips ahead to 3 a.m. so there is one less hour in the day)ends at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November (at 2 a.m. the local time becomes 1 a.m. and that hour is repeated, so there is an extra hour in the day)Look in the main loop() and change the code// find the second Sunday in March(3) as the day the time switches to DST // start at March 1 and work forwards to find the first Sun…

Thank you. It should be easy to transfer to a different NTP server. In America you could use north-america.pool.ntp.org or you could use the generic pool.ntp.org and the system should find the closest server for your region.I think the rules for daylight saving time in America are different from the UK.The rules are that DST:begins at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March (at 2 a.m. the local time time skips ahead to 3 a.m. so there is one less hour in the day)ends at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November (at 2 a.m. the local time becomes 1 a.m. and that hour is repeated, so there is an extra hour in the day)Look in the main loop() and change the code// find the second Sunday in March(3) as the day the time switches to DST // start at March 1 and work forwards to find the first Sunday....then add 7 days to find the second Sunday int find_start_BST = 1; while (find_day_of_the_week(find_start_BST, 3, year())!= "Sunday"){ find_start_BST+=1; }find_start_BST+=7; # add 7 days to find the second Sunday // find the first Sunday in November (11) as the day the time switches back // start at November 1 and work forwards to find the Sunday int find_start_GMT = 1; while (find_day_of_the_week(find_start_GMT, 11, year())!= "Sunday"){ find_start_GMT+=1; }There are also some differences in the times that the switch takes place.// find the unix timestamp for the switch over dates starting at 2 o'clock in the morning long BST_begins = makeTime(2,0,0,find_start_BST,3,year()); long GMT_begins = makeTime(2,0,0,find_start_GMT,11,year());Let me know if you get it working - good luck.

Thank you - I am glad that you got it working.If you have two rings and they are behaving differently (with the same software), it would suggest that the wiring is different for each one? Did you check the soldering connections on the LED ring?