Blog - How to control AC power with dimmer. Main functions.

Posted in: AC Power control Dimmers/Switches

By RobotDyn Support

How to control AC power with dimmer. Main functions.

In the previous post, we described how to connect the dimmer to a microcontroller and initialize the library.

The main function dimmer.setPower (%) is used to control the connected dimmer.

The function sets the dimming value from 0 to 100 (%). For example, if you want to set to half of the input voltage, set the parameter to 50% (no percent sign is used) - dimmer.setPower(50).

If you need to smoothly change the brightness of the lamp or speed of a motor, then you can set the dimming value in the cycle.

In this example, the voltage changed from 0 to 100% in 1 second

for (int x = 0; x < 100; x++)
{
dimmer.setPower(x);
delay (10);
}

Additional functions of the RBDdimmer.h library

Function getPower() to display the current dimming value.
- Example: Serial.print(dimmer.getPower()); Result 0~100 int

Function setState() sets dimming state ON/OFF. ON = 100%, OFF = 0%
- Example: dimmer.setState(ON); delay(100); dimmer.setState(OFF);

Function getState() displays the current state of dimmer
- Serial.print(dimmer.getState()); Result 0 (OFF) or 1 (ON)

Function changeState() toggle dimmer state to the opposite one.
- Example: dimmer.setState(ON); delay(100); dimmer.changeState; delay(100);

Function getMode() displays values of current work mode.
- Example: Serial.print(dimmer.getPower()); Result 0 (NORMAL_MODE) or 1 (TOGGLE_MODE)

Function setMode() sets and changes the work mode (NORMAL_MODE and TOGGLE_MODE) dimmer.setMode(NORMAL_MODE/TOGGLE_MODE)

Function toggleSettings(x,y); smooth change of dimming value up or down in a defined range. Used in mode TOGGLE_MODE. Example SimpleToggleDimmer

Example: The following sketch is meant to define the dimming value through the serial port of the controller

/**************
 *  RobotDyn
 *  Dimmer Library
 *  **************
 * 
 * The following sketch is meant to define the dimming value through the serial port of the controller, 
 * using USE_SERIAL.begin 
 *    void printSpace() function is used for adding of space after functional data
 *    void loop()  serial port evaluator, used to register and define values in dimmer.setPower(outVal);
 *    
 * 
 

#include <RBDdimmer.h>//

//#define USE_SERIAL  SerialUSB //Serial for boards whith USB serial port
#define USE_SERIAL  Serial
#define outputPin  12 
#define zerocross  5 // for boards with CHANGEBLE input pins

//dimmerLamp dimmer(outputPin, zerocross); //initialase port for dimmer for ESP8266, ESP32, Arduino due boards
dimmerLamp dimmer(outputPin); //initialase port for dimmer for MEGA, Leonardo, UNO, Arduino M0, Arduino Zero

int outVal = 0;

void setup() {
  USE_SERIAL.begin(9600); 
  dimmer.begin(NORMAL_MODE, ON); //dimmer initialisation: name.begin(MODE, STATE) 
  USE_SERIAL.println("Dimmer Program is starting...");
  USE_SERIAL.println("Set value");
}

void printSpace(int val)
{
  if ((val / 100) == 0) USE_SERIAL.print(" ");
  if ((val / 10) == 0) USE_SERIAL.print(" ");
}

void loop() {
  int preVal = outVal;

  if (USE_SERIAL.available())
  {
    int buf = USE_SERIAL.parseInt();
    if (buf != 0) outVal = buf;
    delay(200);
  }
  dimmer.setPower(outVal); // setPower(0-100%);

  if (preVal != outVal)
  {
    USE_SERIAL.print("lampValue -> ");
    printSpace(dimmer.getPower());
    USE_SERIAL.print(dimmer.getPower());
    USE_SERIAL.println("%");

  }
  delay(50);

}

Example: The following sketch turns the lamp on/off with use of a button

/**************
 *  RobotDyn
 *  Dimmer Library
 *  **************
 * 
 *  The following sketch is meant to turn the lamp on/off with use of a button.
 *  pinMode(14, INPUT); button is connected to 14th pin 
 *  void loop()  ON/OFF button evaluator of dimmer in dim4.setState(ON/OFF);
 *    
 * 
 
#include <RBDdimmer.h>//

//#define USE_SERIAL  SerialUSB //Serial for boards whith USB serial port
#define USE_SERIAL  Serial
#define outputPin  12 
#define zerocross  5 // for boards with CHANGEBLE input pins

//dimmerLamp dimmer(outputPin, zerocross); //initialase port for dimmer for ESP8266, ESP32, Arduino due boards
dimmerLamp dimmer(outputPin); //initialase port for dimmer for MEGA, Leonardo, UNO, Arduino M0, Arduino Zero

int buttonRed = 0;

void setup() {
  dimmer.begin(NORMAL_MODE, ON); //dimmer initialisation: name.begin(MODE, STATE) 
  dimmer.setPower(50);
  pinMode(13, INPUT);
}

void loop() {
  buttonRed = digitalRead(13);  
  if (buttonRed == 1)
  {
    delay(10);
    dimmer.setState(ON); //name.setState(ON/OFF);
  }  
  if (buttonRed == 0)
  {
    delay(10);
    dimmer.setState(OFF); //name.setState(ON/OFF);
  }
}

Example: The following sketch is to define dimming value through potentiometer

/**************
 *  RobotDyn
 *  Dimmer Library
 *  **************
 * 
 *  The following sketch is meant to to define dimming value through potentiometer,
 *  The potentiometer values are changing in range from 0 to 1023
 *  potentiometer values are converted through the map function to values from 0 to 100% and saved in dimmer.setPower(outVal);
 *  Serial.begin is used to display dimming values 
 *    

#include <RBDdimmer.h>//

//#define USE_SERIAL  SerialUSB //Serial for boards whith USB serial port
#define USE_SERIAL  Serial
#define outputPin  12 
#define zerocross  5 // for boards with CHANGEBLE input pins

//dimmerLamp dimmer(outputPin, zerocross); //initialase port for dimmer for ESP8266, ESP32, Arduino due boards
dimmerLamp dimmer(outputPin); //initialase port for dimmer for MEGA, Leonardo, UNO, Arduino M0, Arduino Zero

int outVal = 0;

void setup() {
  USE_SERIAL.begin(9600);
  dimmer.begin(NORMAL_MODE, ON); //dimmer initialisation: name.begin(MODE, STATE) 
}

void loop() 
{
  outVal = map(analogRead(0), 1, 1024, 100, 0); // analogRead(analog_pin), min_analog, max_analog, 100%, 0%);
  USE_SERIAL.println(outVal); 
  dimmer.setPower(outVal); // name.setPower(0%-100%)
}

Example: The following sketch is meant to smoothly turn the dimmer ON after pressing the first button and turn it OFF after pressing a second one

  
/**************
 *  RobotDyn
 *  Dimmer Library
 *  **************
 * The following sketch is meant to smoothly turn the dimmer ON after pressing the first button and turn it OFF after pressing a second one
 * 
 
#include <RBDdimmer.h>

//#define USE_SERIAL  SerialUSB //Serial for boards whith USB serial port
#define USE_SERIAL  Serial
#define outputPin  12 
#define zerocross  5 // for boards with CHANGEBLE input pins

#define LAMPMAXVALUE 100

//dimmerLamp dimmer(outputPin, zerocross); //initialase port for dimmer for ESP8266, ESP32, Arduino due boards
dimmerLamp dimmer(outputPin); //initialase port for dimmer for MEGA, Leonardo, UNO, Arduino M0, Arduino Zero



int stateL = 0, valLamp;
int DIM4 = 0;
int mainLamp = 0;
int buttonRed = 0; 
int buttonBlue = 0; 
bool setLamp = true;

void setup() {  
  USE_SERIAL.begin(9600);
  dimmer.begin(NORMAL_MODE, ON); //dimmer initialisation: name.begin(MODE, STATE) 
}

void RiseFallLamp(bool RiseFallInt)
{
  if ((RiseFallInt == true) && (mainLamp < LAMPMAXVALUE)) mainLamp++;
  else if ((RiseFallInt != true) && (mainLamp > 0)) mainLamp--;
}

bool setLampState(int val)
{
  bool ret;
  if (val >= 1) ret = true;
  else ret = false;
  return ret;
}

void readButtonState()
{
  buttonRed = digitalRead(13);
  buttonBlue = digitalRead(15);
  
  if (buttonRed < 1) stateL++;
  if (buttonBlue < 1) stateL--;
  if (stateL < 0) stateL = 0;
  if (stateL > 1) stateL = 1;
}

void loop() {
  readButtonState();
  dimmer.setPower(mainLamp); // setPower(0-100%);
  RiseFallLamp(setLampState(stateL));
  delay(25);
}

Example: The following sketch used function the smooth changes of dimming values in a range of values

/**************
 *  RobotDyn
 *  Dimmer Library
 *  **************
 *  The following sketch is meant to define by function the smooth changes of dimming values in a range of values defined by user 
 *  values are defined in range from 0 to 100%
 * 

#include <RBDdimmer.h>//

//#define USE_SERIAL  SerialUSB //Serial for boards whith USB serial port
#define USE_SERIAL  Serial
#define outputPin  12 
#define zerocross  5 // for boards with CHANGEBLE input pins

//dimmerLamp dimmer(outputPin, zerocross); //initialase port for dimmer for ESP8266, ESP32, Arduino due boards
dimmerLamp dimmer(outputPin); //initialase port for dimmer for MEGA, Leonardo, UNO, Arduino M0, Arduino Zero


void setup() {
  USE_SERIAL.begin(9600);
  dimmer.begin(TOGGLE_MODE, OFF); //dimmer initialisation: name.begin(MODE, STATE) 
  USE_SERIAL.println("--- Toggle dimmer example ---");
  dimmer.toggleSettings(0, 100); //Name.toggleSettings(MIN, MAX);
  dimmer.setState(ON); // state: dimmer1.setState(ON/OFF);
  pinMode(14, INPUT);
}
void loop() {
  // put your main code here, to run repeatedly:
}