Learning Electronics for Beginners: How to do an Arduino Servo project controlled by a potentiometer

Arduino Potentiometer Servo motor Circuit

Introduction

Hello! Welcome to our blog for today.

Here, you'll find all the information you need on kids' projects, ranging from basic to intermediate and advanced levels, with the aim of making you an expert in Electronics. Our primary focus is to provide you with comprehensive and easy-to-follow guidance on using Arduino microcontroller , allowing you to complete each step with confidence and become an advanced user.

Requirements

Arduino board
Breadboard
Jumper wires
Potentiometer
Servo motor

How it works

This project enables us to manipulate the servos' position within the range of 0 to 180 degrees, while also enabling us to adjust the servo's rotation speed. The servo motor comprises three terminals, namely the signal, power, and ground. To connect the servo motor to the Arduino board, we link the power pin of the servo motor to the PWM pin of the Arduino. In this instance, we have linked the power terminal to pin 9 on the Arduino UNO R3 board.

Building the Circuit

This circuit is pretty Straightforward.

Follow the table below to get the best experience.

Connect the signal terminal of the servo motor to the 5V pin of the Arduino board.

You can connect the power terminal of the motor to a digital PWM pin on the Arduino board. (Pin 9)

Attach the ground terminal of the servo motor to the GND pin on the Arduino board.

One of the outer pins of the potentiometer should be linked to the GND pin of the Arduino board, while the other outer pin should be connected to the 5V pin on the board.

The middle terminal of the potentiometer should be joined to the analog input pin A1 on the Arduino board.

Sensor Pin	To Arduino Board
Signal Pin of Servo	5V of Arduino
VCC of Servo	PWM Digital pin 9
GND of servo	GND of Arduino
Center pin of Potentiometer	A1
Outer pin (right)	+5V
Outer pin (left)	GND

Arduino potentiometer and Servo motor Circuit

Actual Circuit

Arduino Servo motor Potentiometer circuit

Code /Arduino sketch

#include <Servo.h>  
  
Servo myservo;  
// It creates a servo object, which is used to control the servo  
  
int potentioPIN = A1;  // specified analog pin used to connect the potentiometer  Which is in Analog pin A1
int value;    // value initialized to the variable to read the value from the analog pin  
  
void setup()   
{  
  myservo.attach(9);  // servo connected to pin 9 of the Arduino board to the servo object  
}  
  
void loop()   
{  
  value = analogRead(potentioPIN);              
  // reads the value of the potentiometer (value between 0 and 1023)  
  value = map(value, 0, 1023, 0, 180);       
  // scale it to use it with the servo (value between 0 and 180)  
  myservo.write(value);   
  delay(1000); // it will wait for 1 second for the   
  // It will set the position of the motor according to the scaled value  
  value = map(value, 1023, 0, 180, 0);  
  // reads the value of the potentiometer (value between 1023 and 0)  
   myservo.write(value);  
  // scale it to use it with the servo (value between 180 and 0)  
  // the motor will rotate in reverse direction  
  delay(1000);                             
  // delay time in milliseconds  
  //after 1500 millisecond it will again rotate from 0 to 180 degree  
}

Video /Demo

Need to explore more ?

May need to add some LEDs whenever the motor is being controlled at different angles, to light ON and OFF.

The concept of lighting LEDs on some thresholds is well covered in: one of projects for kids. Click here to explore.

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Other cute things to make and hand-crafts for kids (tutorials)

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