Output Component Setup Examples

Supplies for All

Buzzer

Additional Supplies

Diagram

The data (yellow) wire is connected to digital pin 9.

Code

In this example, the buzzer will play a 1KHz tone for 1 second, then silence for 1 second as long as it's plugged in.

// Buzzer is connected to pin 9 on the Arduino circuit board
int buzzer = 9;

void setup() {
  // Establish the component connection and its type (output/input)
  pinMode(buzzer, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {
  tone(buzzer, 1000);   // Plays 1KHz tone
  delay(1000);          // Plays this tone for 1 second
  noTone(buzzer);       // Plays no tone
  delay(1000);          // Plays this tone for 1 second
}

Standalone LED Light

Additional Supplies

Diagram

The data (yellow) wire is connected to digital pin 9.

Code

This code will make the LED light up for 1 second and go off for 1 second until it is unplugged.

// LED is connected to pin 9 on the Arduino circuit board
int LED = 9;

void setup() {
  // Establish the component connection and its type (output/input)
  pinMode(LED, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {
  digitalWrite(LED, HIGH);  // Turn light on
  delay(1000);              // Wait 1 second
  digitalWrite(LED, LOW);   // Turn light off
  delay(1000);              // Wait 1 second
}

Multiple LEDs

This example shows using and controlling two separate LEDs as an example of multiple output components.

Additional Supplies

Diagram

The yellow data wire is connected to digital pin 10 and the orange wire to pin 9.

Code

This code will alternate the lights lighting for 1 second each with a second of darkness in between until the Arduino is unplugged.

// 1st LED is connected to pin 10 on the Arduino circuit board
int LED = 10;

// 2nd LED is connected to pin 9 on the Arduino circuit board
int LED2 = 9;

void setup() {
  // Establish the component connection and its type (output/input)
  pinMode(LED, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(LED2, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {
  digitalWrite(LED, HIGH);  // Turn light on
  delay(1000);              // Wait 1 second
  digitalWrite(LED, LOW);   // Turn light off
  delay(1000);              // Wait 1 second
  digitalWrite(LED2, HIGH);  // Turn light on
  delay(1000);              // Wait 1 second
  digitalWrite(LED2, LOW);   // Turn light off
  delay(1000);              // Wait 1 second
}

RGB LED

This is a special LED that you can use 0-255 color values to get any color of the RGB rainbow.

Additional Supplies

Diagram

Note: This diagram is for a Cathode RGB LED where the 2nd connector is the ground (negative) connection.

The blue wire is connected to pin 9, green to pin 10, and red to pin 11.

Code

This example turns the light cyan using the "simple" way (setting each color with a line of code).

// Red pin is connected to pin 11 on the Arduino circuit board
int red = 11;

// Green pin is connected to pin 10 on the Arduino circuit board
int green = 10;

// Blue pin is connected to pin 9 on the Arduino circuit board
int blue = 9;

void setup() {
  // Establish the component connection and its type (output/input)
  pinMode(red, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(green, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(blue, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {
  // Example of Cyan (0, 255, 255)
  analogWrite(red, 0);
  analogWrite(green, 255);
  analogWrite(blue, 255);
  delay(1000);
} 

This example shows the same thing, but using a custom function, making color changes take fewer lines of code:

// Red pin is connected to pin 11 on the Arduino circuit board
int red = 11;

// Green pin is connected to pin 10 on the Arduino circuit board
int green = 10;

// Blue pin is connected to pin 9 on the Arduino circuit board
int blue = 9;

void setup() {
  // Establish the component connection and its type (output/input)
  pinMode(red, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(green, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(blue, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {
  // Example of Cyan (0, 255, 255)
  RGB_Color(0, 255, 255);
  delay(1000);
} 

void RGB_Color(int redValue, int greenValue, int blueValue) {
  analogWrite(red, redValue);
  analogWrite(green, greenValue);
  analogWrite(blue, blueValue);
}