Arduino project · Light sensing · Medium
Lamp On at Night and in Low Light
The lamp only works in the evening and only when the room is dim.
What you will learn
- How to combine time and light
- How later steps override earlier ones
- How to avoid wasting energy
How it works
Step 1 and 2 give the evening window. Step 3 turns the lamp off if the room is already bright (above 400 lux).
Try this next
- Add a PIR for presence.
- Dim the lamp instead of switching.
- Show the state on an LCD.
The simulator program and explanation on this page are original. The idea follows a classic Arduino project that students have built for years.
Parts: sensors and actuators (tap to show or hide)
Try the inputs (virtual sensors)
Pins (you can change them)
| Part | Arduino pin (change it here) | How to wire it |
|---|
Every wire, one by one
Red rail = 5 V from the Arduino 5V pin. Black rail = GND. The coloured wires carry signals. Match the wire colours on the drawing to this list.
| # | Colour | From (part and leg) | To |
|---|
Steps run from top to bottom, then start again. While the simulation runs, the active step is highlighted in green.
Quantities come from the parts you added. The store links open a search for that item on Robu.in, Amazon.in and ThinkRobotics, so you always see what is in stock today. Check the model, voltage and price before you order.
| # | Item | Qty | Search term | Buy / compare |
|---|
The PDF has the circuit sketch, pin table, every wire, sequence, full code, the parts list with store links, do’s and don’ts for each part, and the safety notes. The project file lets you come back and keep editing.
In the real world
A lamp that waits for the evening
The lamp switches on when it is both late and dark.
Tip: use the gold tab at the bottom of the circuit drawing to pull the real-world view up over the Arduino board. Your parts stay visible above it, so you can press a button and watch the real scene react.
- Clock = the time
- Lux sensor = daylight
- LED = the lamp