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sdCardModule

This document provides a step-by-step guide on how to connect an SD card module to an Arduino Pro Mini and a DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor for data logging. It outlines the necessary components, wiring instructions, and code required to record temperature measurements to an SD card. The guide emphasizes the advantages of using an SD card for data storage over the Arduino's EEPROM due to its larger capacity and better endurance.

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Brian Gowero
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
5 views

sdCardModule

This document provides a step-by-step guide on how to connect an SD card module to an Arduino Pro Mini and a DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor for data logging. It outlines the necessary components, wiring instructions, and code required to record temperature measurements to an SD card. The guide emphasizes the advantages of using an SD card for data storage over the Arduino's EEPROM due to its larger capacity and better endurance.

Uploaded by

Brian Gowero
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SD Card Module with Arduino

Record sensor measurements to an SD card


module
Written By: Marcus Schappi

Difficulty
Medium

Steps
22
An SD (Secure Digital) card is ideal for both data storage as well
as for data transfer. However, by itself, an Arduino board is not
able to use SD cards. With an SD card module, this is made
possible.

In this guide, learn to hook up an SD card module to a Arduino Pro


Mini 328 - 3.3V/8 MHz, and a DHT11 temperature and humidity
sensor. Learn to gather humidity readings from the DHT11 sensor
which will be recorded to a text file.

Complete this guide to start data-logging with an SD card module


and an Arduino.
Step 1 Overview
While you could use the EEPROM on the Arduino to store data, it
has a much smaller capacity than SD cards, as well as a limited
endurance.

An SD (Secure Digital) card is ideal for both data storage as


well as for data transfer; you could directly transfer photos
without a USB cable from a camera to computer, simply by taking
out the SD card, and connecting it to the computer. You could
also use it with an Arduino. However, by itself, an Arduino board is
not able to use SD cards.

This SD card module enables you to do so. It is ideal for low-


power, data-logging or media-related applications, in need of high
accessibility and a huge capacity for data storage.
In this guide, an SD card module will be used with an Arduino Pro
Mini - 3.3V and a DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor. The
temperature data will be recorded in a text file onto an SD card.
Step 2 Meet the SD Card Module

Take a look at the SD card module and you'll notice that there are
eight pins:

GND: Ground
+3.3V: Power pin. Attach to 3.3V on the Arduino
+5: Another power pin, we recommend using a voltage level
converter when connecting to a 5V Arduino.
CS: Chip Select
MOSI: Master Out Slave In
SCK: Clock signal
MISO: Master In Slave Out
GND: Another ground pin
Step 3 Prepare SD card

Connect an SD card to your computer, and open up an SD Card


Formatter software such as SD Formatter 4.0 for Windows or Mac.
If you haven't yet got one, run it and install the software.
Insert the SD card into your SD card reader, then look at the drive
letter that shows up in the left hand column of Windows Explorer,
or Finder on the Mac.
In SD Formatter, select the correct drive letter for the SD card,
then click on 'Format'.
Step 4 Insert SD Card into Module
Insert an SD card into the SD card slot.
Push it into the slot and you should hear a 'click' sound.
Step 5 Connect GND to GND

Attach a F-F black jumper wire from GND on the SD card module
to GND on the Pro Mini.
Step 6 3.3V to VCC

Attach a F-F red jumper wire from 3.3V on the SD card module
to VCC on the Pro Mini.
Step 7 Connect CS to digital pin 10

Attach a F-F black jumper wire from CS on the SD card module


to digital pin 10 on the Pro Mini.
Step 8 Connect MOSI to digital pin 11
Attach a F-F jumper wire from MOSI on the SD card module
to digital pin 11 on the Pro Mini.
Step 9 Connect MISO to digital pin 12

Attach a F-F jumper wire from MISO on the SD card module


to digital pin 12 on the Pro Mini.
Step 10 Connect SCK to Digital Pin 13
Attach a F-F jumper wire from SCK on the SD card module
to digital pin 13 on the Pro Mini.
Step 11 Insert DHT11 into breadboard

Next, insert the DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor into the
mini breadboard.
Then, remove the F-F red jumper wire from VCC on the Pro mini.
Plug this end of the jumper wire into the breadboard, instead.
Step 12 Insert resistor into breadboard

Insert the 10k ohm resistor into the breadboard, so that pins 1
and 2 of the DHT11 are bridged.
Step 13 Connect to VCC
Now connect a red jumper wire from pin 1 of the DHT11 sensor to
the same breadboard row as the other red jumper wire connected
to the SD card module.
Insert another red jumper wire from the breadboard to
the VCC pin on the Pro Mini.
Step 14 Connect GND to GND

Attach a black jumper wire from the GND pin of DHT11


to GND on the Pro Mini.
Step 15 Connect data pin to digital pin 9
Finally, connect a jumper wire from the DATA pin on the DHT11
to digital pin 9 on the Pro Mini.
Step 16 Logic level converter
If you are using a Little Bird Uno R3 or other 5V Arduino board,
you may need to use a logic level converter (such as a CMOS hex
buffer IC, the 4050). Similar to many recent electronic devices,
the SD card operates on a 3.3V logic level. However, Arduino
boards such as the Little Bird Uno R3 outputs 5 volts on their
digital logic output. A direct connection of 5V to the SD card could
damage it.

Step 17 Include libraries


#include <SPI.h> // Include SPI library (needed for the SD card)
#include <SD.h> // Include SD library
#include <DHT.h> // Include DHT sensor library

First, the SD card module uses SPI, so you will need to import the
SPI library with: #include <SPI.h>
Next, there is a built-in SD library which depends on three other
internal libraries that can handle card and filesystem-specific
functions. The library is easy to use, import it with: #include
<SD.h>
Finally, include the DHT library.
Step 18 Define constant variable
#include <SPI.h> // Include SPI library (needed for the SD card)
#include <SD.h> // Include SD library
#include <DHT.h> // Include DHT sensor library

#define DHTPIN 9 // DHT11 data pin is connected to Arduino pin


9
#define DHTTYPE DHT11 // DHT11 sensor is used
DHT dht(DHTPIN, DHTTYPE); // Initialise DHT library
Define the DHT pin as 9, as the data pin is connected to digital pin
9.
Define the type of DHT sensor being used, in this case, it would
be DHT11.
Then, initialise the DHT library with DHT dht(DHTPIN, DHTTYPE);
Step 19 Create a file object
#include <SPI.h> // Include SPI library (needed for the SD card)
#include <SD.h> // Include SD library
#include <DHT.h> // Include DHT sensor library

#define DHTPIN 9 // DHT11 data pin is connected to Arduino pin


9
#define DHTTYPE DHT11 // DHT11 sensor is used
DHT dht(DHTPIN, DHTTYPE); // Initialize DHT library

File dataFile;
Now create a File object, which can then be opened as well as
have other file actions done to it.
Step 20 Setup
#include <SPI.h> // Include SPI library (needed for the SD card)
#include <SD.h> // Include SD library
#include <DHT.h> // Include DHT sensor library

#define DHTPIN 9 // DHT11 data pin is connected to Arduino pin


9
#define DHTTYPE DHT11 // DHT11 sensor is used
DHT dht(DHTPIN, DHTTYPE); // Initialize DHT library

File dataFile;

void setup() {
// Start serial communications
Serial.begin(9600);
while (!Serial)
; // wait for serial port to connect.
Serial.print("Initialising SD card...");
if (!SD.begin()) {
Serial.println("initialisation failed!");
while (1);
}
Serial.println("initialisation done.");
delay(1000);
}

Next, in setup, use the Serial.begin command to start serial


communication.
Then, add a while loop to setup so that it will wait for the serial
port to connect. Once connected, it will print "Initialising SD
card... " to the monitor.
Next, add an if statement in setup, to check if an SD card is
detected and the library is initialised. If an SD card is detected,
SD.begin returns true.

If SD.begin returns true, "initialisation done." will be printed to the


serial monitor. Otherwise, "initialisation failed!" will be printed
instead.
Step 21 Main loop
#include <SPI.h> // Include SPI library (needed for the SD card)
#include <SD.h> // Include SD library
#include <DHT.h> // Include DHT sensor library

#define DHTPIN 9 // DHT11 data pin is connected to Arduino pin


9
#define DHTTYPE DHT11 // DHT11 sensor is used
DHT dht(DHTPIN, DHTTYPE); // Initialize DHT library
File dataFile;

void setup() {
// Start serial communications
Serial.begin(9600);
while (!Serial)
; // wait for serial port to connect.
Serial.print("Initialising SD card...");
if (!SD.begin()) {
Serial.println("initialisation failed!");
while (1);
}
Serial.println("initialisation done.");
delay(1000);
}

uint16_t line = 1;

void loop()
{
const unsigned long fiveMinutes = 5 * 60 * 1000UL;
static unsigned long lastSampleTime = 0 - fiveMinutes; // initialise
such that a reading is due the first time through loop()

unsigned long now = millis();


if (now - lastSampleTime >= fiveMinutes)
{
lastSampleTime += fiveMinutes;
// add code to take temperature reading here
// Reading temperature or humidity takes about 250 milliseconds!
// Sensor readings may also be up to 2 seconds 'old' (its a very slow
sensor)
// Read temperature in degree Celsius
byte Temp = dht.readTemperature();

dataFile = SD.open("DHT11Log.txt", FILE_WRITE);

// if the file opened okay, write to it:


if (dataFile) {
Serial.print(line);
Serial.print(": Temperature = ");
Serial.print(Temp);
Serial.println("°C ");
// Write data to SD card file (DHT11Log.txt)
dataFile.print(line++);
dataFile.print(": Temperature = ");
dataFile.print(Temp);
dataFile.println("°C ");
dataFile.close();

}
// if the file didn't open, print an error:
else
Serial.println("error opening DHT11Log.txt");
}
// add code to do other stuff here
}
Add the following code to get a temperature reading every 5
minutes, and record this temperature measurement into a text
file on the SD card.
Step 22 Serial monitor

Navigate to Tools > Serial Monitor


You should see a temperature reading being printed and recorded
every

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