To delay 1 minute in Arduino, you use the delay()
function with the total number of milliseconds in one minute. This is achieved by calling delay(60000);
.
The delay()
function in Arduino takes a single argument, which is the duration in milliseconds for which the program execution should pause. To calculate 1 minute in milliseconds, you follow these steps:
- Convert minutes to seconds: Multiply the number of minutes by 60.
- 1 minute * 60 seconds/minute = 60 seconds
- Convert seconds to milliseconds: Multiply the number of seconds by 1000.
- 60 seconds * 1000 milliseconds/second = 60,000 milliseconds
Implementing a 1-Minute Delay
Here are the primary ways to implement a 1-minute delay in your Arduino code:
Direct Millisecond Value
The simplest way is to directly input the calculated millisecond value into the delay()
function:
void setup() {
// Initialize serial communication for debugging
Serial.begin(9600);
Serial.println("Program started.");
}
void loop() {
Serial.println("Waiting for 1 minute...");
// Delay for 60,000 milliseconds (1 minute)
delay(60000);
Serial.println("1 minute has passed!");
// You can add more code here to execute after the delay
}
Calculation Within the delay()
Function
For clarity and easier modification, especially for longer or variable delays, you can perform the multiplication directly within the delay()
function call. This method explicitly shows the conversion from minutes to milliseconds.
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
Serial.println("Program started.");
}
void loop() {
Serial.println("Waiting for 1 minute...");
// Calculate 1 minute in milliseconds: 1 minute * 60 seconds/minute * 1000 milliseconds/second
delay(1 * 60 * 1000);
Serial.println("1 minute has passed!");
}
This approach is highly readable and demonstrates the logical progression from minutes to milliseconds, making it easy to adjust for different durations (e.g., delay(5 * 60 * 1000);
for 5 minutes).
Common Time Conversions for delay()
Understanding how different time units convert to milliseconds is crucial for effective use of the delay()
function.
Time Unit | Conversion to Milliseconds | Example delay() Call |
---|---|---|
1 second | 1,000 milliseconds | delay(1000); |
1 minute | 60,000 milliseconds | delay(60000); |
1 hour | 3,600,000 milliseconds | delay(3600000); |
Considerations When Using delay()
While delay()
is straightforward, it's important to understand its behavior:
- Blocking Function: The
delay()
function is "blocking," meaning that during the delay period, the Arduino microcontroller will pause all other operations. No other code will execute, no sensor readings can be taken, and no buttons can be checked until the delay period is over. - Simple Applications:
delay()
is well-suited for simple applications where pausing the entire program execution is acceptable, such as blinking an LED at regular intervals or waiting between measurements. - Alternatives for Complex Tasks: For more complex projects that require multitasking (e.g., reading multiple sensors, responding to user input, and controlling several outputs simultaneously), consider using the
millis()
function to implement non-blocking delays. Themillis()
function returns the number of milliseconds since the Arduino board began running the current program, allowing you to check if a certain amount of time has passed without halting execution.