RGB Fibonacci Clock

This time I present you a new version of the fantastic Fibonacci clock published here by pchretien:

https://www.instructables.com/id/The-Fibonacci-Clock

The original idea of this version of the Fibonacci Clock is not mine, it is an idea belonging to a friend, artmaker43.

Originally artmaker43 developed Fibonnaci Clock.exe and Fibonnaci Clock Screensaver.exe, Windows executables that use the first five numbers of the Fibonnaci sequence (1, 1, 2, 3, 5) using squares with those values along each side. This simulates counting all the way to 12. Then by keeping track of the number of 12s (plus the values less than 12) with painted squares, one can construct a 24-hour clock.

You can download it from here

One month ago artmaker43 wrote me asking support to build a hardware version of its idea.

This Fibonacci clock version is a little bit different to the original one:

• The clock is divided into three independents zones: hours, minutes and seconds that use the Fibonacci sequence (1,2,3,5) to simulate counting all the way to 12.
• In the minute and second zones we can find 4 labeled circles lighted by leds: 12, 24, 36 and 48 to indicate when the counting is greater than the ones
• In the hour zone we can find one labeled circle (PM) to indicate when the current hour is on the second 12-hour period (from noon to midnight).
• It uses three buttons mounted on the backside of the clock to set the hour or the minute.
• It uses a DS3231 I2C real-time clock with battery input to set and maintain the time.

I hope you like it

• 24pcs 1bit WS2812B WS2811 IC 10 mm * 3 mm DC5 V (RGB LED)
• 1 ARDUINO MEGA 2560 R3 or compatible microcontroller
• 3 mini interruptors
• 1 AC-DC 100V-220V to 5V Mini Power Supply Module
• 1 DS3231 I2C real-time clock (RTC), with battery input to maintain accurate timekeeping
• Plywood
• Wood
• Wooden square rods
• Methacrylate
• Transparent vinyl
• Cardboard
• Permanent marker
• Plastic letter template
• Wires
• Soldering iron

STEP 2.1

Cut four wooden pieces as you can see in the drawing

STEP 2.2
Paste all the pieces to mount the box

STEP 2.3

Cut a piece of plywood (8,27'' x 7,87'') and paste to the box using wooden square rods

STEP 2.4

Paste a similar dimensions piece of black cardboard to the plywood

STEP 2.5

Cut a similar dimensions piece of methacrylate and vinyl

STEP 2.6

Download and print the pdf file "Fibonacci clock.pdf" and using it as a template, draw using the permanent marker the lines and circles on the vinyl

STEP 2.7

Using the plastic letter template print the text and numbers you can see in the picture

At the end of this step your clock must look similar to the last picture, but still don't paste the methacrylate to the box because still we have to paste the leds.

STEP 3.1

Mount four led strips:

• Led strip 1 (leds1 in the arduino sketch) with 6 leds (it is used to light the square divisions belonging to the values 2 and 3 of the Fibonacci sequence)
• Led strip 2 (leds2 in the arduino sketch) with 6 leds (it is used to light the square divisions belonging to the value 1 of the Fibonacci sequence)
• Led strip 3 (leds3 in the arduino sketch) with 3 leds (it is used to light the square divisions belonging to the value 5 of the Fibonacci sequence)
• Led strip 4 (leds4 in the arduino sketch) with 9 leds (it is used to light the labeled circles: 12,24,36,48,pm)

To mount a led strip you have to solder 6 wires for each LED as you can see in the first picture. Please pay attention to the arrows on the leds to solder them in the right way.

To adjust the wires length between leds I recommend you to print the file "Fibonacci clock.pdf" and use it as a template as you can see in the picture.

STEP 3.2

Paste the led strips in the box. Firstable you have to open a little hole to pass the three wires of each led strip to the back side of the clock where everything will be connected in the microcontroller. I have opened four little holes in the second zone of the clock.

STEP 3.3

Build the wooden squares divisions as you can see in the pictures. Again you can use the printed "Fibonacci clock.pdf" to adjust the divisions as a template.

STEP 3.4

Build little black cardboard cylinders to cover the leds that are going to light the labeled circles as you can see in the lasts pictures

On the back side we found a piece of plywood with three buttons:

• The green button to switch between to set the hour or to set the minute
• The white button labeled "+" to increase the value of the hour or the minute
• The white button labeled "-" to decrease the value of the hour or the minute

Inside the box we will found the microcontroller, the DS3231 real time clock with its battery, the three wires for each led strip, the power supply and the needed wires to connect everything following the drawing.

The video shows a brief time interval between 12:28:01 p.m. and 12:28:46 p.m.

Set the time

Using the three butons in the back side you can set the time. Pressing the green button you can change the hour or the minutes. The hour or the minute zone will begin to blink during 10 seconds if no other button is pressed. Once the set mode is selected you can press the "+" or "-" buton to increase or decrease the value. The new value selected will be automatically updated and the clock will continue with these new ones.