Getting Started with Digital Potentiomenters

In this video we will look at what Digital Potentiometers are, how to understand their specs, and we will go over an example setup with two digital potentiometers and Arduino.

********************Arduino Code*************************************************
//Example Arduino sketch used to control two digital potential in a video tutorial on the ForceTronics YouTube Channel
//This code is in the public domain and free for anybody to use at their own risk

#include "SPI.h" //SPI communication library

int nVolatile = 0b00100000; //status register value to store resistance value in non-volatile memory
int vWrite = 0b00000000; //status register to write resistance value (volatile)
int countPot1 = 0; //variable for MCP4161 dig pot value
int countPot2 = 0; //variable for MCP4131 dig pot value
int countDown1 = 0; //variable to control counting up and down for dig pot 1
int countDown2 = 0; //variable to control counting up and down for dig pot 2

void setup() {
  pinMode(6, OUTPUT);   //Set PWM pin to output 
  pinMode(2, OUTPUT);   //This pin controls SPI comm with dig pot 1
  pinMode(3, OUTPUT);   //This pin controls SPI comm with dig pot 2
  SPI.begin(); //Starts SPI communication
  analogWrite(6, 100); //Set pin 6 to PWM at 39 percent duty cycle
}

void loop() {
  writeToDigPot1(countPot1); //write resistance setting to dig pot 1
  writeToDigPot2(countPot2); //write resistance setting to dig pot 2

 if(!countDown1 & countPot1 < 255) { //If counting up and below 256 
   countPot1++; //up the resistance setting by 1
 }
 else { //time to count down now
  if(countPot1 > 0) { //if resistor setting is above 0
    countPot1--; //reduce resistor value
    countDown1 = 1; //remain in countdown mode
  } 
  else { //switch back to count up mode
    countPot1++; //up the resistance setting by 1
    countDown1 = 0; //set to count up mode
  }
 }

 if(!countDown2 & countPot2 < 70) { //If counting up and below 70
  countPot2++; //up the resistance setting by 1
 }
 else { //time to count down now
  if(countPot2 > 0) { //if resistor setting is above 0
    countPot2--; //reduce resistor value
    countDown2 = 1; //remain in countdown mode
  } 
  else { //switch back to count up mode
    countPot2++; //up the resistance setting by 1
    countDown2 = 0; //set to count up mode
  }
 }
  
  delay(8);
}

//This function handles the SPI communication to change resistor setting to dig pot 1
//input argument is resistance setting
void writeToDigPot1(int val) {
  digitalWrite(2, LOW);   //enable SPI comm to dig pot one
  digitalWrite(3, HIGH);  //disable SPI comm to dig pot 2
  delay(1); //short delay to ensure dig pins changed state
  SPI.transfer(vWrite); //status register set to write
  SPI.transfer(val); //write resistance value to dig pot
}

//This function handles the SPI communication to change resistor setting to dig pot 2
//input argument is resistance setting
void writeToDigPot2(int val) {
  digitalWrite(3, LOW);   //enable SPI comm to dig pot 2
  digitalWrite(2, HIGH);  //disable SPI comm to dig pot 1
  delay(1); //short delay to ensure dig pins changed state
  SPI.transfer(vWrite); //status register set to write
  SPI.transfer(val); //write resistance value to dig pot
}

//This function handles the SPI communication to set dig pot 1 value in non-volatile memory
//input argument is resistance setting
void writeDigPot1NV(int val) {
  digitalWrite(2, LOW);   //enable SPI comm to dig pot one
  digitalWrite(3, HIGH);  //disable SPI comm to dig pot 2
  delay(1); //short delay to ensure dig pins changed state
  SPI.transfer(nVolatile); //status register set to non-volatile write
  SPI.transfer(val); //write resistance value to dig pot
}