16x2 LCD I2C Communication with Arduino

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Introduction

Interfacing a 16×2 LCD module with an Arduino UNO microcontroller is a widely used technique for displaying data and messages in various DIY electronics projects. This involves connecting the LCD module to the Arduino board and communicating with it using a special library to display information on its screen. With this setup, the LCD screen can display various types of data such as text, numbers, symbols, and more, making it a versatile component for a wide range of applications.

A 16×2 LCD module is a type of Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) that can display two rows of 16 characters each. It is a commonly used display device in electronics projects and is typically controlled by a microcontroller, such as the Arduino UNO, to display text, numbers, or symbols. The module typically includes a display controller that takes care of all the necessary functions to control the display, such as the generation of the bias voltage and the addressing of the display pixels.

Hardware Components

You will require the following hardware for Interfacing LCD I2C with Arduino.

S.no	Component	Value	Qty
1.	Arduino UNO	–	1
2.	USB Cable Type A to B	–	1
3.	LED	I2C	1
4.	Power Adapter for Arduino	9V	1
5.	Jumper Wires	–	1

LCD I2C with Arduino

Connect the 16×2 LCD module to the Arduino UNO: Connect the LCD module to the Arduino board using the following pin connections:
- RS pin to digital pin 12
- RW pin to GND
- EN pin to digital pin 11
- D4 pin to digital pin 5
- D5 pin to digital pin 4
- D6 pin to digital pin 3
- D7 pin to digital pin 2
- VCC pin to 5V
- GND pin to GND

Include the LiquidCrystal Library: At the top of the code, include the LiquidCrystal library by adding the following line: copy code

#include <LiquidCrystal.h>

Initialize the LCD: Declare an object for the LiquidCrystal library and initialize it with the following lines of code:scssCopy code

LiquidCrystal lcd(12, 11, 5, 4, 3, 2);

Setup the LCD: In the setup() function, set the number of columns and rows of the LCD using the following line of code:rubyCopy codelcd.begin(16, 2);
Print “Hello World” on the LCD: In the loop() function, clear the display using the clear() method and then use the print() method to print “Hello World” on the first line of the LCD screen.pythonCopy code

lcd.clear();lcd.print("Hello World");

Upload the code: Finally, upload the code to the Arduino UNO board using the Arduino IDE.

Schematic

Make connections according to the circuit diagram given below.

Wiring / Connections

Arduino	Sensor
5V	VCC
GND	GND
A4	SDA
A5	SCL

Installing Arduino IDE

First, you need to install Arduino IDE Software from its official website Arduino. Here is a simple step-by-step guide on “How to install Arduino IDE“.

Installing Libraries

Before you start uploading a code, download and unzip the following libraries at /Progam Files(x86)/Arduino/Libraries (default), in order to use the sensor with the Arduino board. Here is a simple step-by-step guide on “How to Add Libraries in Arduino IDE“.

LiquidCrystal_I2C.h

Code

Now copy the following code and upload it to Arduino IDE Software.

#include <LiquidCrystal_I2C.h>

LiquidCrystal_I2C lcd(0x27, 16, 2); // I2C address 0x27, 16 column and 2 rows

void setup()
{
  lcd.init(); // initialize the lcd
  lcd.backlight();
}

void loop()
{
  lcd.clear();                 // clear display
  lcd.setCursor(0, 0);         // move cursor to   (0, 0)
  lcd.print("Arduino");        // print message at (0, 0)
  lcd.setCursor(2, 1);         // move cursor to   (2, 1)
  lcd.print("GetStarted.com"); // print message at (2, 1)
  delay(2000);                 // display the above for two seconds

  lcd.clear();                  // clear display
  lcd.setCursor(3, 0);          // move cursor to   (3, 0)
  lcd.print("DIYables");        // print message at (3, 0)
  lcd.setCursor(0, 1);          // move cursor to   (0, 1)
  lcd.print("www.diyables.io"); // print message at (0, 1)
  delay(2000);                  // display the above for two seconds
}

Working Explanation

The process of interfacing a 16×2 LCD module with an Arduino UNO Microcontroller involves connecting the LCD module to the microcontroller using a set of wires and then writing a code in the Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE) to display any text on the LCD screen. The code first sets up the communication between the microcontroller and the LCD module by initializing the pins used for data and control signals. The code then sends commands to the LCD module to clear the screen and set the cursor position. Finally, the code sends characters to the LCD module to display any text, for e.g. “Hello World”.