Please note: The base package for this board does not contain an Wemos D1 Mini which is required for the device to function. They can be bought from eBay or Aliexpress for around $3 delivered.

What is it?

The BLough Alarm Clock is board designed for the Wemos D1 Mini ESP8266 development board that turns it into a fully functional WiFi alarm clock. It features the following:

• 0.56" 4 digit 7 segment display
• Passive Buzzer
• Two buttons
• LDR
• Prototype area for expansion

Why did you make it?

Because I think a WiFi alarm clock is actually pretty useful, no need to set the time, it automatically does that for you. Also no figuring out how to set the thing, just use the built in web interface! It's very possible to recreate this clock using individual modules, but I thought a single PCB would be a lot neater.

What makes it special?

It is an excellent, practical example of what you can do with an ESP8266. It is also extremely flexible to be extended e.g: Want to add Neopixels to your morning alarm, great, just program the Wemos D1 Mini like you would any other Arduino board to change how it works. Or maybe even re-purpose it completely by turning it into a YouTube Subscriber count that beeps when you reach certain milestones.

Alarm Clock Code

Code for a basic WiFi Alarm clock can be found on my Github, It's still a work in progress but it has the following features implemented:

• Functioning clock and alarm
• Fetches the time from the internet
• Adjusts automatically for daylight savings time
• WiFi manager for configuring the WiFi without updating the code
• Web interface for setting the alarm (very basic at the moment)
• Alarm plays a melody

What is in the kit?

• 1 BLough Alarm Clock PCB
• 1 Red 0.56" 4 digit 7 segment display (12 pin, common anode)
• 1 TM1637 IC
• 1 passive buzzer
• 1 LDR
• 2 Right angle buttons
• 3 10K resistors
• 1 10K resistor
• 2 1nF cap
• 1 diode
• 1 transistor

Soldering Difficulty

Easy-Medium: There is SMD soldering here, but it's all 0806 sized components and are pretty spread out. This is actually a good board for getting started with SMD. My first ever bit of SMD soldering was the first rev of this board and it went fine. Ground can be a little tricky to solder too, due to the large ground plane.

Case

Stephen Ludgate designed an awesome case for the clock that can be 3d-printed, check it out here!

FAQ:

• Can the Alarm clock do X,Y or Z? Maybe! Basically it can do anything an ESP8266 can do.
• Why use a Wemos D1 Mini rather than a ESP12F module? Because it makes the board simpler to assemble and cheaper. ESP12F modules are roughly $2.20 delivered, Wemos D1 minis can be bought for as little as $2.70. but that extra 50c gets you a micro USB port (which nobody likes soldering), a USB to serial adapter (so can be programmed directly from the USB) and a 3.3v regulator.
• I've heard some newer Wemos D1 Mini's have weak 3.3v regulator, does this effect the clock? No, Rev 3 (the current version) drives the display from the 5V line so once the regulator is strong enough to power the ESP8266 itself there should be no issues using it with this board.
• Is there a case or enclosure that I can print? Yes! See the section called "case" above
• Why the Price increase? I have changed the price from $12.50 to $15 recently (Jan 2020) as the BOM of this kit is from several sources and it is not the most straight forward to kit up.