Using 4x1 MUX to control a servo

Question

I was supposed to first create a 4x1 MUX using AND and NOT gates. The 4 input data lines (io,i1,i2,i3) were 4 PWM pins from the arduino (3,5,6,9), with analogWrite() values as 100,150,200,250 respectively, and the selection lines were taken from two slide switches. enter image description here

int i0=100;
int i1=150;
int i2=200;
int i3=250;
void setup()
{
 pinMode(5, OUTPUT);
 pinMode(6,OUTPUT);
 pinMode(9,OUTPUT);
 pinMode(3,OUTPUT);
 
 analogWrite(3,i0);
 analogWrite(5,i1);
 analogWrite(6,i2);
 analogWrite(9,i3);
 Serial.begin(9600);
}
void loop()
{
 
}

Simulation link: https://www.tinkercad.com/things/cRZNvuwhZYV

The voltmeter + is connected to the output of the MUX. Both selection lines are HIGH, so the output is i3, which has the pWM value 250. So the voltage should be (250/255)*5, i.e about 4.9 V, which is what the meter shows. (The servo is present but not connected.)

The voltmeter values are in accordance for all the 4 possible combinations. In short, the 4x1 MUX is working perfectly.

(it was important for me to clarify this as otherwise people might have thought of the MUX implementation as the problem with my lsubsequent circuit , and with the messy wiring, it would've been impossible to confirm whether or not this is the case. However, as I have clearly shown, the problem is NOT with the MUX).

Next, I tried to control the servo using this MUX. I connected the servo control pin to the MUX output: enter image description here

#include<Servo.h>
Servo s1;
Servo s2;
Servo s3;
Servo s4;
int i0=100;
int i1=150;
int i2=200;
int i3=250;
void setup()
{
 pinMode(3,OUTPUT);
 pinMode(5,OUTPUT);
 pinMode(6,OUTPUT);
 pinMode(9,OUTPUT);
 
 analogWrite(3,i0);
 analogWrite(5,i1);
 analogWrite(6,i2);
 analogWrite(9,i3);
 s1.attach(3);
 s2.attach(5);
 s3.attach(6);
 s4.attach(9);
 
 
 Serial.begin(9600);
}
void loop()
{
 
 
 s1.write((i0*180)/255);
 s2.write((i1*180)/255);
 s3.write((i2*180)/255);
 s4.write((i3*180)/255);
}

For instance, I thought if both switches were on, then the output is i3,(which was coming from pin 9), so only s4.attach(9); and s4.write((i3*180)/255); will work. (As, it is apparent that the control pin is connected to pin 9 in this case).

The servo does move around when I change the switches to on off combinations, however,something drastic has happened to the voltmeter values, which tells me that my code is messing with the MUX output. The output voltages fluctuate rapidly between 97 and 180 mV.

What exactly have I done wrong, and how exactly am I supposed to control the Servo, then?

• chrisl: Honestly I would think that none of the codes really work, at least at a real Arduino (don't know, how tinkercad is handling this). Calling analogWrite() or Servo.write() repeatedly in loop() without anything to slow it down would restart the PWM wave again and agian. Please try to put these lines into setup() instead. Maybe tinkercad handles analogWrite() and the servo library differently.
• jsotola: one of the main things that you are doing wrong is using a voltmeter to measure a pulse train ... an oscilloscope is the appropriate instrument for that
• satan 29: @chrisl I changed the codes, the problem still persists. Any idea why? and any idea what exactly can I do to control the servo properly?
• satan 29: is it possible to control the servo with only one servo object?
• satan 29: well the analogWrite() serves as data inputs to the MUX... You may be right that using the same pin may be causing the trouble.. But then what code do you recommend?