Digital object counter DIY kit

We are now selling CD4026 and CD4029 up and down counter modules.

This kit is based on my previous tutorial on ‘digital object counter‘. I had published the tutorial under ‘minibread’ category. Please check the tutorial. 

IMG_0673

Digital object counter

In that tutorial, you can see that there is only one seven segment display and there is no reset switch. Well, that was extremely basic circuit.

What’s new?

Digital object counter

My new DIY digital object counter works with TSOP4838 infrared receiver   and there are two seven segment displays displaying numbers from 0 to 99.   An IR transmitter is oriented towards the TSOP4838 infrared receiver of counter module and objects are moved between the counter and transmitter modules. Each time an object passes between the two modules, the seven segment displays show increment in numbers. The counter module can be reset to 0 at any time and restart the counting.

Watch the video below:

The counter can be reset to 0 by pressing the reset switch(see on video). The counter stops counting if the IR rays is continuously falling on the IR sensor. As soon as an object obstructs the IR signal, the counter immediately counts the interruption.

The distance between the counter module and the IR transmitter should be around 1 meter.

The module can also be tested with general remote control. Thus, you can also call it as a simple remote tester. For each press on your remote control, there is increment in number.

Power supply: The counter works with a 9V battery and the IR transmitter works from 6V to 9V.

Counter operating with a remote control:

Schematic of counter module:

Counter

When TSOP4838 infrared receiver receives infrared signal, it triggers BC557 and switches on LED2. This trigger also charges the RC circuit network made up of C1(100uF), R3(1K) and R4(1K) and switches on the transistor BC547 for a few seconds. Transistor Q1 switches on the LED1 and gives clock signal to IC1(CD4026). For each clock, CD4026 drives the seven segment display and increases the numbers on the display.

Pin number 5 of IC1 is connected to pin 1 of IC2 for chaining the two CD4026 chips. For adding one more digit, the pin 5 of IC2 should be connected to pin 1 of IC3.

Schematic of IR transmitter module:

IR transmitter schematic

GO TO IR TRANSMITTER ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS PAGE

IR transmitter is based on astable mode of 555 timer. The 555 timer, resistors and capacitor on the transmitter module output IR rays at 37.974Khz(approximately 38Khz). The TSOP4838 infrared module operates at 38KHz infrared frequency, however, that is not so strict with these kinds of basic experiments. It actually operates at frequencies between 30Khz to 40Khz.

Use astable mode frequency calculator for finding out the frequency of 555 timer. While using the online calculator, enter R1=18K, R2=10K and C1= 0.001uF, you will get 37.974 KHz.

How to use the kit

Place the two kits facing each other in a straight line. The IR receiver(on the counter module) and the IR LED(on the transmitter module) can be kept in a line of sight(straight line). When you move an object in between the two kits, the counter module counts the number of interruptions in the line of sight.

Behavior 1: When you place the IR receiver and the IR LED in a straight line, the two 3mm LEDs on the counter module are switched on and it counts as soon as there is an object in the line of sight.

Object counter

Behavior 2: When you place the IR receiver and the IR LED close to each other but not in a straight line, the two 3mm LEDs on the counter module are switched off and the counter counts as soon as an object moves away from the line of sight.

Slide2

Please watch the following video to be more clear:

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Assembly Tutorial- 3 Digits – Digital object counter DIY kit

We are now selling CD4026 and CD4029 up and down counter modules.

Step 15- Connect a 9V battery and your kit is readyThis page shows you how to assemble three digit digital object counter. If you are looking for 2 digit digital object counter please see this page.

If you are interested in knowing about this 3 digit counter, please check this page. 

The counter module kit package comes with all the components required to build your kit. Before you proceed, please check if you have all the required components:

  • 1 x TO-92 5V Voltage Regulator(78L05)
  • 3 x CD4026 Decade counter
  • 3 x 16-pin IC socket.
  • 3 x common cathode seven segment display-(Can be in red, yellow and blue colors)
  • 1 x TSOP4838 Infrared sensor
  • 1 x 100uF Capacitor- (Voltage rating can be between 16V to 50V- causes no problem in operation)
  • 2 x 0.1uF 50V ceramic Capacitor
  • 2 x 3mm LED- (can be any color)
  • 1 x BC547
  • 1 x BC557
  • 1 x SPDT Slide Switch
  • 1 x Tactile reset switch
  • 1 x Screw terminal- (can be in blue/green colors)
  • 4 x 1K Ohm Resistor 1/4W
  • 1 x 330R Resistor 1/4W
  • 1 x 10K Ohm Resistor 1/4W
  • 1 x Bare PCB with Silkscreen Indicators
  • 1 x 9V battery connector

Please follow the following steps:

Step 1: Solder 1K Ohm resistors. The color code of 1K ohm resistor is Brown-Black-Red

Click on the image to see the color code more clearly.

Step 1- Solder all the 1K Ohm resistors

Step 2: Solder 10K Ohm resistor and 330 Ohm resistors. The color code for 10K Ohm resistor is Brown- Black- Orange and color code of 330 Ohm resistor is Orange-Orange-Brown.

Step 2- Solder 330 Ohm and 10K ohm resistors

Step 3: Solder 2pcs 0.1uF (code- 104) capacitors.

Step 3- Solder 2pcs 0.1uF(104) code capacitor

Step 4: Solder 2pcs 3mm LED. If you do not know which pin is Anode and which is cathode, please see this. The longer pin is Anode and the shorter pin is Cathode.

Step 4- Solder 2pcs 3mm LED

Step 5: Solder tactile switch. The switch is for resetting the counter. You can see how it work on the video below.

Step 5- Solder tactile switch

Step 6: Solder BC557 PNP transistor.

Step 6- Solder BC547 transistor

Step 7: Solder BC547 NPN transistor

Step 7- Solder BC557 transistor

 Step 8: Solder 5V voltage regulator. The 5V regulator chip is marked as 78L05. It is in TO-92 package.

TO-92 5V regulator

Step 8- Solder 5V regulator

Step 9: Solder TSOP4838 infrared sensor.

Step 9- Solder TSOP4838 infrared sensor

Step 10: Solder SPDT switch. It is used for switching ON/OFF the counter module.

Step 10- Solder SPDT switch

Step 11: Solder 2 pin screw terminal. It is used for connecting a 9V battery to the counter module.

Step 11- Solder 2pin screw terminal

Step 12: Solder 3pcs of 16 pin DIL sockets. These are used for stacking CD4026 chips. Step 12- solder 3pcs 16 pin DIL sockets

Step 13: Solder three seven segment displays and 100uF Capacitor. Please notice the + and – terminal of the capacitor. Solder it correctly.

Step 13- Solder 3pcs common cathode seven segment display

Step 14: Put CD4026 chips over the DIL sockets.

Step 14- Solder 100uF capacitor and insert CD4026 chips

Step 15: Use a 9V battery to operate the kit. Your kit is now ready to use.

Step 15- Connect a 9V battery and your kit is ready
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Powering up 3 digit object counter with USB cable

Step 1: In any USB cable(for example, the one you use for charging your phone), there are 4 wires.

using usb cable for object counter (1)

Step 2: Use your multimeter to find out which two wires give +5V. One wire should be +5V and the other should be -VE (GND).

using usb cable for object counter (3)

Step 3: Connect the +5V wire to +ve point of screw terminal and -ve to – (minus) point of screw terminal.

using usb cable for object counter (5)

The object counter can now be used. Likewise, you can power up the infrared transmitter also.

using usb cable for object counter (6)

If you are using more than one transmitter and receiver, you can use this type of USB splitter. You can USB splitters with many ports also. 

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Assembly instructions for Infrared transmitter module

This article is about assembly of infrared transmitter used with digital object counter DIY kit. If you have come to this page directly from a search engine, please visit this page first to know about digital object counter. The suggested page gives you more details about this kit. You will eventually come back to this page, don’t worry 🙂 .

Check these articles for:

Assembly of IR transmitter kit is very straight forward and all components are through-hole. You can see the label and images printed on the circuit board and assemble the components accordingly. (more…)

Digital object counter kit- Assembly tutorial

This article is about assembly of counter module used with digital object counter DIY kit. If you have come to this page directly from a search engine, please visit this page first to know about digital object counter. The suggested page gives you more details about this kit. You will eventually come back to this page, don’t worry 🙂 .

This kit includes everything you need to make a simple digital object counter. The object counter kit set includes an infrared (IR) transmitter DIY kit to make it work. The counter module and the infrared transmitter module can be kept at a distance of 1 meter with infrared LED facing towards the infrared sensor.  The LED continuously transmits infrared rays to the sensor and whenever an object obstructs the rays, the ‘seven segment display’ counts from 0 to 99. (more…)

Up Counter

An up counter simply counts from 0 to 9. We can use this circuit to make digital object counter. This circuit can also be used to make a digital clock.

OR-gate realization

To make an object counter we can use a simple dark detector circuit and a normal calculator. Pole and NO (Normally Open) terminals of a relay have to be connected to the two pins which are used to activate ‘=’ key of calculator.
As we block the light falling on LDR, the calculator starts counting.
For the calculator to work as a counter, we first need to press ‘1’ and ‘+’ keys.

Object counter using LDR and calculator

To make an object counter we can use a simple dark detector circuit and a normal calculator. Pole and NO (Normally Open) terminals of a relay have to be connected to the two pins which are used to activate ‘=’ key of calculator.
As we block the light falling on LDR, the calculator starts counting.
For the calculator to work as a counter, we first need to press ‘1’ and ‘+’ keys.

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