PARTS LIST

R1,R3,R4 R2 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9-R22 R23-R26 R27 R28 R29 10K 3.3 M 27K 1M 1K 250K 180 1K 100 2.5K 1K POT C1 C2 C3,C4,C7 C5 C6 C8-C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 82pf 22pf 1nf 5nf 470nf 100nf 1f Tantalum 10nf 2,2f 100nf 200f /25V Q1 Q2,Q3,Q4 DISPLAY X NPN 2N2222 PNP3906 6 COMMON CATHODE CRYSTAL 4.194304 MHz

ICs
CD4017 MC14521 MC14543 MC14553 MC14093 LM555 LM7808 2 PIECES 1 PIECE 2 PIECES 2 PIECES 2 PIECES 1 PIECE 1 PIECE

The above schematic shows exactly the implementation of the RPM meter. I have add just 3 more ICs on your basic schematic.This is 2 4017 and 1 555. The 555 , has been programmed to produce a frequency 130-180 Hz. This frequency corresponds to the number of the teeth that the flywheel has. The above project is suitable to work with magnetick sensors , that are returning a proportional signal of the engine RPM , sensing the magnetick edges of a flywheel fitted directly to the engine.

The key to achieve this measurement is to know exavtly the number of teeth that each flywheel has. If you know that number , you can determine exactly the number of pulses per engine revolution that can be produced from the sensor. The math type that joins the Hz output of the magnetic sensor with the actual engine RPM is :

According to that type , since we know the Hz value , we can drive this type in order to get the RPM.

HZ =

TEETH * RPM HZ * 60 60 HZ RPM = = HZ * = 60 TEETH TEETH TEETH / 60

That way , we use the 555 to produce (in Hz) the required pulses per engine revolution , (130-180 in that case) and we divide this frequency in 2 stages with 2 4017 counters1st stage division by 10 2nd stage division by 6 Total division= 60. After that we used the divided by 60 frequency to interrupt the pulse train that has been produced by the magnetic sensor. Example. If a mag sensor is fitted on a flywheel , that has 160 edges , that means that this sensor produces 160 pulses per engine revolution . If for example the engine is running at 2000 rpm , the produced frequency is Hz=(2000*160)/60 = 5333 Hz. That means 1 pulse every 1/5333 secs = 187,5 microseconds With 555 timer we produce a frequency of 160 Hz , and we divide that frequency by 60,getting a result of 2,666 Hz. =1 pulse every 1 / 2,666 Hz=1 pulse every 375093 microseconds. So we interrupt the generated pulse train of 187,5 microseconds , every 375093 microseconds(555 timer) . That give us a count of . 2000 , that represents the actual engine RPM. SO the only data that we really need is the number of the produced pulses per engine revolution.

Unfortunatelly , this implementation cannot work with sensor that are giving a lower range of pulses per engine revolution . if we had a sensor that gives one pulse per engine revolution , we would need 60 seconds to count the actual RPM. That time is really unacceptable. The way that we have to go , in order to correct measure RPM with sensors that produce less than 60 pulses per engine revolution , is to multiply the output frequency of the mag sensor 60 times , and leave unchanged the output of the 555 timer to interrupt directly the multiplied pulse train (ofcourse you have to make the 555 timer to produce in Hz the pulses per engine revolution that you have ..=1 in that example) . Changing the 555 timer with another precise timer you will gain stability , linearity , and accuracy At this moment , even with the 555 timer , the accuracy is about 0,5 %.Really good dont you think? The schematick contains all the modifications that I have mention separately in different moments. Please let me know for any mods /remarks / errors that somebody could develop in that project GEORGE VASILIOU