DIY: CIRCUIT

Rotation Counter SANI THE

O

S.C. DWIVEDI high rpm, a fast-switching device like

a reed switch is used. A small round
resented here is a simple rotation magnet is mounted on the blade as shown in Fig. 1 to activate the reed

P counter which helps you meas-

ure the revolutions per minute
(rpm) of any rotating object. As the
switch on each rotation. The cir-
cuit has been successfully tested
up to 6000 rpm but it can measure
project requires measurement of very even beyond that.

Test Points Circuit and working

Test point Details The circuit diagram of rotation
counter is shown in Fig. 2. The
TP0 GND
circuit is built around 5V regula-
TP1 +12V
tor 7805 (IC1), an opto-coupler
TP2 5V DC
MCT2E (IC2), 4-digit counter with
TP3 Clock pulse
7-segment display driver 74C926
TP4 Normally low and goes high (IC3), four common-cathode
when switch S1 is pressed
Fig. 1: Working prototype of rotation counter 7-segment displays LTS543 (DIS1-

TP1
1 IC1 3
7805
R2 R3 TP2
TP4 18 5 6
2 470E 10K
Vcc LE DS 15
a

b 16
S2 TP3
c 17
RESET 12
C2 CLK S2 = PUSH−TO−ON SWITCH
d 1
0.1u 1 6
RS1 = REED SWITCH
S1 e 2
R1 5
ON/OFF 2 IC3
470E IC2 f 3

3 MCT2E 4 74C926 g 4
JACK1 7
AOUT
DC IN C1
13 8
12V 470u LED1 RESET BOUT
POWER 10
25V COUT
RS1 DOUT
11
REED SWITCH GND
BATT.1
12V R4 9
10K
GND

DIS1 − DIS4 = LTS543

COMMON CATHODE
7 SEGMENT DISPLAY
6 b 6 b 6 b 6 b
7 a 7 a 7 a 7 a
9 f 9 f 9 f 9 f
10 g 10 g 10 g 10 g
1 e 1 e 1 e 1 e
2 d 2 d 2 d 2 d
4 c 4 c 4 c 4 c
5 dp 5 dp 5 dp 5 dp
COM COM DIS2 COM DIS3 COM
DIS1 3 3 3 DIS4 3

T1 T2 T3 T4
BC547 R5
BC547 R6 BC547 R7 BC547
1K R8
1K 1K 1K
R9 R10 R11 R12
330E 330E 330E 330E TP0

Fig. 2: Circuit diagram of rotation counter

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 DIY: CIRCUIT
you press the reset
switch S2 momen-
tarily.
The power sup-
ply used for the
circuit is 5V, which
is derived from a
12V battery whose
voltage is reduced
through regulator
IC1 to produce 5V
Fig. 3: An actual-size, single-side PCB for the rotation counter regulated power
supply. Alterna-
tively, you can use
a 12V adaptor for
powering the cir-
cuit when a battery
is not available.
Working of the
circuit is simple.
To count rotations
of any rotating ob-
ject, fix the mag-
net on the rotat-
Fig. 4: Component layout for the PCB ing part and rest of
the circuit on the
face each other once and the contacts stationary part such that the magnet
PARTS LIST
get closed, which causes LED in the passes close to the reed switch at each
Semiconductors:
IC1 - 7805, 5V regulator
opto-coupler to turn on and drive rotation. Now press reset switch S2
IC2 - MCT2E opto-coupler the transistor. This brings clock pulse momentarily. The display shows 0000.
IC3 - 74C926 4-digit counter equal to the number of rotations at the Switch on the motor and note the dis-
T1-T4 - BC547 npn transistor
DIS1-DIS4 - LTS543 7-segment display
CLK pin 12 of 4-digit counter IC3. IC3 played reading after one minute to see
LED1 - 5mm red LED is used to count the clocks received by the rpm.
Resistors (all 1/4-watt, ±5% carbon): opto-coupler IC2 and display them on
R1, R2 - 470-ohm
the four common-cathode 7-segment Construction and testing
R3, R4 - 10-kilo-ohm
R5-R8 - 1-kilo-ohm displays (DIS1-DIS4). An actual-size, single-side PCB for the
R9-R12 - 330-ohm IC3 has a 4-digit counter, an inter- rotation counter is shown in Fig. 3 and
Capacitors: nal output latch, npn output sourcing its component layout in Fig. 4. After
C1 - 470µF, 25V electrolytic
C2 - 0 1µF ceramic disk drivers for a 7-segment display and assembling the circuit on PCB, enclose
Miscellaneous: an internal multiplexing circuitry with it in a suitable plastic case. After all the
BATT 1 - 12V battery four multiplexing outputs. The multi- components are soldered on the PCB,
JACK1 - 12V, 500mA DC adaptor
plexing circuit has its own free-run- connect the two wires coming from the
S1 - On/off switch
S2 - Push-to-on switch ning oscillator and does not require reed switch to the main unit.
RS1 - Reed switch external clock. The counter advances To check the circuit for proper
- Small magnet
on negative edge of the clock. A ‘high’ functioning, verify 12V supply at TP1
signal on display select (DS) input and 5V at TP2, with respect to TP0.
DIS4), reed switch (connected at RS1) selects the number in the counter to The clock pulses corresponding to the
and a small magnet. be displayed; a low level signal on the URWDWLRQ FDQ EH YDULÀHG DW 73 7KH
Opto-coupler IC2 is used to isolate DS selects the number in the output reset to the circuit can be observed at
the counter and provide a clock pulse latch to be displayed. TP4. Power LED1 should glow when
to counter IC3. It counts a pulse when A maximum of 9999 digits can be connected to power supply. z
contacts of the reed switch touch each counted and shown on DIS1 through
The author holds a diploma in electronics and
other due to the magnet that comes DIS4. A high signal at reset pin 13 telecommunications from IERT Allahabad and is
near it at each rotation. At each ro- of IC3 turns all the outputs to zero. a graduate from Kanpur University. He is a lab
tation, the magnet and reed switch So the display shows 0000 when engineer at EFY

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