OT- PICKUP WINDER - NEED COUNTER

[BILLYL]

HOWDY

WAS LOOKING AT BUILDING A PICKUP WINDER - AND NEED TO HAVE A COUNTER SO I CAN KNOW THE NUMBER OF TURNS OF WIRE.  ANYONE KNOW OF A ELECTRONIC COUNTER.  NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO DISPLAY UP TO 4 DIGITS  (9999)

THANKS

BILLYL :idea:

[Thomas P.]

R.G. sugessted a really cool way to do that with very little effort (what other would you expect :wink: )
Just take an old calculator, open it and search for the '='-button connection. Solder two wires to it and intall a small reed-switch on the other end.
Now if you hit 'one' on the calculator and the pushing '=' several times it will add up ones with ever push (or every turn of your winder).

I forgot to say that with some calculators you have to hit the 'one' and the to times the '+'-button (a 'K' appears on the display then).

[Peter Snowberg]

RG had a great and Zen solution for this..... use a $3 calculator.

If you can get one that responds fast enough that allows you to type 1+ and then increments the number each time you hit the + key, there you have it. Just add a reed switch to your winder and a small magnet. That also allows you to start at an arbitrary value.

There are also some CMOS chips that will allow you to make a 4 to 6 digit counter using 4 ICs, the 7 segment displays, and some transistors.

Take care,
-Peter

[BILLYL]

NOW THAT IS WHAT I CALL AN ELEGANT SOLUTION.  SIMPLE AND CORRECT.

THANKS
BILLYL

[Arn C.]

Check your PM mail BillyL !
Arn C.

[Thomas P.]

By the way - some time ago I developed a digital counter with a lot of help from guys around here. If your interested in it just PM me.

[Elektrojänis]

That also allows you to start at an arbitrary value.

Or you can even make it count down from a chosen number if you want. (at least on some calculators.)