Today we will discuss a fun project where we will learn how to create an 18 LED chaser circuit. This design is pretty straightforward and involves cascading two 4017 integrated circuits (ICs) along with some basic passive electronic components. So let us get started!
Understanding the Basics
In this section we will chat about how to put together a simple LED running light that anyone new to electronics can tackle, as long as we have a bit of soldering experience and some familiarity with common electronic components.
The cool concept we are exploring here is a light chaser and we will be using the well-known Johnson’s decade counter IC 4017 to achieve that awesome light chasing effect. We will also bring in the IC 555, which serves as our oscillator.
The IC 555 is super important because it generates the clock signals that our counter ICs need to function. We have all probably seen how the IC 4017 can be set up to create this light chasing effect with LEDs. However, it is worth noting that this IC can only support up to ten LEDs at a time.
But do not worry! In the next sections we will show how we can create an 18 LED light chaser by linking two of these I Cs together.
Cascading Two IC 4017s for the 18 LED Effect
Now if we take a look at the circuit diagram for our light chaser, we can see how the two ICs are arranged to allow for the “chasing” or “running” effect across all 18 LEDs.
The diodes in our circuit play a crucial role here. They help switch the ICs into a cascading action ensuring that the output from one IC flows seamlessly into the next. This way we can achieve that continuous “chasing” effect across all 18 LEDs in our setup.
We can easily build this whole circuit on a general-purpose PCB (printed circuit board) and then connect everything together by soldering according to the diagram we have.
As for powering up our circuit, it can operate anywhere between 6 volts and 12 volts which gives us some flexibility.
So let us gather our components and get started on this exciting project!
Circuit Diagram
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