Which counter

[Bill Scheltema]

Here are 3 counters I got from a friend to try out. He works for a yarn company.
One is totallt mech. one is a Red Lion Gemeni 1000 and a Veeder Root SQC22000 (Squire Dual Preset Counter).

Need to do some investigating.

Which one would you suggest?

Bill

[Bill Scheltema]

Working

Well I got the Veeder Root unit to power up and count for me.
Now I will look into a photo sensor or something to activate the counter.

Bill

[walcen]

Here are 3 counters I got from a friend to try out. He works for a yarn company.
One is totallt mech. one is a Red Lion Gemeni 1000 and a Veeder Root SQC22000 (Squire Dual Preset Counter).

Need to do some investigating.

Which one would you suggest?

Bill

I'm sure they'll all do the job just fine but my choices would be the red lion or the veeder root, and as I'm a stickler for compact_ted_nes, the little one would suit me, that way you could more easily build it into your machine, assuming your building a machine.

Some of the other guys could probably advise you better.

regards

Walt

[Bill Scheltema]

OPto Switch

Could I use this opto switch as the trigger?

OPB825 Opto optical switch, photointerrupter.8C2

[Bill Scheltema]

Other options

Having fun.

I think that I can even set up the veeder root to shut down the motor when it reaches a preset, of which I have 2. Real nice feature.

Bill

[Folkcafe]

Plus one for the electronic counter

I went with the Red Lion counter and a QRB1114 opto-switch that I got from Newark. I used a fender washer that I polished with a cloth wheel and then painted one half with flat black paint. It has been working very well for me.

[Bill Scheltema]

Opto switch info

Just some info to pass along about the sensor.

The pulse width is 10 μs maximum with a frequency of
100 Hz.

Bill

[Folkcafe]

Don't know if this was a question but here is the math.

With a 50% duty cycle like I set up with the split washer, that would get you a max of 3000rpm. 1/2 of 100Hz (50) x 60 seconds = 3000 turns a minute. If you only cut a slot into the washer for the sensor to break the returning led beam then the duty cycle is the whatever fraction of the diameter of the turn. So if the slot is 10% then it would be 1/10 of 100Hz (10) x 60 or 600rpm.

Hope this makes sense.

[Joe Gwinn]

Don't know if this was a question but here is the math.

With a 50% duty cycle like I set up with the split washer, that would get you a max of 3000rpm. 1/2 of 100Hz (50) x 60 seconds = 3000 turns a minute. If you only cut a slot into the washer for the sensor to break the returning led beam then the duty cycle is the whatever fraction of the diameter of the turn. So if the slot is 10% then it would be 1/10 of 100Hz (10) x 60 or 600rpm.

Hope this makes sense.

I'm not sure I followed the above. What question were you trying to answer?

Anyway, 50% duty cycle (the fender washer is half shiny, half black) at 3000 rpm implies the optical signal will consist of a stream of pulses that are (60/3000)(0.50)= (0.020 secs/rotation)(0.50)= 0.010 secs/pulse= 10 milliseconds/pulse.

So, the electrical signal will be a train of 10 mS pulses with 10 mS between adjacent pulses.

[Folkcafe]

"Could I use this opto switch as the trigger?"

I guess I misplaced a decimal point somewhere when doing the mental math in converting time to frequency. f=1/t Which also means that the duty cycle of the pulse is a smaller fraction the max frequency then I originally thought (which is a good thing). Doesn't pay to do math before coffee. Also means I'm off on max rpm by a factor of two.

Anyway, if the question above is still open, then the answer would certainly be yes. The real consideration is making sure there is a reliable contrast between states for the sensor. I initially worried that the sensor I used would not trigger properly or reliably with just using the flat black paint and shining up the washer. Once I got the distance between the sensor and the washer set correctly, there have been no issues at the speed I wind. It seems to close or to far produces errors using only variations in reflectivity with the level of lighting I use to wind (old eyes).

[Bill Scheltema]

Thanks for all the input

Question,

For the optical switch, will it need to have its own power source?

Bill

[Bill Scheltema]

Joe Gwinn

I did some looking at your site and saw the magnometer, interesting.
I did a search for the regulator LP2951CN but it seems to be unavailable here in the good ol Canada. What could be a suitable equivalent? Also what is a "4u7 16v tant" I know it is a cap but what kind.

Bill

[Folkcafe]

Question,

For the optical switch, will it need to have its own power source?

Bill

In Tonedeciple's post below regarding counter ideas there are a few diagrams for wiring up the optoswitch to a redlion counter. There is a diagram that is similar to what I used except I used a 7k resistor instead of the 10k and went with a larger value DC input cap (went with what I had around the shop). RadioShack has LM series 5 volt regulators for a couple of bucks and small breadboards to assemble the circuit.

Check out the post at Circuit diagram from Tonedeciple

[Joe Gwinn]

I did some looking at your site and saw the magnetometer, interesting.

I did a search for the regulator LP2951CN but it seems to be unavailable here in the good ol Canada. What could be a suitable equivalent?

I think I got it from DigiKey, which I think does sell in Canada. Anyway, any small adjustable regulator that can be convinced to generate 5 volts will work, although the circuitry around the regulator will need to change to match whatever regulator chip is used. LM385 might work.

DigiKey Canada: IC REG LDO 100MA 3.3V 8-DIP - LP2951CN-3.3G

Also what is a "4u7 16v tant" I know it is a cap but what kind.

The "4u7" is european code for 4.7 microfarads. To save space on component bodies, the decimal point is replaced with the abbreviation for the power of ten. It is expected that you know if the component is R, C, or L.

The "16v" is the capacitor's maximum voltage, 16 volts.

The "tant" stands for tantalum.

So, this is what is usually called a "tantalum drip" capacitor, as it looks like a dorp of water hanging in the leads. DigiKey et al carry these in great profusion.

[Bill Scheltema]

Voltage Regulator 7805

Thanks for the great input.

What about a Voltage Regulator 7805?

While I am on the subject:
I am doing a set of pups and was wondering if having a connection between the pickup and pot would be detrimental to the tone of the pup and will it add resistance?

Bill