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10 LED Tachometer Circuit

The document describes two different tachometer circuits: 1. A 10 LED tachometer circuit using an IC 555 monostable multivibrator stage and an IC LM3915 LED driver stage. This circuit accurately displays engine RPM on a bar graph of 10 LEDs. 2. A simplified tachometer circuit using just an IC LM3915. This circuit converts input frequencies to an average DC voltage proportional to the frequency level. However, the document later clarifies that neither circuit is truly measuring engine RPM (revolutions per minute), but rather just interpreting voltage levels generated by the motor. A true tachometer design is shown using an IC 555 circuit to directly measure input frequencies over

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302 views5 pages

10 LED Tachometer Circuit

The document describes two different tachometer circuits: 1. A 10 LED tachometer circuit using an IC 555 monostable multivibrator stage and an IC LM3915 LED driver stage. This circuit accurately displays engine RPM on a bar graph of 10 LEDs. 2. A simplified tachometer circuit using just an IC LM3915. This circuit converts input frequencies to an average DC voltage proportional to the frequency level. However, the document later clarifies that neither circuit is truly measuring engine RPM (revolutions per minute), but rather just interpreting voltage levels generated by the motor. A true tachometer design is shown using an IC 555 circuit to directly measure input frequencies over

Uploaded by

tim schroder
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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10 LED Tachometer Circuit

Last Updated on July 15, 2019 by Swagatam 42 Comments


The post explains how an accurate 10 LED tachometer circuit can be built using ordinary parts like IC
555 and IC LM3915. The idea was requested by Mr. Munsif.

What is a Tachometer
A tachometer is a device which is used for measuring vehicle engine RPM. Thus, it is basically used for
checking the performance of the engine and helps an auto mechanic to understand the condition of the
engine so that it can be corrected or optimized as per the desired specs.
Generally a tachometer may be considered an expensive equipment as these are highly accurate and
intended for obtaining correct RPM rates of the concerned engine under test.
The conventional units are therefore very sophisticated and generate highly accurate results while
testing.
However it doesn't mean that a simpler version cannot be built at home. With electronics at its best
today, making a tachometer circuit at home isn't at all difficult. What's more the results obtained from
such circuits are fairly accurate and provides the required data for assessing the overall working
condition of the system.

The Design
A simple 10 LED tachometer circuit can be seen in the above diagram.
The circuit basically consists of two mains stages. A monostable based tachometer using IC 555, and an
LED driver stage using IC LM3915.
Referring to the figure below, the left side stage consists of a IC 555 monostable stage which triggers to
the input frequencies from a given source such as an automobile engine, and causes its output to stay
ON for a predetermined period as set by the R/C components at its pin6/2.
Circuit Diagram

This situation allows the user to set the response pattern of the output.
The output triggering of the IC 555 is further smoothened by an integrator stage using R7/R8 and
C4/C5.
The integrated or smothened output is applied to a 10 step dot/bar LED driver LM3915 circuit stage.
The processed frequency to voltage conversion from the IC 555 tachometer circuit is appropriately
displayed across the 10 LEDs associated with the LM3915 IC.
Since pin#9 of the IC is attached with the positive rail, the LED displays a bar mode pattern of the
frequency level or the RPM level of the connected engine.
The 10 LED bar graph ascend or descend their illumination in response to the frequency levels from
the automobile engine and allow the circuit to be used like an effective 10 LED tachometer.

Parts list for the IC 555 section


Parts List
• R1 = 4K7
• R3 = CAN BE VARIABLE 100K POT
• R4 = 3K3,
• R5 = 10K,
• R6 = 470K,
• R7 = 1K,
• R8 = 10K,
• C1 = 1uF,
• C2 = 100n,
• C3 = 100n,
• C4 = 22uF/25V,
• C5 = 2.2uF/25V
• T1 = BC547
• IC1 = 555,
• D1, D2, D3 = 1N4148

Using only LM3915


A closer inspection of the above circuit reveals that the IC 555 stage is actually not required and seems
like an overkill for the purpose.
The main concept here is to convert the frequencies into an average DC whose level would be
proportionate to the input frequency level. This implies that a simple diode, resistor, capacitor network
would be enough to accomplish this action.
Also called an integrator, this small circuit network could be integrated with the LM3915 for
ensuring that the voltage level stored in the capacitor is proportionately varied depending on the
frequency levels.
Faster frequencies would allow the capacitor to charge and hold the DC proportionately better resulting
in a higher average DC output and vice versa. This would in turn produce an equivalent level of LED
illuminations on the LEDs attached with LM3915 output.
Here's the simplified version of the 10 LED tachometer using just a single IC M3915.
My Conclusion is not Correct
It's indeed very silly of me, since I completely missed the point that the above circuit was only
interpreting the voltage generated by the motor, so it is not representing the frequency or the RPM,
rather only the generated voltage levels.
Although this may be also proportionate to the RPM, it is technically NOT a tachometer circuit.
Therefore I confess that the first circuit shown using the IC 555 circuit the actual and true tachometer
design.

Simple Tachometer Circuit


So far we studied a 10 LED version of a tachometer, however the idea could be much simplified using
a moving coil meter as explained below. Here we learn how to build a simple IC 555 based tachometer
circuit which can be used for directly measuring any frequency over an analogue volt meter.

Circuit Operation
The circuit diagram shows a simple configuration utilizing the IC 555. The IC is basically configured
as a monstable multivibrator.
The pulse is derived from the spark plug and fed to the end of R6.
The transistor responds to the pulses and conduct in accordance with triggers.
The transistor activates the monostable with every rising pulse of the input.
The monostable stays ON for a particular moment each time its triggered and generates an average ON
time at the output which is directly proportional to the average trigger rate.
The capacitor and the resistor at the output of the IC integrate the result so that it can be directly read
over a 10V FSD voltmeter.
The pot R3 should be adjusted such that the output generates the exact interpretations of the fed RPM
rates.
The above setting up must be done  with the help of a good conventional tachometer unit.
Parts List
R1 = 4K7
R2 = 47E
R3 = CAN BE VARIABLE 100K POT
R4 = 3K3,
R5 = 10K,
R6 = 470K,
R7 = 1K,
R8 = 10K,
R9 = 100K,
C1 = 1uF/25V,
C2 = 100nF,
C3 = 100n,
C4 = 33uF/25V,
T1 = BC547
IC1 = 555,
M1 = 10V FSD meter,
D1, D2 = 1N4148

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