Dashboard Digital Voltmeter
Dashboard Digital Voltmeter
Dashboard Digital Voltmeter
This project is helpful to anyone who drives an automobile. I had found this project at
the local libary... in an old publication. I made it and it worked fine.
Below are the complete text and schematic of the Dashboard Digital Voltmeter. I retyped the text and re-drew the schematic...as the printing from the book was old and
faded. Sit back and read the story why this LED display might just save you from
being stranded on the road!
Your making time down the interstate at three in the morning...all of a sudden you
become aware that the lights on the dash seem kind of dim, and that the headlights
don't seem to be reaching out as far ahead to warn you of darkened 18-wheelers'
parked on the shoulder. Are your eyes just playing tricks on you, or is there
something the matter with your car's electrical system? A quick glance down at the
three glowing LED numerals on the dash gives your the instant answer. Either you
pull into a rest area and grab a few hours of shuteye, or you pull into a service area
and have the battery, alternator and voltage regulator given a good scrutinizing by
the mechanic.
In either case, your car's digital voltmeter has given you the information that was
needed about the car's electrical system; and maybe saved you either a headache, a
smashup, or a king-sized repair and towing bill. Maybe all three...
Recent advances in the design and availability of industrial integrated circuits have
opened up many doors to the electronic hobbyist. Analog-to-digital devices have
become more complex internally, thus making the portions of the circuitry that have
to be assembled by the hobbyist that much more simple. The Dashboard Digital
Voltmeter takes advantage of these advances, utilizing three IC's and a small handful
of discrete components to give you an instrument capable of better than +/- 1%
accuracy in reading the voltage level delivered by your vehical's
(car/boat/motorcycle) electrical system.
If this project has interest to you...we shall begin!
2. 1N4002 Diode
3. 47uF/25v (Electrolytic
capacitor)
4. 10uF/16v (Tantalum
capacitor)
5. 50K Potentiometer
8. Omitted
9. 10K Potentiometer
10. 10uF/16v (Tantalum
capacitor)
The PCB
W.