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Multiple decade counter output

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Ken Varone

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Hello! DECADE COUNTER MULTIPLE OUTPUT QUESTION

New member here. I am trying to figure out how I can incorporate an off the shelf alarm clock to a decade counter, so that I can have an output every hour, for 24 hours. I've studied up on the 4017 decade counter and have put together a 555 timer and 4017 chip circuit board, but I'm not sure what is the best way to connect it to an alarm clock, preferably an inexpensive, small, digital one.
I volunteer as an EMT with my fire department, and one of my neighbors asked me if I knew of a 24 hour alarm clock, that she could put in front of her elderly Mom's webcam, so that she can see if she's correctly taking her meds during the day. Using a cell phone app is beyond her Mom... I figure that if I could integrate several 4017s to an alarm clock that "goes off" every hour as a timing pulse, it would work perfectly. She would easily see if her Mom didn't take her meds, because her Mom would turn off the alarm after she took meds. I would also set it up with an alarm to notify/remind her Mom to take her meds.
Thank you so much in advance, and if anyone has any questions on pneumatics (Valves, cylinders, etc), please let me know, as that's what I do for a living (No monies involved, just glad to help!).

Ken Varone, Long Island, New York
 
I have a couple of these. They are also available at Harbor Freight.

They can be taught to produce an output 8 times per 24hours, where each output would last maybe one minute.
 
Hello Ken, welcome to ETO.
My initial thoughts on your scheme:

so that I can have an output every hour, for 24 hours.
Is elderly mom to wake up every hour during the night to take her pills, as well as during the day?

have put together a 555 timer and 4017 chip
OK but the 555 is very poor at producing slow pulses.
One pulse every second would be OK, but one pulse every hour is not very practical.

JimB
 
I would purchase one of those inexpensive "Westminster Clocks" which plays the classic tune every hour.

Then rectify the speaker's voltage, and utilizing a voltage comparator, generate the logic output you require.
 
Hello Ken
As JimB suggested a good pre-made timer might do the trick for you. You might also consider an irrigation timer where you can have several different interval such as hourly, daily, and so on... just a thought.
EG

P.S.: Output of these timers are 12V and can be connected easily to a door chime!
 
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Good ideas,
I looked into using a clock with an hourly chime and found a great one. This will save me a lot of time! My apologies to you guys in advance, for my future telling everyone that I thought of the hourly timer clock myself... LOL
Ken
 
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