Simple timing circuit needed.

[mbu]

Hi!

I have diabetes and I need to take a blood sugar test every two hours after meals. Does anyone have a simple electronic circuit that would be able to give a soft beep in two hours from when a button on it is pushed?

I know I can buy a stop watch or a timer that will do this but they are so large. I was hoping for something that is very tiny and not too noticeable.

Thank you for your help!

 

[yngndrw]

You could use a watch with built in timer. I think that any electronic circuit that we could build ourselfs would be bigger and more noticable than that.

 

[bananasiong]

I agree with yngndrw. The circuit we made would be bigger compared to a digital watch. But if you don't wear a watch like me (even my family does watch business ), you can use your mobile phone. Nowadays, most of the nokia phone has count down timer.

 

[ericgibbs]

Hi!

I have diabetes and I need to take a blood sugar test every two hours after meals. Does anyone have a simple electronic circuit that would be able to give a soft beep in two hours from when a button on it is pushed?

I know I can buy a stop watch or a timer that will do this but they are so large. I was hoping for something that is very tiny and not too noticeable.

Thank you for your help!

hi,
Recalled, my brother uses a pill take timer.

Just Googled for 'pill taking timer',,,, lots and lots of hits.

Eric

Look here:
**broken link removed**

 

[Hero999]

I agree with yngndrw. The circuit we made would be bigger compared to a digital watch.

It doesn't need to be big, an SMT PIC, a couple of button cells and a piezo transducer won't take up much room, you could probably make it credit card sized if you're good enough but you're right, it's still bigger than a watch.

 

[mbu]

Thanks everyone...Lots of good advice!

The trouble with the commercial timers is that they have a clock etc. which make them very large and hard to set the alarm for just 2 hours. I'd like something that I can just push a button and it will then beep in two hours. My concern with something too big or a cell phone is that I have to attend many meetings throughout the day and that clock or cell phone is a distraction. If it was small enough and made just a small beep I don't think would be a problem to others...well, I hope it wouldn't!

ericgibbs, the pill take timer, although large, seems like a good starting place. I'll check it out. Thanks for the link and suggestion.

Thanks again everyone!

MBU

 

[Krumlink]

You could build a monostable 555 timer with a large cap on it. Id say anywhere around 1000uf. I havnt tested the circut, but it is activated by a button, so it fits your specs perfectly. With SMT chips and caps and pushbutton and some button cells it could be as big as a watch!!!

(as for the caps, put them in parallel for more ufs)

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

You could build a monostable 555 timer with a large cap on it. Id say anywhere around 1000uf. I havnt tested the circut, but it is activated by a button, so it fits your specs perfectly. With SMT chips and caps and pushbutton and some button cells it could be as big as a watch!!!

Sorry Krumlink, but that's a completely stupid suggestion!. 555's are only suitable for short timings, and not very accurate at that.

 

[Rolf]

Pic ?????????????

Hi!

I have diabetes and I need to take a blood sugar test every two hours after meals. Does anyone have a simple electronic circuit that would be able to give a soft beep in two hours from when a button on it is pushed?

I know I can buy a stop watch or a timer that will do this but they are so large. I was hoping for something that is very tiny and not too noticeable.

Thank you for your help!

I concur with Hero999 but allow me to elaborate a little.
I have seen PIC's programmed with a "go to sleep" code after 30 min's of inactivity. I am not a programmer but it doesn't seem unreasonable (to me) that this timing function could be lengthened by a power of four and used for your timer. I know the whole thing could be build on a board about 1" x 2.5".
The circuit would be similar to a 12F629 LED blinker, very simple.

 

[Rolf]

Don't understand .......

Hi!

I have diabetes and I need to take a blood sugar test every two hours after meals. Does anyone have a simple electronic circuit that would be able to give a soft beep in two hours from when a button on it is pushed?

I know I can buy a stop watch or a timer that will do this but they are so large. I was hoping for something that is very tiny and not too noticeable.

Thank you for your help!

I really don't understand why something that fits comfortable in your pocket should be not "too noticeable".
Anyhow, since my last post I have been playing with my Talking Timer, about $15 on Ebay. This sweet little thing can be programmed to exactly what you want. But it isn't exactly tiny but if you take the belt clip off, then it measures 0.5" thick for a comfortable pocket fit.
**broken link removed**

 

[blueroomelectronics]

You could simply buy an interval alarm watch.
https://www.epill.com/silverblack.html

If you want to build one I'd use an 8pin PIC with a 32768Hz crystal, pushbutton and buzzer/LED. If you want to avoid PICs then the CD4060 with a crystal might make a good timebase but require some support logic.

**broken link removed**

 

[Krumlink]

I doubt that he is going to want to spend all his time figuring out how to program and stuff. "go buy a PIC go buy a programmer bla bla bla". I just suggested a simple circut that could work. NOTE: I said i diddnt test this

dont kill me, i was only suggesting somthing!!!!

 

[Hero999]

Don't take it so personally, he wasn't having a go at you personally, he just said that your idea wasn't any good. I'd rather him say that, than the origional poster going to all to trouble of building it and it not working.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I doubt that he is going to want to spend all his time figuring out how to program and stuff. "go buy a PIC go buy a programmer bla bla bla". I just suggested a simple circut that could work. NOTE: I said i diddnt test this

No point suggesting something completely useless!

Try looking up 555 timers, and work out the values required for 2 hours - then come back here and we'll tell you the other problems!

 

[3v0]

dont kill me, i was only suggesting somthing!!!!

It is time you learned to program. Your bots would be much better...

 

[Krumlink]

I am saving up moneys to buy a programmer and stuff. I wil program, but with no money to buy it I cant!

 

[mbu]

Hmmmmm...

Maybe I should rethink what I need...

Let's see...what if I got an old fashion alarm clock and put it inside a shoe box together with a brick. Then wrap the whole shebang with duct tape! Now I don't suppose that will solve my timing problem but it will surely cut down the time I spend in meetings if I walk in with that tucked under my arm!

All kidding aside...I think the best thing for me is to look for a clock/watch that will have an easy timer to set. If it's a watch I can always take the wrist bands off and put that in my pocket.

Thanks everyone for your help and time. I appreciate it very much!

MBU

 

[Hero999]

I am saving up moneys to buy a programmer and stuff. I wil program, but with no money to buy it I cant!

Have you thought about building your own?

Lol, I've got the programmer, I've just got to get around to buying some PICs.