Medium

4017 LED Chaser (Knight Rider Light)

The CD4017 is a 10-output decoded counter — wire an LED to each output and you get the classic chasing-lights effect.

Circuit Diagram

+9V 555 pin 8 pin 1 GND pin 3 OUT (clock) CD4017 pin 14 CLK pin 16 VCC pin 8 GND pin 15 RESET → GND pin 3 (Q0) pin 2 (Q1) pin 4 (Q2) pin 7 (Q3) LED1 LED2 LED3 LED4 555 clocks CD4017 — each output lights an LED in sequence

How to Build It

  1. Place the NE555 (as the clock oscillator) and the CD4017 (as the counter) on the breadboard.
  2. Configure the NE555 in astable mode, with its output (pin 3) feeding the CD4017's clock input (pin 14).
  3. Connect the CD4017's pin 16 (VCC) to the positive rail and pin 8 (GND) to negative — check the datasheet for exact pin numbers.
  4. Connect an LED (with a limiting resistor) to each of the CD4017's first four outputs (pins 3, 2, 4, 7).
  5. Connect pin 15 (RESET) to GND for continuous counting.
  6. Power the circuit — the LEDs should light up one at a time, in a repeating sequence.

Bill of Materials

ProductCodeQty
Integrated circuit 1
Integrated circuit 1
Capacitor (electrolytic/ceramic/SMD/film) 860020674015 1
LED (3/5/10mm, SMD, power) l-934ID-12V 4
Resistor DR47K-8/9 1
Resistor DR100R-418 4
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