Introduction: External Trigger for Stop Watch
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About: I enjoy hiking and plant foraging... but most of time I do chores!
This instructable will show how to add an external trigger to a stop watch so that it can be used for event timing from circuits. It's designed to accept from 1.5 - 50 VDC, though I've only tested it from 1.5 - 9 VDC.
Step 1: Dissemble Watch
Take the watch apart.
Step 2: Route Switch Wires
Add wires to the start/stop switch. Check the polarity of these wires and mark them with a sharpie to keep track.
Step 3:
Solder the following circuit. Here's how it works:
When there are 0V across RED-BLK, the transistor is non-conducting.
When there are > 0.6V across RED-BLK, the transistor conducts.
When there are < 0.6V across RED-BLK, the diode protects the transistor from reverse breakdown.
The 10K resistor limits current into the base.
Transistor turn-off speed isn't critical in this case, but if it was, I'd recommend adding a 1K resistor in front of the 10K resistor and a 10-100nF capacitor in parallel with the 10K resistor. This would help to quickly add to, and remove base charge to the transistor.
**Extra**
The flash card with the transistor on it shows how to figure out the pinout of an unknown NPN transistor. Using a multimeter in diode test mode, you'll find that the base-emitter junction has a higher potential than the base-collector junction.
When there are 0V across RED-BLK, the transistor is non-conducting.
When there are > 0.6V across RED-BLK, the transistor conducts.
When there are < 0.6V across RED-BLK, the diode protects the transistor from reverse breakdown.
The 10K resistor limits current into the base.
Transistor turn-off speed isn't critical in this case, but if it was, I'd recommend adding a 1K resistor in front of the 10K resistor and a 10-100nF capacitor in parallel with the 10K resistor. This would help to quickly add to, and remove base charge to the transistor.
**Extra**
The flash card with the transistor on it shows how to figure out the pinout of an unknown NPN transistor. Using a multimeter in diode test mode, you'll find that the base-emitter junction has a higher potential than the base-collector junction.
Step 4: Add Prongs & Finish
In this step, add some screw prongs by drilling holes slightly smaller than the machine screws you will be using. After, reassemble the watch.
