Coil Winding - Turns Counter

I was wondering if theres a simple Pic circuit/code for a simple counter already out there? I have to wind some coils for a Faraday generator, using a power drill for the winding operation. As the turns are around several hundred, I was looking for something that would give me the incremental turns count on any LCD. I have 2x16 char LCD's already in stock..

Im ok with the turn sensing and electronics stuff, and building the pcb for the unit etc, but, I don't write code I do have a PIC programmer here though.

I used to have an 'electro-mechanical' counter, but think this got binned, due to its slowness.

Any pointers/links would be cool and appreciated.

Steve

Note to self.... Must learn pic programming.... some day.

Well, nigel's tutorials got everything you need...

Code & scematics to drive a LCD off a 16F628, and convert a counter to decimal to print on an lcd...

Cheers Exo... I'll give it a peer


Steve

Unless your motivation is to use electronics to count the turns, the easiest way to count turns is to use a mechanical counter. You can get them cheap and they will give you 1/10 turn resolution with a range of 0-9999.9 turns. They work just like a mechanical odometer. The company I work for uses a simple setup just like this for their coil making needs.

If you have to do it controller based, I would simply use a cheap optointerrupter to get the pulses to count turns. Besides Nigel's tutorials, there is very extensive documentation on the Internet related to the standard LCD interface.

-Bill

cheers phalanx, yup, would be simplest using electro-mech counter. But I'd have to 'buy' that. I have loads of LCD's, Pic's & opto-interuptors etc knocking around, so thought I'd save some pennies, plus it would be a more fun

Stevie