This project outlines how to build a basic 220V AC Power Supply Detector that uses the popular CD4017 Decade Counter IC to indicating the presence of AC voltage. This circuit is used to check if an AC line is live or not.
Key Components Required (Inferred)
- Zero PCB
- IC-CD4017
- Resistors-470 ohm, 30 ohm
- LEDs- 2
- 9 v battery and clip
Working Principle:
This project helps you check if a 220V AC power supply is live, without touching any wires. It uses a special chip called the CD4017, which acts like a counting brain that can turn lights or buzzers on and off.
Here’s the basic idea: When AC power flows through a wire, it creates a small invisible magnetic field around it. The detector has a tiny antenna or coil that feels this magnetic field. When the detector senses this field, it sends a signal to the CD4017 chip.
The CD4017 chip counts these signals like steps and then switches on an LED light or buzzer to let you know the power is present. It works like a little game of “follow the leader,” where the chip moves through steps and lights up in response to the power it senses.
Because, this detector only “listens” to the magnetic field and doesn’t directly connect to the power wires, it is safe to use to check if power is live.
Watch the full video tutorial here: How to make a 220 v AC power supply detector using cd4017