The CD4026BE Decade Counter/Divider is one of the most versatile and popular CMOS ICs for digital display projects. At Electrapac, we recommend this chip for anyone building digital clocks, event counters, or scoreboards, as it eliminates the need for a separate micro-controller or complex seven-segment driver.

Product Overview

The CD4026BE is a 16-pin CMOS IC that combines a 5-stage Johnson decade counter with an integrated 7-segment display driver. It takes a clock pulse as an input and directly outputs the signals needed to light up a common-cathode 7-segment LED display. This "all-in-one" design makes it incredibly easy to create multi-digit counters by simply "daisy-chaining" multiple 4026 ICs together.

Key Features for Electrapac Customers

• Direct Drive Capability: No need for an external BCD-to-7-segment decoder (like the 4511). This chip converts the count directly into "a" through "g" segment signals.

• Low Power Consumption: Being a CMOS device, it draws very little current, making it perfect for battery-powered handheld counters from www.electrapac.com.

• Daisy-Chain Support: The Carry Out pin (Pin 5) produces a pulse every 10 counts, which can be connected to the clock input of a second 4026 to create 2-digit, 3-digit, or even 10-digit counters.

• Display Enable (Pin 3): Allows you to turn the display on or off without losing the internal count—great for power-saving modes.

• Schmitt-Triggered Clock: The clock input is highly stable, preventing "double counting" caused by noisy signals or mechanical button bounces.

Internal Logic & Connections

To build a successful counter with your Electrapac components, focus on these critical pins:

1. Clock (Pin 1): Receives the pulse you want to count.

2. Display Enable (Pin 3): Must be tied HIGH to see the numbers on the LED.

3. Reset (Pin 15): Momentarily pull this HIGH to clear the count back to zero.

4. Outputs (Pins 6, 7, 9–13): Connect these directly to the "a" through "g" pins of your common-cathode display (resistors are recommended for LED protection).

Primary Applications

• Digital Stopwatches: Precise time-tracking without programming.

• Object Counters: Using an IR sensor from Electrapac to count items moving on a conveyor belt.

• Frequency Dividers: Using the Carry Out pin to divide a high-frequency signal by 10.

• Scoreboards: Building manual "Home vs. Away" score counters for sports.

• Educational Kits: Teaching the basics of digital logic and decimal counting to students.

Why Shop at Electrapac?

We source our CD4026BE ICs with a wide operating voltage range, ensuring they work perfectly whether you are using a 5V USB power supply or a 9V battery. At www.electrapac.com, we provide the discrete logic components that keep your digital designs simple and efficient.