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How to Build a Scoreboard Circuit

The most complex part of a scoreboard is its circuit; the rest is just covering and casing. But if your gym or outdoor court needs a scoreboard then there's no need to worry since scoreboard circuit building can be quickly learned. The basic principle is that buttons on your scoreboard will be used to increase each team's score when there is power running through your circuit. A third button could also be added to your scoreboard to control resetting the scores between games.

Things You'll Need

Solderless breadboard
2 seven-segment LED displays
14 330 ohm resistors
2 4026 integrated circuits
Small bundle of breadboard jumper wires
2 dual in-line sockets
3 push buttons
8 1k resistors
2 10pF electrolytic capacitors
1 Power switch
5v Power supply

Instructions

- 1
  Place your dual in-line sockets onto the breadboard. The notches showing "PIN1" should be facing up.
- 2
  Put all of your resistors into the breadboard.
- 3
  Add the capacitors and buttons to your breadboard.
- 4
  Put the power switch in your breadboard.
- 5
  Use your jumper wires to attach each of your displays to one of your DILs (at any pin numbered 9 to 13 [output pins]). Also run a wire from pin number 1 on each of your DILs (clock pin) and through your resistors to your capacitors. Run a wire from your capacitors to each of your buttons. Each button should have one line of wiring traveling between it and one of the displays.
- 6
  Put jumper wires from both of your capacitors to your power switch, and from your power switch to your power supply. This completes the other half of your circuit.
- 7
  Put your 4026 integrated circuits into your DIL sockets.
- 8
  Add a third button to your breadboard. Connect this button to the 15th pin (reset pin) on both of your DILs, and to your power switch.
- 9
  Attach your displays to your ICs via their DIL sockets.
- 10
  Test your scoreboard to ensure that it is in working order.

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