What is an IR Remote Control Switch?
An IR remote control (RC) switch is a simple electronic configuration used to attain dynamic control of AC/DC with the push of a button. IR remote control switches use IR rays to communicate with one another and allow the user to gain access to any place or object locked behind the said switch. With the current onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The use of IR RC switches helps reduce the spread of the virus by allowing remote access without the need for physical touch. So, in today’s tutorial, we are going to go over a step by step process on How To Make An IR 2 Channel Remote Control Switch using the CD4017 IC.
The heart of this IR Remote Control Switch is a CD4017 counter IC. A CD4017 IC is a 16 pin CMOS decade counter/Divider IC with 10 outputs. It is also known as the ‘Johnson 10 stage decade counter’. It has 10 decoded outputs that give output signals one by one in sequence when a clock signal from the clock input is given.
Hardware Component
You will need the following parts to build this project:
| S.No | Component | Value | Qty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1) | Relay | 5V, SPDT | 2 |
| 2) | IR LED | 5mm, 3.5V | 1 |
| 3) | IR Photodiode Receiver | TSOP1738 | 1 |
| 4) | LED | 5mm, 3.5V | 1 |
| 5) | Counter IC | CD4017 | 1 |
| 6) | Transistors | BC547, BC548, BC558 | 3 |
| 7) | Diode | 1N4007 | 6 |
| 8) | Capacitor | 100uF, 0.1uF | 2 |
| 9) | Resistors | 220K., 220 Ohms, 47 Ohm | 4 |
| 10) | Soldering Iron | 45W – 65W | 1 |
| 11) | Soldering Wire with Flux | – | 1 |
| 12) | DC Battery | 4V | 1 |
| 13) | Battery Clip | – | 1 |
| 14) | Connecting Wires | – | As per need |
CD4017 Pinout
5V Relay Pinout
Useful Steps
1) Solder the CD4017 IC on the veroboard.
2) After that, solder a 220K resistor with pin 13, 8, and 14 of the IC. Also, solder a 0.1uF capacitor between pin 13 and pin 14 of the IC.
3) After that, solder the TSOP1738 IR receiver on the veroboard.
4) Solder the base pin of the BC558 transistor with pin 16 of the IC and collector terminal with pin 14 of the IC.
5) After that, solder a 47 Ohm resistor from the VCC of the IR receiver to pin 16 of the CD4017 IC. After that, solder the +ve terminal of the 100uF capacitor with the OUT pin of the IR receiver and -ve pin of the capacitor with the ground of the circuit.
6) Solder four 1N4007 diodes with output pins 2,3,4 of the IC.
7) After that, solder the 5V relays on the Veroboard. After that, solder 1N4007 diodes across the coil terminal of the two relays.
8) Solder the collector pins of the BC548 transistor with the diode’s cathode.
9) Solder the 220 Ohm resistances with BC548 transistors. After that, solder the indicator LEDs on the Veroboard.
10) Power up and test the circuit.
Working Explanation
The working of this circuit is as follows. On projecting IR rays from an IR transmitting device such as a TV remote, the IR rays are collected by the receiver. The output of the IR receiver serves as a control input signal to the base of the BC558 transistor. The collector output from the transistor then goes to pin 14 (CLK) of the CD4017 IC.
The Counter output then goes to the base terminal of either relay 1 or 2 switching transistor (BC547). The output from the transistor then energizes the coil terminal of the relay. Here, we are using flyback diodes (1N4007) to protect the relays from any -ve feedback in case of a short. On getting energized, the relays make and complete any external circuit connected across the NC & COM terminal of the relay. This configuration is suitable for controlling 2 appliances at a time (2-channel). You can upscale this circuit to 3 – 5 channels by simply increasing the number of relays and switching transistors.
Applications
- IR Remote control switches can be used to control various AC/DC appliances such as lighting fixtures, home appliances, entertainment systems, etc.
- IR RC relays are also used to gain control of repetitive industrial processes where operational accuracy is of utmost importance like pumping motors or gas valve control.
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