Speed-limit Alert


Wireless portable unit

Adaptable with most internal combustion engine vehicles


Circuit diagram:

Speed-limit Alert

Parts:

R1,R2,R19_______1K   1/4W Resistors
R3-R6,R13,R17_100K   1/4W Resistors
R7,R15__________1M   1/4W Resistors
R8_____________50K   1/2W Trimmer Cermet
R9____________470R   1/4W Resistor
R10___________470K   1/4W Resistor
R11___________100K   1/2W Trimmer Cermet (see notes)
R12___________220K   1/4W Resistor (see notes)
R14,R16________68K   1/4W Resistors
R18____________22K   1/4W Resistor
R20___________150R   1/4W Resistor (see notes)

C1,C7_________100µF  25V Electrolytic Capacitors
C2,C3_________330nF  63V Polyester Capacitors
C4-C6___________4µ7  25V Electrolytic Capacitors

D1,D5______Red LEDs  3 or 5mm.
D2,D3________1N4148  75V 150mA Diodes
D4________BZX79C7V5  7.5V 500mW Zener Diode

IC1__________CA3140  or TL061 Op-amp IC
IC2____________4069  Hex Inverter IC
IC3____________4098  or 4528 Dual Monostable Multivibrator IC

Q1,Q2_________BC238  25V 100mA NPN Transistors

L1_____________10mH  miniature Inductor (see notes)

BZ1___________Piezo sounder (incorporating 3KHz oscillator)

SW1____________SPST  Slider Switch

B1_______________9V  PP3 Battery (see notes)

Clip for PP3 Battery 

Device purpose:

This circuit has been designed to alert the vehicle driver that he/she has reached the maximum fixed speed limit (i.e. in a motorway). It eliminates the necessity of looking at the tachometer and to be distracted from driving.
There is a strict relation between engine's RPM and vehicle speed, so this device controls RPM, starting to beep and flashing a LED once per second, when maximum fixed speed is reached.
Its outstanding feature lies in the fact that no connection is required from circuit to engine.

Circuit operation:

IC1 forms a differential amplifier for the electromagnetic pulses generated by the engine sparking-plugs, picked-up by sensor coil L1. IC2A further amplifies the pulses and IC2B to IC2F inverters provide clean pulse squaring. The monostable multivibrator IC3A is used as a frequency discriminator, its pin 6 going firmly high when speed limit (settled by R11) is reached. IC3B, the transistors and associate components provide timings for the signaling part, formed by LED D5 and piezo sounder BZ1. D3 introduces a small amount of hysteresis.

Notes: