There are other way for a CMOS gate to drive LEDs without loading them. I've used this circuit on breadboards to test logic levels.

 

So do you think that's the issue? That it's getting overloaded?

 

I added a .1uF bypass cap on the 4017 and it seems to last longer before it gets stuck now. Is there a way to add a cap to the reset pin to assure it stays low from noise?

 

Try adding a 10K pull-down on the reset line, it appears to be floating.

Also, add a 22uF - 47uF (16V min) cap on Vcc.

 

I tried connecting a 10K resistor from Reset to Ground. And Then a 22uF cap from Reset to VCC. It definitely lasts a lot longer now like 20 seconds before it stops working. Is that how it should be hooked up, or do I not hook the Cap to the reset as well? What are the chances I have a bad chip? It doesn't seem like anyone else has to go to these ends to get to to function.

 

The weird thing is that it always works right when I plug in the power. Then stops working X amount of seconds after. Can I just mimick that moment that the power is being turned on somehow with components?

 

No, you should not have the 22uF cap from Reset to Vcc - just the 10k resistor to ground.

Putting the 22uF cap from reset to Vcc will couple ANY noise that happens to be on Vcc to the reset line.

If you wish, you could put a very small cap (0.1uF or smaller) from the reset line to GND.

 

Tried it still no luck. I'm gonna pull out the chip and see if there is an issue there.

 

You might have a heating problem. If you're trying to draw too much current from the 4017, that will cause the IC to rapidly overheat and malfunction.

Find out what is drawing too much current.

 

Hey, I changed the chip (thankfully I had bought 2) and put it in using a DIP socket instead and now its working fine! I must have overheated the other one with my shaky hand soldering. That was a lot easier than having to rework the design, sorry that took me so long to figure out, but unsoldering 16 pins was the last thing I wanted to do.

Thanks again.

 

Yeah, they're really easy to overheat. Drinking coffee + soldering = trouble!

You don't want to solder pins in sequence, either. If you skip 4 or 5 pins over, you'll give the other area of the IC a chance to cool back down. For a 16 pin IC, my soldering sequence might go 1, 5, 10, 15, 2, 6, 11, 16, 3... etc. You can still go pretty fast, but your risk of overheating one section of an IC is reduced quite a bit.

 

The 22uF - 47uF (16V min) cap should be between Vcc and GND.

 

I finally got this project done last month, just posting a video of the final product:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niaV6dOFYnY

I'd like to thank the people on this forum who really helped out a lot and helped me to complete my first real electronics project. It basically is a lo-fi sequencer that uses a 555 or external clock to run a divider sequencer circuit. The sequencer triggers audio samples that can be recorded one by one through a line in/rotary switch. Everything then runs through a basic mixer/amplifier circuit then out to a line out. I realized having 10 units of anything turns into a headache really fast because of all the wiring, but I'm glad I'm done.

Also realized I need to work on my drilling skillz!

It's a little tough on the ears but fun to play with. I was also able to make a really quick tap-tempo box with an arduino chip.

 

Now that is a wonderful machine

 

dan, the sequencer looks great. i'm planning to build a 16-step sequencer that triggers external circuits rather than internal like yours. would you mind uploading the schematic you used for the tap tempo function?