Presently I'm planning to use a counter which can count upto 250 so I will be needing a 8 bit counter but I want to be able to add another 250(ie: count upto 500) if required. Are there any ICs available which can be interfaced like this,such that I can connect them together to extend the range in this way if needed?

 

Most (all?) binary counters have a carry out to permit cascading eg 74HC590 has RCO for this purpose.

 

Most (all?) binary counters have a carry out to permit cascading eg 74HC590 has RCO for this purpose.

So all I do is connect carry out to the input of another counter? I can't believe i didn't think of this before

 

Start by reading the data sheets, all described in there usually.

 

Your question is not clear. Do you want to connect together two separate 8-bit counters, such that the second counter increments when the first counter reaches 250 (instead of 256)?

Or such that when the first counter reaches 250, it stops counting and the second counter counts from 1 to 250 while the first counter is frozen?

Or some other arrangement?

What kind of output do you want from the counters? For example, are they driving numeric displays; do they energize a relay when they reach 250; something else?

Please post a timing diagram sketch that shows when each counter is and is not counting.

ak

 

Maybe this Circuit will give You some ideas .............
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What are you interfacing to? Any self-respecting microcontroller has a 16-bit counter these days. Plenty have 32-bit.