Can't get shift registers to work (SN74HC595N)

Other Hardware LEDs and Multiplexing
1

Sorry for one more post about getting stuck with shift registers. I see a lot of posts related, one book and a lot of tutorials. I don't know what is wrong with what I have implemented. I try a lot of things:

  • interchange connection from arduino to latch pin, clock_pin and data_pin in several forms.
  • use four 595 chips to make sure it was not damaged.
  • change the code in too many whays.
  • change some jumper cables

I took several photos of the breadboard and the connections but it is to be the same in general of several tutorials about this shift register. Sorry if it's confusing, I tried to take a lot of pictures, but I can't tell if its clear.

12 new items

The final version of source code is:

int latchPin = 8;
int clockPin = 12;
int dataPin = 11; 

void setup() {
  Serial.begin (9600); 
  pinMode (latchPin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode (clockPin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode (dataPin, OUTPUT);
   
  
}
byte i = 0;
void loop() {
    Serial.println (i);
    digitalWrite (latchPin, LOW);
    shiftOut (dataPin, clockPin, MSBFIRST,i);   
    
    digitalWrite (latchPin, HIGH); 
    delay (500);     
    i ++;
    if (i > 255) i = 0;
  
}

With this version I don't see almost anything in leds. If I put an extra delay after shiftOut like below code I see a few scattered flashes. But it seems don't make sense. It's not a binary counter at all.

    digitalWrite (latchPin, LOW);
    shiftOut (dataPin, clockPin, MSBFIRST,i);   
    delay (500);       
    digitalWrite (latchPin, HIGH); 
    delay (500);

Is there any problem in using the pinout:
11, 12 and 14 of 595 plugged respectively on pins 11, 12 and 13 of the Arduino?

One more thing:
I think the pinning of the tutorials very confusing and error-prone. But I have not seen any examples using this other pinout, which for me is much easier. Is there any reason to don't use the pins like that?

IMG_20151011_122900.jpg
IMG_20151011_122900.jpg931×698 141 KB

2

Is it possible that something damaged my arduino? Can I do a general check-test of my arduino to see if all is working correctly?
EDITED:
I doing simply tests with leds and everthing seems to be ok.

perhaps the LEDs are pulling much energy the Arduino at the same time? Arduino is plugged on the usb of a notebook.

EDIT:

I invert the order of open/close the latch pin and now it seems a little bit more correct:

I change the loop code to:

    digitalWrite (latchPin, HIGH);
    shiftOut (dataPin, clockPin, MSBFIRST,i);         
    digitalWrite (latchPin, LOW); 
    i ++;
    if (i > 255) i = 0;

    delay (2000);

I changed the pins too:

int latchPin = 12;
int clockPin = 11;
int dataPin = 8;

someone can explain? maybe my 595 chip has a different behavior?

3

it does not seem quite right yet. LEDs seem to glow slightly when a number with lots of '1s' is passed, for example, 127.

4

No bypass capacitor (100 nF) directly across the 74HC595.