74hc595 for led displays
Hi, there are a few solutions to the problem:
1. You need decoupling for the HC595s, that means that you have to connect some 0.1u and 10u capacitors between Vdd and Vss. This is because of the high transient currents that occur when the outputs are switched, that can lead to erroneous outputs or even resetting the shift register.
2. Especially if you are using high current switched circuitry (like a bunch of multiplexed LEDs), there is a possibility that there are RF emissions, especially if you are using common emitter connections for the power transistors. These emissions can cause glitches on the digital lines that will trigger false clocks or latches of your shift register. This is the cause that you need to connect the RC as instructed above. You can leave out the resistor or even use a lower value, like around 50ohms. I also use the same config for HC595 in an industrial design.
3. The third, and I think the most important of your problems is the connection of the signals to the registers. You should be aware that all the inputs of the HC595s have some equivalent capacities that aren't that insignificant. When you connect 25 shift registers in parallel, and i mean the clock signals and the latch signals, you can end up driving a large capacitor with a single microcontroller pin. This can be possible, but at very small speeds because you literally have to charge the capacitors, and that takes some time. You could enhance your design by connecting some non-inverter buffers (HC245, for example), on the clock and latch lines, connecting together the input for 5 buffers and each buffer output should drive no more than 5 shift register inputs.
Hope it will work!
Best regards