Applications of 555 Timer

Experiment # 6

EE406
 555 Timer
The IC 555 is one of the most popular and most widely used IC’s. It
is a versatile and extremely robust integrated circuit that is used in
many applications like timers, wave generators (pulse) and
oscillators.

The IC555, popularly known as the 555 Timer, was developed

by Hans Camenzind of Signetic Corporation in the year 1971.

It was released in two parts:

• NE 555 and SE 555. The NE 555 parts were
of commercial usage with a temperature range of 00C to 700C
and
• the SE 555 parts are designed to meet the military
standards with a temperature range of -550C to 1250C. It is a
monolithic IC and was the first commercially available timer IC’s.

The 555 Timers name comes from the fact that there are three 5kΩ resistors connected together internally
producing a voltage divider network between the supply voltage at pin 8 and ground at pin 1. The voltage across
this series resistive network holds the negative inverting input of comparator two at 2/3Vcc and the positive non-
inverting input to comparator one at 1/3Vcc.
 555 Timer

555 Timer IC is Consists of the Following pin which are Explained in

Detail

1.Ground: This terminal is called the common point or ground point. All the external
ground terminals and the power supply ground terminal is also connected with this
terminal.
2.Trigger: This is the terminal in 555 timer IC on which 1/3rdvoltage value of the applied
voltage is given then the circuit output is changed from low to high state.
3.Output: This is the terminal from which output signal can be received. This terminal is
also connected with the load which can be low or high at a time.
4.Reset: This terminal is used for clearing the output state ignoring the previous
statement means changing the output to the low level.
5.Control voltage: About 2/3rd positive voltage of the applied voltage is available on this
terminal so it becomes the part of a comparator. Usually, there is a capacitor is connected
in b/w this terminal and ground terminal.
6.Threshold voltage: Threshold voltage and control voltage are the input of comparator
circuit. The comparator circuit compares threshold voltage with the reference voltage. If
the threshold voltage is more than or same as the reference voltage comparator circuit
output becomes low. And if the threshold voltage is less than the reference voltage then
comparator output becomes high.
7.Discharge: This terminal provides a low resistive path for the externally connected
capacitor when circuit output is low but it behaves open circuit for the capacitor when the
circuit output is high.
8.+Vcc supply voltage: Operating all the terminals of the timer it needs to be energized.
For that purpose, 15v is supplied to the IC with this terminal.
 555 Timer

The two comparators produce an

output voltage dependent upon the
voltage difference at their inputs
which is determined by the charging
and discharging action of the
externally connected RC network.

The outputs from both comparators

are connected to the two inputs of
the flip-flop which in turn produces
either a “HIGH” or “LOW” level
output at Q based on the states of its
inputs.

The output from the flip-flop is used

to control a high current output
switching stage to drive the
connected load producing either a
“HIGH” or “LOW” voltage level at the
output pin.
555 Timer
 Applications of 555 Timer as Multivibrator
“Timers are those circuits which provide specific periodic signals to the digital circuits. These signals are
capable of changing the condition of those systems” it can be defined as that “multi-vibrators are those
circuits which provide those signals which are consists of high and low levels only called multi-vibrator.

Types of Multi-vibrators:

•Astable has no stable states, and the circuit

continually oscillates between two states.

•Monostable has one stable state and one quasi-

stable state. It can be switched from stable state to
the other, and then returns to the first stable state
after a time delay.

•Bistable has two stable states, and can be triggered

from one stable state to the other by external signal.
Applications of 555 Timer as Multivibrator
The Monostable 555 Timer Multivibrator

Before Pressing The switch

After pressing the Switch

 The Monostable 555 Timer Multivibrator

When a negative ( 0V ) pulse is applied to the trigger input (pin 2) of the Monostable
configured 555 Timer oscillator, the internal comparator, (comparator No1) detects this
input and “sets” the state of the flip-flop, changing the output from a “LOW” state to a
“HIGH” state. This action in turn turns “OFF” the discharge transistor connected to pin
7, thereby removing the short circuit across the external timing capacitor, C1.

This action allows the timing capacitor to start to charge up through

resistor, R1 until the voltage across the capacitor reaches the threshold (pin 6)
voltage of 2/3Vcc set up by the internal voltage divider network. At this point the
comparators output goes “HIGH” and “resets” the flip-flop back to its original state
which in turn turns “ON” the transistor and discharges the capacitor to ground through
pin 7. This causes the output to change its state back to the original stable “LOW”
value awaiting another trigger pulse to start the timing process over again. Then as
before, the Monostable Multivibrator has only “ONE” stable state.

The Monostable 555 Timer circuit triggers on a negative-going pulse applied to pin 2
and this trigger pulse must be much shorter than the output pulse width allowing time
for the timing capacitor to charge and then discharge fully. Once triggered, the 555
Monostable will remain in this “HIGH” unstable output state until the time period set up
by the R1 x C1 network has elapsed. The amount of time that the output voltage
remains “HIGH” or at a logic “1” level, is given by the following time constant equation.
A Switchable Monostable Circuit
Monostable Nomograph

So by selecting suitable values of C and R in the ranges of 0.001uF to 100uF and

1kΩ to 10MΩ respectively, we can read the expected output frequency directly
from the nomograph graph thereby eliminating any error in the calculations. In
practice the value of the timing resistor for a monostable 555 timer should not be
less than 1kΩ or greater than 20MΩ.
 The Bistable 555 Timer Multivibrator
Bistable Multivibrator mode of 555 timer IC is the easiest mode of 555 timer IC, where Monostable multibrator mode has
one stable & one unstable state, Astable multvibrator mode has both the unstable states, here in Bistable mode, both the
states are stable. Means it remains in the same state (either HIGH or LOW) until an external trigger is applied; otherwise it
stays in one of the two states (HIGH or LOW) indefinitely. In biastable mode there is no RC network like the other two
modes of 555, hence there are no equations and wave form. Biastable mode simply works as a Flip-flop.
 The Bistable 555 Timer Multivibrator

Push button switches S1 and S2 are connected to the Trigger Pin and Reset Pin
respectively, to make them LOW momentarily. Pressing the S1 switch Sets the
Output and S2 Resets the Output.

• Trigger PIN 2 and Reset PIN 4 input are kept HIGH using two Pull-up
resistors R1 and R2.
• Now when Push button Switch S1 is pressed, Trigger PIN 2 goes Grounded (
< Vcc/3) and Lower comparator output becomes HIGH for a moment,
which SETs the flip flop and 555 output is HIGH.
• 555 remains in this state until the Reset input, because now both the
comparators are at LOW.
• Now when button S2 is pressed, it makes the Reset PIN LOW and Reset the
internal Flip flop and OUTPUT goes LOW.
• So external trigger (PIN2) Sets the flip-flop and output Goes HIGH and
Reset signal (PIN4) Resets the flip-flop and output Goes LOW.
• Threshold PIN 6 can be kept open but we have connected it to Ground, so
that Flip flop can’t be Reset using the PIN 6 and can only be reset using
RESET PIN 4.
The Astable 555 Timer Multivibrator

In the 555 Oscillator circuit above, pin 2 and pin 6

are connected together allowing the circuit to re-
trigger itself on each and every cycle allowing it to
operate as a free running oscillator. During each
cycle capacitor, C charges up through both timing
resistors, R1 and R2 but discharges itself only
through resistor, R2 as the other side of R2 is
connected to the discharge terminal, pin 7.
 Where, R is in Ω and C in Farads.

The capacitor charges up to 2/3Vcc (the upper comparator limit) which is determined by
the 0.693(R1+R2)C combination and discharges itself down to 1/3Vcc (the lower
comparator limit) determined by the 0.693(R2*C) combination. This results in an output
waveform whose voltage level is approximately equal to Vcc – 1.5V and whose output
“ON” and “OFF” time periods are determined by the capacitor and resistors
combinations. The individual times required to complete one charge and discharge cycle
of the output is therefore given as:
As the timing capacitor, C charges through resistors R1 and R2 but only
discharges through resistor R2 the output duty cycle can be varied
between 50 and 100% by changing the value of resistor R2. By
decreasing the value of R2 the duty cycle increases towards 100% and
by increasing R2 the duty cycle reduces towards 50%. If resistor, R2 is
very large relative to resistor R1 the output frequency of the 555
astable circuit will determined by R2 x C only.

The problem with this basic astable 555 oscillator configuration is that
the duty cycle, the “mark to-space” ratio will never go below 50% as
the presence of resistor R2 prevents this. In other words we cannot
make the outputs “ON” time shorter than the “OFF” time, as (R1 + R2)C
will always be greater than the value of R1 x C. One way to overcome
this problem is to connect a signal bypassing diode in parallel with
resistor R2 as shown below.
Improved Duty Cycle Astable Oscillator
By connecting this diode, D1 between the trigger input and the
discharge input, the timing capacitor will now charge up directly
through resistor R1 only, as resistor R2 is effectively shorted out
by the diode. The capacitor discharges as normal through resistor,
R2.

An additional diode, D2 can be connected in series with the

discharge resistor, R2 if required to ensure that the timing
capacitor will only charge up through D1 and not through the
parallel path of R2. This is because during the charging process
diode D2 is connected in reverse bias blocking the flow of current
through itself.

Now the previous charging time of t1 = 0.693(R1 + R2)C is

modified to take account of this new charging circuit and is given
as: 0.693(R1 x C). The duty cycle is therefore given as D = R1/(R1 +
R2). Then to generate a duty cycle of less than 50%, resistor R1
needs to be less than resistor R2.

Although the previous circuit improves the duty cycle of the

output waveform by charging the timing capacitor, C1 through
the R1 + D1 combination and then discharging it through the D2 +
R2 combination, the problem with this circuit arrangement is that
the 555 oscillator circuit uses additional components, i.e. two
diodes.
50% Duty Cycle Astable Oscillator
The 555 oscillator now produces a 50% duty cycle as
the timing capacitor, C1 is now charging and
discharging through the same resistor, R2 rather than
discharging through the timers discharge pin 7 as
before. When the output from the 555 oscillator is
HIGH, the capacitor charges up through R2 and when
the output is LOW, it discharges through R2. Resistor R1
is used to ensure that the capacitor charges up fully to
the same value as the supply voltage.

However, as the capacitor charges and discharges

through the same resistor, the above equation for the
output frequency of oscillations has to be modified a
little to reflect this circuit change. Then the new
equation for the 50% Astable 555 Oscillator is given as:
Monostable controlling Astable Oscillator
Experiment # 1a
Step 1: Calculate value of components such that Ton should be equal to the last two nonzero digits of your id

Step 2: Calculate ref voltages

Step 3: Construct monostable circuit in MULTISIM

Step 4: Attach Oscilloscope at output and at

voltage across capacitator

Step 5: Run the simulation and record (snip it)

the waveform and confirm that your calculated
value are correct, if not then re adjust the
calculation and perform the simulation..

Step 6: Record the final version of the resistor

and capacitance value print out the circuit so
that you can use it in hardware lab
Experiment # 1b
Step 1: Calculate value of components such that Ton should be equal to the last two nonzero digits of your id

Step 2: Calculate ref voltages, Frequency and Duty Cycle of the expected output

Step 3: Construct Astable circuit in MULTISIM and attach two

LEDs at output as shown in slide 16

Step 4: Attach Oscilloscope at output and at

voltage across capacitator C1

Step 5: Run the simulation and record (snip it)

the waveform and confirm that your calculated
value are correct, if not then re adjust the
calculation and perform the simulation..

Step 6: Record the final version of the resistors

and capacitance value print out the circuit so
that you can use it in hardware lab to test
Experiment # 1c
Step 1: Calculate value of R2 such that duty cycle is 50%

Step 2: Calculate, Frequency and Duty Cycle of the expected output

Step 3: Construct Astable circuit in MULTISIM and attach two

LEDs at output as shown in slide 16

Step 4: Attach Oscilloscope at output and at

voltage across capacitator C1

Step 5: Run the simulation and record (snip it)

the waveform and confirm that your calculated
value are correct, if not then re adjust the
calculation and perform the simulation..

Step 6: Record the final version of the resistors

and capacitance value print out the circuit so
that you can use it in hardware lab to test
Experiment # 1d
Step 1: Combine the monostable and a stable circuit which you have desind in 1a and 1b as given circuit below

Step 2: Construct circuit in MULTISIM and attach two LEDs at output as shown in slide 16

Step 3: Attach Oscilloscope at output and at voltage across capacitator C1 and C2

Step 4: Run the simulation and record (snip it) the waveform and confirm that
your calculated value are correct, if not then re adjust the calculation and perform
the simulation..

Step 5: Record the final version of the resistors

and capacitance value print out the circuit so
that you can use it in hardware lab to test
Experiment # 1e
1. Calculate the pulse width for monostable and astable
state of 555 Timer for the given configurations?

2. Measure Ton and Toff of the two outputs.

3. Discuss the difference between them?

4. Find the maximum and the minimum of output voltage

from graph ? Is it according to your expectations

5. Calculate the total time and pulse repetition frequency ?

6. Calculate duty cycle?

7: Record the final version of the resistors and capacitance value print out the circuit so that you can use it in
hardware lab to test
Some useful References

555 Timer Explanation - Monostable and Astable - Bing video

555 Timer : 8 Steps (with Pictures) - Instructables

555 Oscillator Tutorial - The Astable Multivibrator (electronics-tutorials.ws)

Multisim Live Online Circuit Simulator

Introduction to Multisim | how to use multisim | Multisim Tutorials | Mruduraj - Bing video