555 Timer as an Astable Multivibrator

jojo September - 9 - 2009 8 Comments An astable multivibrator, often called a free-running multivibrator , is a rectangular-wave generating circuit. Unlike the monostable multivibrator, this circuit oes not re!uire an" e#ternal trigger to change the state o$ the output, hence the name $ree-running. %e$ore going to make the circuit, make sure "our &&& 'C is working. (or that go through the article) How to test a 555 IC for working *n astable multivibrator can be pro uce b" a ing resistors an a capacitor to the basic timer 'C, as illustrate in $igure. +he timing uring which the output is either high or low is etermine b" the e#ternall" connecte two resistors an a capacitor. +he etails o$ the astable multivibrator circuit are given below.

&&&-*stable-,ultivibrator +ake a look - 555 Ic Pin configuration an 555 block diagram be$ore rea ing $urther. .in / is groun e 0 pins 1 an 8 are shorte an then tie to suppl" 23cc, output 43 5U+ is taken $orm pin 60 pin 2 an 7 are shorte an the connecte to groun through capacitor C, pin 8 is connecte to suppl" 2 3CC through a resistor 9*0 an between pin 7 an 8 a resistor 9 % is connecte . *t pin & either a b"pass capacitor o$ 0.0/ ( is connecte or mo ulation input is applie .

Astable Multivibrator O eration

(or e#plaining the operation o$ the timer 555 as an astable multivibrator, necessar" internal circuitr" with e#ternal connections are shown in $igure.

*stable-,ultivibrator-5peration 'n $igure, when : is low or output 35U+ is high, the ischarging transistor is cut-o$$ an the capacitor C begins charging towar 3CC through resistances 9* an 9%. %ecause o$ this, the charging time constant is 49* 2 9%; C. <ventuall", the threshol voltage e#cee s 22=6 3CC, the comparator / has a high output an triggers the $lip-$lop so that its : is high an the timer output is low. >ith : high, the ischarge transistor saturates an pin 8 groun s so that the capacitor C ischarges through resistance 9% with a ischarging time constant 9% C. >ith the ischarging o$ capacitor, trigger voltage at inverting input o$ comparator 2 ecreases. >hen it rops below /=63CC, the output o$ comparator 2 goes high an this reset the $lip-$lop so that : is low an the timer output is high. +his proves the auto-transition in output $rom low to high an then to low as, illustrate in $ig ures. +hus the c"cle repeats.

Astable Multivibrator using 555 IC -!esign met"od

+he time uring which the capacitor C charges $rom /#$ %CC to &#$ %CC is e!ual to the time the output is high an is given as tc or THI'H ( )*+,$ -.A / .01 C, which is prove below. 3oltage across the capacitor at an" instant uring charging perio is given as,vc(%CC-2-et#.C1 +he time taken b" the capacitor to charge $rom 0 to 2/=6 3CC
2#$ %CC ( %CC -2-e t#.C 1

+he time taken b" the capacitor to charge $rom 0 to 22=6 3CC or t& ( .C loge $ ( 2*),3+ .C So the time taken b" the capacitor to charge $rom 2/=6 3CC to 22=6 3CC tc ( -t& 4 t21 ( -2),3+ 4 )*5)51 .C ( )*+,$ .C Substituting 9 ? 49* 2 9%; in above e!uation we have THI'H ( tc ( )*+,$ -.A / .01 C

where 9* an 9% are in ohms an C is in $ara s. +he time uring which the capacitor ischarges $rom 22=6 3CC to 2/=6 3CC is e!ual to the time the output is low an is given as td or T6)7 ( )*+,$ .0 C where 9% is in ohms an C is in $ara s +he above e!uation is worke out as $ollows) 3oltage across the capacitor at an" instant uring ischarging perio is given as vc ( &#$ %CC e- td# .0C Substituting vc ? /=6 3CC an t ? t in above e!uation we have /2#$ %CC ( /&#$ %CC e- td# .0C 5r td ( )*+,$ .0C 5verall perio o$ oscillations, T ( THI'H / T6O7 ( )*+,$ -.A/ &.01 C , +he $re!uenc" o$ oscillations being the reciprocal o$ the overall perio o$ oscillations + is given as f ( 2#T ( 2*55# -.A/ &.01C <!uation in icates that the $re!uenc" o$ oscillation = is in epen ent o$ the collector suppl" voltage 23CC. 5$ten the term ut" c"cle is use in conjunction with the astable multivibrator. The duty cycle, the ratio of the time tc during which the output is high to the total time period T is given as 8 dut9 c9cle, ! ( tc # T : 2)) ( -.A / .01 # -.A / &.01 : 2)) (rom the above e!uation it is obvious that s!uare wave 4&0 @ ut" c"cle; output can not be obtaine unless 9* is ma e Aero. Bowever, there is a anger in shorting resistance 9* to Aero. >ith 9* ? 0 ohm, terminal 8 is irectl" connecte to 2 3 CC. Curing the ischarging o$ capacitor through 9% an transistor, an e#tra current will be supplie to the transistor $rom 3 CC through a short between pin 8 an 23CC. 't ma" amage the transistor an hence the timer. Bowever, a s"mmetrical s!uare wave can be obtaine i$ a io e is connecte across resistor 9 %, as illustrate in otte lines in $igure. +he capacitor C charges through 9 * an io e C to appro#imatel" 2 2=63CC an ischarges through resistor 9% an terminal 8 4transistor; until the capacitor voltage rops to /=6 3 CC. +hen the c"cle is repeate . +o obtain a s!uare wave output, 9* must be a combination o$ a $i#e resistor 9 an a pot, so that the pot can be a juste to give the e#act s!uare wave.

*lthough the timer 555 has been use in a wi e variet" o$ o$ten uni!ue applications it is ver" har on its power suppl" lines, re!uiring !uite a bit o$ current, an injecting man" noise transients. +his noise will o$ten be couple into a jacent 'Cs $alsel" triggering them. +he 8&&& is a C,5S version o$ the &&&. 'ts !uiescent current re!uirements are consi erabl" lower than that o$ &&&, an the 8&&& oes not contaminate the power suppl" lines. 't is pin compatible with the &&&. So this C,5S version o$ the &&& shoul be the $irst choice when a &&& timer 'C is to be use .