CHAPTER 4

555 TIMER

555 TIMER
555

timer is an integrated circuit

that very stable.
Use as monostable multivibrator,
astable multivibrator, analog square
wave signal generator, achometer
frequency meter and others.
Basically, 555 timer operate in 2
mode,
Monostable
Astable

FUNCTION OF EACH PIN TIMER

REFER TO MONOSTABLE
PIN 1 : GROUND
MULTIVIBRATOR

-all the measure voltage must refer to this pin

PIN 2 : TRIGGER
- It is used to set the flip-flop.
- Output is LOW if voltage at pin > 2/3 Vcc
- When negative trigger pulse is 1/3 Vcc, output at
comparator 2 cause the timer output HIGH.

PIN 3 : OUTPUT
- Output can connect at 2 output pin, pin 3 and pin 1
or pin 3 and pin 8.
- When output LOW, current will flow through load
that connected between pin 3 and pin 8 to output
terminal, know as SINK CURRENT.
- Current flow through load that connected between
pin
3 and pin 1, known as SOURCE CURRENT.
- Maximum current for source current and sink
current
is 200mA.

CONTINUE..

PIN 4 : RESET
- Reset with negative pulse
- When the reset pin is not used, the pin is connected to +Vs to avoid false
trigger.

PIN 5 : CONTROL VOLTAGE

- Normally is connected to earth through 0.01F capacitor
- If output voltage is connected to pin 5, the output waveform bandwidth can be
changed.
- 0.01F capacitor can avoid from noise problem.

PIN 6 : THRESHOLD VOLTAGE

- Input for inverting pin at comparator 1
- When voltage at this pin 2/3 Vcc, output at comparator 1 is HIGH, output
timer
LOW.

PIN 7 : DISCHARGE
- This pin is connected internally to collector at transistor Q1.
- When output HIGH, Q1 OFF, circuit open
- When output LOW, Q1 saturated capacitor C discharge through Q1.

PIN 8 : SUPPLY VOLTAGE, Vcc

- +5 V to 18V

555 TIMER INTEGRAL

CIRCUIT

MONOSTABLE
MULTIVIBRATOR

Known as shoot multivibrator

Pulse generator circuit which the period is calculated from
RC network and connected to external of 555 timer
Stable when the output logic LOW (logic = 0)
When a pulse is trigger at pin 2 (normally negative trigger
pulse), timer output will change to HIGH (+Vs) for a while
and change to LOW (stable condition). The condition will
continue LOW until pulse is trigger again.
The timing period is triggered (started) when trigger input
(555 pin 2) is less than 1/3 Vs, this makes the output high
(+Vs) and the capacitor C1 starts to charge through
resistor R1. Once the time period has started further
trigger pulses are ignored.
The threshold input (555 pin 6) monitors the voltage across
C1 and when this reaches 2/3 Vs the time period over and
the output becomes LOW,
At the same time discharge (555 pin 7) is connected to 0V,
discharging the capacitor ready for the next trigger.

CONTINUE.
CONNECTION FOR MONOSTABLE MULTIVIBRATOR

CONTINUE.
Operation

for monostable multivibrator :

Assume initial output is LOW, circuit at stable
condition, transistor Q1 ON, capacitor is connected
to ground.
When negative pulse is triggered to PIN 2 , transistor
Q1 OFF (Q1 open circuit), capacitor C start
charging through resistor R1 and output is HIGH.
When voltage at capacitor, C reach 2/3 Vs, output
will
change to LOW through flip flop. At the same time,
flip flop output will make the Q1 ON. Capacitor will
discharge through transistor Q1.
Monostable output will remain LOW until another
trigger
pulse is triggered to pin 2.

ASTABLE MULTIVIBRATOR
CONNECTION FOR ASTABLE MULTIVIBRATOR

CONTINUE
as free running multivibrator.

Known

Do not have stable condition, the condition always change.

Astable do not need trigger pulse for external to change

the output.
The period for LOW and HIGH can be calculated based on
resistor and capacitor value that connected at outside of
timer.
Operation for astable multivibrator :
i) Assume the initial is HIGH. Transistor Q1 OFF and capacitor
is charging through resistor RA and RB.
ii) When capacitor voltage reach 2/3 Vee, Comparator 1 will
trigger flip flop and output change from change from HIGH to
LOW. Resistor RB and transistor Q1.
iii) When the capacitor voltage reach 1/3 Vee, comparator
output 2 will trigger flip flop so the timer output is HIGH. The
cycle is repeated.
Period for capacitor charging from 1/3 Vcc to 2/3 Vcc same as
period for HIGH output at timer.
Period for capacitor discharging from 2/3Vcc to 1/3 Vcc same
as period for LOW output at timer.

FORMULA FOR TIMER

TH =

0.693 (RA+RB) C
TL = 0.693 (RB) C
Period, T =
Frequency,

TH + TL = 0.693 (RA + 2RB) C

f = 1/T
= 1/ (TH + TL)
= 1.44 / ((RA + 2RB) C)

Duty Cycle = [TH / (TH + TL) ]x 100

= [(RA + RB) / (RA + 2RB)]
x100

555/556 Inverting Buffer

(Schmitt trigger)
or
NOT
The buffer circuit's input
has a very high impedance
gate
(about 1M) so it requires
only a few A, but the

555 inverting buffer or NOT gate

NOT gate symbol

output can sink or source

up to 200mA.
This enables a high
impedance signal source
(such as an LDR) to switch
a low impedance output
transducer (such as a
lamp).
It is an inverting buffer or
NOT gate because the
output logic state
(low/high) is the inverse of
the input state:
- Input low (<1/3Vs)
makes output high, +Vs
- Input high (>2/3Vs)
makes output low, 0V

CONTINUE
When

the input voltage is between 1/3 and 2/3

Vs the output remains in its present state.
This intermediate input region is a deadspace
where there is no response, a property called
hysteresis, it is like backlash in a mechanical
linkage. This type of circuit is called a
Schmitt trigger.
If high sensitivity is required the hysteresis is
a problem, but in many circuits it is a helpful
property.
It gives the input a high immunity to noise
because once the circuit output has switched
high or low the input must change back by at
least 1/3Vs to make the output switch back.

555/556 Bistable (flipflop) - a memory

circuit
The circuit
is called a bistable

because it is stable in two

states: output high and
output low. It is also known
as a 'flip-flop'.
It has two inputs:
Trigger (555 pin 2) makes
the output high.
Trigger is 'active low', it
functions when <1/3Vs.
Reset (555 pin 4) makes the
output low.
Reset is 'active low', it resets
when <0.7V.
The power-on reset, poweron trigger and edgetriggering circuits can all be
used as described above for
the monostable.