555 Timer I’C
The 555 Timer is a commonly used IC designed to produce a variety of output waveforms
with the addition of an external RC network.
The basic 555 timer gets its name from the fact that there are three internally connected
5kΩ resistors which it uses to generate the two comparators reference voltages.
The 555 timer IC is a very cheap, popular and useful precision timing device which can act
as either a simple timer to generate single pulses or long time delays, or as a relaxation
oscillator producing a string of stabilised waveforms of varying duty cycles from 50 to
100%.
The single 555 Timer chip in its basic form is a Bipolar 8-pin mini Dual-in-line Package
(DIP) device consisting of some 25 transistors, 2 diodes and about 16 resistors arranged
to form two comparators, a flip-flop and a high current output stage.
The 555 timer chip is extremely robust and stable device that can be operated either as a
very accurate Monostable, Bistable or Astable Multivibrator to produce a variety of
applications such as one-shot or delay timers, pulse generation, LED and lamp flashers,
alarms and tone generation, logic clocks, frequency division, power supplies and
converters etc.
A simplified “block diagram” representing the internal circuitry of the 555 timer is given
below with a brief explanation of each of its connecting pins to help provide a clearer
understanding of how it works.
555 Timer Block Diagram
Pin 1. – Ground, The ground pin connects the 555 timer to the negative (0v) supply
rail.
Pin 2. – Trigger, The negative input to comparator No 1. A negative pulse on this pin
“sets” the internal Flip-flop when the voltage drops below 1/3Vcc causing the output to
switch from a “LOW” to a “HIGH” state.
Pin 3. – Output, The output pin can drive any TTL circuit and is capable of sourcing
or sinking up to 200mA of current at an output voltage equal to approximately Vcc –
1.5V so small speakers, LEDs or motors can be connected directly to the output.
Pin 4. – Reset, This pin is used to “reset” the internal Flip-flop controlling the state of
the output, pin 3. This is an active-low input and is generally connected to a logic “1”
level when not used to prevent any unwanted resetting of the output.
Pin 5. – Control Voltage, This pin controls the timing of the 555 by overriding the
2/3Vcc level of the voltage divider network. By applying a voltage to this pin the width
of the output signal can be varied independently of the RC timing network. When not
used it is connected to ground via a 10nF capacitor to eliminate any noise.
Pin 6. – Threshold, The positive input to comparator No 2. This pin is used to reset the
Flip-flop when the voltage applied to it exceeds 2/3Vcc causing the output to switch
from “HIGH” to “LOW” state. This pin connects directly to the RC timing circuit.
Pin 7. – Discharge, The discharge pin is connected directly to the Collector of an
internal NPN transistor which is used to “discharge” the timing capacitor to ground
when the output at pin 3 switches “LOW”.
Pin 8. – Supply +Vcc, This is the power supply pin and for general purpose TTL 555
timers is between 4.5V and 15V.
The most common use of the 555 timer oscillator is as a simple astable oscillator by
connecting two resistors and a capacitor across its terminals to generate a fixed pulse train
with a time period determined by the time constant of the RC network. But the 555 timer
oscillator chip can also be connected in a variety of different ways to produce Monostable
or Bistable multivibrators as well as the more common Astable Multivibrator.