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QUESTION BANK

555 TIMERS

1. List the features of 555 timers.

The important features of 555 timer are :
it operates on +5 to + 18 V supply voltage in both free-running (astable) and one- shot
(monostable) modes;
it has an adjustable duty cycle;
timing is from microseconds through hours;
it has a high current output; it can source or sink 200 mA;
the output can drive TTL and has a temperature stability of 50 parts per million (ppm)
per degree Celsius change in temperature, or equivalently 0.005%/C.

2. List the applications of 555 timer.

A sample of these applications includes mono-stable and astable multivibrators, dc-dc
converters, digital logic probes, waveform generators, analog frequency meters and
tachometers, temperature measurement and control, infrared transmitters, burglar
and toxic gas alarms, voltage regulators,etc

3. Draw and explain the pin diagram of 555 timer.

Pin 1: Ground.
All voltages are measured with respect to this terminal.
Pin 2: Trigger.
The output of the timer depends on the amplitude of the external trigger pulse applied to this
pin. The output is low if the voltage at this pin is greater than 2/3 VCC. However, when a
negative-going pulse of amplitude larger than 1/3 VCC is applied to this pin, the comparator
2 output goes low, which in turn switches the output of the timer high. The output remains
high as long as the trigger terminal is held at a low voltage.
Pin 3: Output.
There are two ways a load can be connected to the output terminal: either between pin3 and
ground (pin 1) or between pin 3 and supply voltage + VCC (pin 8). When the output is low, the
load current flows through the load connected between pin 3 and + VCC into the output
terminal and is called the sink current.

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However, the current through the grounded load is zero when the output is low. For this
reason, the load connected between pin 3 and + VCC is called the normally on load and that
connected between pin 3 and ground is called the normally off load.
On the other hand, when the output is high, the current through the load connected between
pin 3and + VCC (normally on load) is zero. However, the output terminal supplies current to
the normally off load. This current is called the source current. The maximum value of sink or
source current is 200 mA.
Pin 4: Reset.
The 555 timer can be reset (disabled) by applying a negative pulse to this pin. When the reset
function is not in use, the reset terminal should be connected to + VCC to avoid any possibility
of false triggering.
Pin 5: Control voltage.
An external voltage applied to this terminal changes the threshold as well as the trigger
voltage . In other words, by imposing a voltage on this pin or by connecting a pot between
this pin and ground, the pulse width of the output waveform can be varied. When not used,
the control pin should be bypassed to ground with a 0.01-F capacitor to prevent any noise
problems.
Pin 6: Threshold. This is the non-inverting input terminal of comparator 1, which monitors
the voltage across the external capacitor. When the voltage at this pin is threshold voltage
2/3V, the output of comparator 1 goes high, which in turn switches the output of the timer
low.
Pin 7: Discharge. This pin is connected internally to the collector of transistor Q1. When the
output is high, Q1 is off and acts as an open circuit to the external capacitor C connected
across it. On the other hand, when the output is low, Q1 is saturated and acts as a short circuit,
shorting out the external capacitor C to ground.
Pin 8: + VCC.
The supply voltage of +5 V to +18 is applied to this pin with respect to ground (pin 1).

4. Explain the functional diagram of IC555 with a neat sketch.

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A functional block diagram of 555 timer is given below. The device consists of two
comparators two transistors, a flip-flop and buffered outputs stage. The reference
voltages for the two comparators inside the 555 are produced across a voltage divider
consisting of three equal resistors of 5K ohms each.

The threshold comparator is referenced at 2/3 Vcc and the trigger comparator is
referenced at 1/3Vcc. The two comparators control the flip-flop which, in turn,
controls the state of the output i.e. either ON or OFF states.

When the timer is in the quiescent state, the internal transistor T1 is conducting and
represents a short circuit across timing capacitor C. The level of the output terminals
in this state is low.

In practical circuits voltage at pin-2 is kept above the trigger point by a resistor
connected to Vcc. When a negative going trigger pulse on pin-2 is applied, it causes
the potential at this point to fall below 1/3Vcc and thus the trigger comparator RESETs
the flip-flop.

Now transistor T1 is cut-off and the thus the output level of the IC goes HIGH to a value
slightly less than Vcc. Capacitor (C) now starts to charge and the voltage across it rises
exponentially until it reaches 2/3Vcc. At this point, the threshold comparator resets
the flip-flop and the output returns to its low state-just slightly above ground.
Transistor if T1 is turned ON, discharging capacitor C so that it is ready for the next
timing period.
Once triggered, the circuit cannot respond to additional triggering until the timed
interval has elapsed.
5. Explain the operating modes of 555 timer.

The 555 timer has two basic operational modes: one shot and astable. In the one-shot
mode, the 555 acts like a monostable multivibrator. A monostable is said to have a
single stable state--that is the off state. Whenever it is triggered by an input pulse, the
monostable switches to its temporary state. It remains in that state for a period of
time determined by an RC network. It then returns to its stable state. In other words,
the monostable circuit generates a single pulse of a fixed time duration each time it
receives and input trigger pulse. Thus the name one-shot. One-shot multivibrators are
used for turning some circuit or external component on or off for a specific length of
time. It is also used to generate delays. When multiple one-shots are cascaded, a
variety of sequential timing pulses can be generated. Those pulses will allow you to
time and sequence a number of related operations.
The other basic operational mode of the 555 is as an astable multivibrator. An astable
multivibrator is simply an oscillator. The astable multivibrator generates a continuous
stream of rectangular off-on pulses that switch between two voltage levels. The
frequency of the pulses and their duty cycle are dependent upon the RC network
values.

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