The 555 timer is probably the most common and popular IC to be used in hobby circuits. There are A LOT of projects out there using the 555 in various ways and it’s easy to find schematics to make a project that has already been proven. But rather than just taking plug and playing circuits with the 555 timer, Karen wants to give you the chance to understand the why of what’s happening when you use the 555 timer. In this episode, Karen breaks down what is happening inside the 555 that makes it function. Learn how the inputs interact with the supply voltage to trigger and reset the output high and low. Find out which pins can be used to adjust the threshold at which that change happens. And see which familiar components can be found within the 555.
Covering what happens in the 555 timer, Karen walks through connecting the IC to voltage and ground, following the path through the voltage divider to the 2 comparators, which in turn set and reset the flip-flop, that controls the 555’s output signal. She also reviews the basic function of the control voltage, reset, and discharge pins.
