555 voltage drop

Thread Starter

GuruMeditation

Joined Jan 9, 2016
9
Hi All,

I've done a search and can't see a specific answer to my query so here goes... :)

I'm newish to electronics and am experimenting with a 555 timer IC in astable mode and powered by a 9v battery. I'm trying to calculate the ratings of the resistors needed for the LEDs it will be flashing but the output voltage at pin 3 seems wrong. I'm given to believe the voltage drop should be around 1.7v but when I took a reading with my multimeter while it was high, it was showing 8.6v. I then changed out the IC for another and that was showing 8.7v.

That's not right, is it? Any advice please?

Thanks, Tony
 
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wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
FWIW, I believe some flavors of the 555 cannot get the output that close to Vcc, and you might have seen the 1.7V value as the max drop off of Vcc, for instance 7.3V output from a 9V source.
 

Thread Starter

GuruMeditation

Joined Jan 9, 2016
9
FWIW, I believe some flavors of the 555 cannot get the output that close to Vcc, and you might have seen the 1.7V value as the max drop off of Vcc, for instance 7.3V output from a 9V source.
Very possibly. If I build any other projects using a 555 I'll power it up and check before proceeding with any component calculations.
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
FWIW, I believe some flavors of the 555 cannot get the output that close to Vcc, and you might have seen the 1.7V value as the max drop off of Vcc, for instance 7.3V output from a 9V source.
Very possibly. If I build any other projects using a 555 I'll power it up and check before proceeding with any component calculations.
The datasheet says that high level output is at least 13V on a 15V supply (lists 13.3 as typical). So there is your 1.7 V. Same for 5v supply. 3V minimum and 3.3V typical.

http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/ne555.pdf
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
Would it make a difference that the one's I'm using are ST & not TI?
Check the datasheet is my typical answer. Next time google manufacurer's name, apart number and the word datasheet.

Looks like it drops off more with more current. It doesn't show voltage with no load (0 amp current on pin 3).

The sT datasheets are terrible in general. They show 200 and 100 mA load data. Goes down to 12.7 at 200 mA load (from 15 v). Otherwise typical values mirror TI part data. It is likely near 15 v at no load.
 

Colin55

Joined Aug 27, 2015
519
Yes, you lose about 3v when driving a load from pin3. The 555 is a very poor chip and we only use it because it costs 8 cents.
You can parallel pin 7 with 3 to gain about 0.8v.
 
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