3/6/2019 555 timer triggers phase-control circuit | EDN

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Home > Analog Design Center > Design Idea

555 timer triggers phase-control circuit

JN Lygouras, University of Thrace, Xanthi, Greece -May 31, 2013
16 Comme nts

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Originally published in the August 18, 1988, issue of EDN

The control circuit in Figure 1a allows you to manually adjust the power delivered to a load. By
changing the setting of potentiometer R3, you change the phase angle at which the thyristor (Q 3)
fires (Figure 1b), thereby altering the load current’s duty cycle. The adjustment range is about 0 to
180°. Q 3’s off time is linear with R3, but of course the resulting load power is not linear with R3.

Figure 1 Adjusting this circuit’s R3 (a) varies the percent of each line cycle that power is applied to the load (b).

The full-wave diode bridge delivers pulsed-dc voltage to the load, making the circuit suitable for dc-
control applications such as dimming. (The circuit can handle ac power if you substitute a triac for
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Q 3 and make slight modifications.)

IC1 is a low-power—1 mW—timer configured as a monostable monovibrator.

Zener diode D1 and filter capacitor C1, activated by pulses from the voltage
divider R1/R2, form a dc supply for the timer. Q 1 turns on and applies a negative-
going trigger to the timer (pin 2) each time Q 1’s base voltage approaches 0V. In response, the
timer issues a positive pulse that turns on Q 2 and turns off Q 1, removing load power for an interval
equal to 1.1R3C2. To increase the control resolution, you can lower the value of R3, substitute a
potentiometer with more turns, or add a fixed resistor in series with the potentiometer.
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16 Comments

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Michael Dunn
Could the DC load lead to corrosion issues?
Jul 8, 2018 8:50 PM EDT
0| 0 Reply

Lindembruck
Some one can help me to make a PIC drive this
system?
Waiting from you.
Feb 19, 2018 10:30 AM EST
0| 0 Reply

Septique
Explorer
If the time constant, for C2, is greater than 8.33 ms
then this capacitor will not discharge and on the next
cycle the firing of the SCR will be sooner.
Nov 23, 2015 2:48 PM EST
0| 0 Reply

RahulR320
Is the .asc file available?
May 1, 2014 2:12 AM EDT
0| 0 Reply

WKetel

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This circuit is quite a bit more sophisticated than those

dimmer switches currently marketed, and probably
would work much better as well. It was never intended
to be installed in a wall outlet box, nor would it be used
to replace a wall switch as a dimmer. But as a
controller for a load that needs to have the power
varied over a wide range it would work well. But please
note that it would not be simple to adapt it to a triac,
and with a few more power diodes, or another bridge
rectifier, it could be used in a manner similar to a
regular dimmer. And probably the variable resistor
could be replaced by a somewhat linear optoisolator.
And there is not any high voltage hazard with the
variable resistor unless one of really cheap and inferior
construction is chosen.
Jul 1, 2013 9:01 PM EDT
0| 0 Reply

amorghandour
I"m going to use this schematic for an 80 watt
universal motor (sewing machine) do you think it
works good with this kind of load. thank you
Dec 18, 2014 10:10 AM EST
0| 0 Reply

A. Ganesan
I simulated this circuit on LTspice and it works as
predicted. Send me an email and I will mail you the
.asc file. I don't think I can retrofit this circuit into an
existing wall outlet; neither end of the bulb is connected
to neutral of the incoming mains....
Jun 7, 2013 2:25 PM EDT
0| 0 Reply

shortopo
you will not find a neutral connection in the wall
switch outlet! the neutral should go direct to one
side of the bulb or lamp, the only circuit you will
find in the wall outlet is the live side of the circuit!
Jun 13, 2013 10:27 AM EDT
0| 0 Reply

A. Ganesan
I simulated this circuit on LTspice and it works as
predicted. Send me an email and I will mail you the
.asc file. I don't think I can retrofit this circuit into an
existing wall outlet; neither end of the bulb is connected
to neutral of the incoming mains....
Jun 7, 2013 2:24 PM EDT

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0| 0 Reply

saurabits
Dear A. Ganesan
May I ask you for the LTspice file of the above
circuit.
Thank You
Feb 9, 2014 2:00 AM EST
0| 0 Reply

apummer945
Well, the thyristor will turn off at every zero crossing,
and since the is no filter capacitor after the rectifier-
bridge, the voltage across the thyristor will collapse a
every zero crossing therefore the thyristor will turn
off....the diode --no name but value = 1N4001 --
prevents the stored energy of the capacitor C1 to feed
back to the thyristor, So the circuit could work...
Jun 6, 2013 12:16 PM EDT
0| 0 Reply

Larry M
Well, yeah, but these days you would just go to the
hardware store and buy a lighting dimmer switch.
Jun 4, 2013 3:06 PM EDT
0| 0 Reply

PCW0
You could then tot but it typically used a diac.
Jun 7, 2013 3:57 PM EDT
0| 0 Reply

Philip_SV
to dsv1486 , the circuit must use AC, otherwise the
thyristor will not turn off at the end of each half-cycle.
Jun 3, 2013 3:54 PM EDT
0| 0 Reply

SensorsTechnology
There is less than 1.2mA current into SCR gate
12V/10K (R4). Perhaps only very sensitive SCR may
work.

Idea still looks good one except that there is high

voltage risk in trimming pot.

Dr. Shyam
Jun 3, 2013 12:38 PM EDT
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0| 0 Reply

dsv1486
What modifications would be needed for AC besides
the bridge just supplying power for the cct?
Jun 3, 2013 11:36 AM EDT
0| 0 Reply

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