This will be a tutorial on how to make a beginner 555 timer chip circuit to pulse a led on and off. This is a very easy circuit, all you need to know is basic electronics and how to use a breadboard.

Step 1: What Is a 555 Timer Chip

A 555 timer chip is a IC that is used in a variety of devices like timers, pulse generators, and oscillators to name a few. It was introduced in 1971 by the company Signectics. It is still used today because of the low price, easy usage, and stability. In 2003, 1 billion 555 timers were made. Well, want to know the different 555 timer chips, Ne555, SE555, TLC555, 7555, 556, 558, so many that its confusing. 555 timer chips have 3 modes, bi-stable, mono-stable, as-table. Bistable mode is a basic flip flop. Monostable mode is when power goes into the chip, the capacitor connected to it will pulse your device once until power goes into the chip again. Astable mode is the mode we will be using today, it is a oscillator that will pulse on and off depending on the capacitor connected to Pin 2 (which you will learn about).

Step 2: What You Need?

You will need the following parts

9 volt battery

9 volt battery clip

breadboard or PCB

555 timer chip

led

3 resistors of any value(affects flash speed)

wire

One capacitor (1000 uf recamended )

Step 3: 555 Timer Chip Pin Diagram

You will need to know which pins are which. Your 555 timer chip will have a notch or dot or both telling where is Pin 1 is. If you have a notch then pin 1 is below it when the notch is facing left. If you have a dot then the pin closest to the dot is Pin 1.

Step 4: Laying Down the Parts on the Breadboard

First put your 555 timer chip on the breadboard and 9 volt battery clip. Then connect Pin 1 to GND and pin 8 to positive. Then connect pin 4 to positive. Connect your two resistors, first one from pin 2 to pin 7, then from pin 7 to positive. connect your led with the resistor from pin 3 to a empty hole on breadboard, then the led from the resistor to ground. then hook your capacitor from pin 2 to ground,(watch out electrolytic capacitors are polarized!) Lastly a jumper from pin 2 to pin 6.