6th SEMESTER MINI PROJECT

Title of the Project: Dark Sensor Using Ic555 Timer

Department: Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering
 INDEX

1. Introduction

 Block diagram

2.1. Components Description

 List of Components
 Resistor

 Capacitor
 LED
 LDR

 Battery
 IC555 TIMER

2.2. Modes of operation

2.3. Hardware Description

 Circuit diagram
 Basic concept and working
 Implemented circuit
3. Result

3. Applications
 

INTRODUCTION

Main concept behind this project is to sense light intensity, and it is based on Light
Dependent Resistor (LDR) and 555 timer IC. In the project, the 555 timer IC is operated in
two modes and these modes are: 1. Monostable and 2. Astable.

As we know, Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) is a type of sensor that is responsible for
sensing the light as our eyes does. Therefore, when it gets dark, the LDR senses it and the
system automatically switches ON the lights, and similarly, when in presence of a light
source, the LDR senses it and the system automatically switches OFF the lights. There is no
need of manual switching. Thus, we can conserve electricity, as the system automatically
turns off the light when there is adequate brightness in the room. It can be used in Offices,
schools, and Stores as there will be no need of human intervention.

BLOCK DIAGRAM:
 COMPONENTS DESCRIPTION
 

LIST OF COMPONENTS:

Sl. No. Components Range/Type Quantity

1 Resistors 470 ohms 1
4.7k ohms 1
47k ohms 1
2 Capacitors Electrolytic 100uF  
Ceramic 0.1uF/100nF
3 LDR -   1
4 LED 5mm 1
Resistors in Light Emitting
5 Battery 9V 1
Diode (LED) Circuits
6 IC 555 Timer NE555 1

RESISTORS
 
 The resistor is a passive electrical component that creates resistance in the flow of electric current.
In almost all electrical networks and electronic circuits they can be found.

 A resistor controls the flow of the electrical current within a circuit. Main functions of a resistor are:
• Resistors provide protection against voltage spikes

• Resistors provide the proper voltage

 Resistors are used for many purposes. A few examples include limiting electric current, voltage
division, heat generation, matching and loading circuits, gain control, and setting time constants.
They are commercially available with resistance values over a range of more than nine orders of
magnitude. They can be used as electric brakes to dissipate kinetic energy from trains, or be smaller
than a square millimeter for electronics.
CAPACITORS
 
 A capacitor is a device that is used to store charges in an electrical
circuit. Capacitors are also known as condensers.

 There are two types of capacitors used in this project- 1. Ceramic

capacitor, and 2. Electrolytic capacitor

 In a ceramic capacitor, a thin ceramic layer act as the dielectric

medium. A ceramic capacitor has no polarity. Ceramic capacitors are
classified into two main classes. Class I capacitors have better
accuracy and low volumetric efficiency, whereas, class II capacitors
have low accuracy and high volumetric efficiency.
 Ceramic capacitors are often used for radio frequency and in some
audio applications. Generally the ceramic capacitors are small and
are not constructed with an internal coil; this is why they are Ceramic Capacoitor
preferred in the high frequency applications. They are usually used
in circuits which circumvent high frequency signals to ground.

 An electrolytic capacitor is made by having an ionic liquid as one of

the conducting plates of the capacitor. Most of the electrolyte
capacitors are polarized. This means the voltage at the anode cannot
become negative relative to the voltage applied to the cathode. If this
happens, the capacitor becomes corrupted by ion exchange.
 Electrolytic capacitors are famous for having higher volumetric
efficiency. This means a small capacitor is able to hold larger amount
of charges than a ceramic capacitor of the same size. Electrolytic
capacitors are typically used in power supply applications for voltage
Electrolytic Capacoitor
filtering, but are also used frequently in audio frequency amplifiers.
 
LDR
 
 A Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) is also called a photoresistor
or a cadmium sulfide (CdS) cell. It is also called a
photoconductor. It is basically a photocell that works on the
principle of photoconductivity. The passive component is basically
a resistor whose resistance value decreases when the intensity of
light decreases. This optoelectronic device is mostly used in light
varying sensor circuit, and light and dark activated switching LDR LDR Symbols
circuits. Some of its applications include camera light meters,
street lights, clock radios, light beam alarms, reflective smoke
alarms, and outdoor clocks.
 
 The most common type of LDR has a resistance that falls with an
increase in the light intensity falling upon the device (as shown in
the image above). The resistance of an LDR may typically have
the following resistances:
• Daylight = 5000Ω 
• Dark = 20000000Ω

 Therefore, we can therefore see that there is a large variation

between these figures. If we plotted this variation on a graph you
would get something similar to that shown by the graph shown
above.
Typical LDR
resistance vs light
intensity graph
LED

 A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that

emits light when an electric current flow through it. When
current passes through an LED, the electrons recombine with
holes emitting light in the process. LEDs allow the current to
flow in the forward direction and block the current in the
LED
reverse direction.
 Light-emitting diodes are heavily doped p-n junctions. Based on
the semiconductor material used and the amount of doping, an
LED will emit a colored light at a particular spectral wavelength
when forward biased.
 Two types of LEDs are available, a lamp type (leaded) and a chip
type (surface mount). Users can select the ideal type based on set LED Symbol
requirements.

 LEDs find applications in various fields, including optical

communication, alarm and security systems, remote-controlled
operations, robotics, etc. It finds usage in many areas because of
its long-lasting capability, low power requirements, swift
response time, and fast switching capabilities.
BATTERY

 A battery is a device that converts chemical energy contained

within its active materials directly into electric energy by means
of an electrochemical oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction. This
type of reaction involves the transfer of electrons from one
material to another via an electric circuit.

 While the term battery is often used the cell is the actual

electrochemical unit used to generate or store electric energy. 

 In understanding the differences between a cell and a battery,

one should think of a battery as one or more of these cells
connected in series, or parallel, or both, depending on the
desired output voltage and capacity.

Battery
NE555 IC
IC 555 timer is a one of the most widely
used IC in electronics and is used in
various electronic circuits for its robust
and stable properties.
It works as square-wave form generator
with duty cycle varying from 50% to
100%, Oscillator and can also provide
time delay in circuits. Internal circuit of 555 timer IC
The 555 timer got its name from the three
5k ohm resistor connected in a voltage-
divider pattern which is shown in the
figure.
A simplified diagram of the internal
Pin no Pin name I/O function
circuit is given below for better
1 Gnd input Provides ground
understanding as the full internal circuit
2 Trigger input Trigger comparator input pin. Negative trigger (< 1/3 Vcc) is
consists of over more than 16 resistors, 20
applied in monostable operation
transistors, 2 diodes, a flip-flop and many
3 Output output Its output pin
other circuit components.
4 Reset input Internal flip flop reset pin. Must be high to enable output

5 Control input Control voltage input to control charging discharging of

external capacitor

6 Threshold input Threshold comparator input pin. Positive trigger (>2/3 Vcc)
Pins of 555 Timer IC
is applied in bistable operation

7 Discharge input Discharge pin. Provides discharge path to external capacitor

8 Vcc input For +Ve biasing voltage. Between 4.5 V to 16 V

IC555 operating modes
 
 IC555 has three different operating modes. These operating
modes actually correspond to three different multivibrator
configurations. 
1. Astable mode: it is also known as self-triggering or free
running mode. It has no stable state. It has two quasi stable
states that automatically changes from one to another. It
changes from high to low state and low to high state without
any trigger input after pre determine time. This mode is used to
generate square wave oscillations, clock pulse, PWM wave etc.
2. Monostable mode: it is also known as single shot mode. It has
one stable state and one quasi stable state. It jumps into quasi
stable state from stable state when trigger input is applied and
comes back to stable state after pre determine time
automatically. It is used in generating pulses, time delay etc.
3. Bistable mode: it is also known as flip-flop mode. It has both
stable states. Two different trigger inputs are applied to change
the state from high to low and low to high. It is used in
automatic switching applications, to generate pulse of variable
time etc. 
 The IC 55 timer is used in many circuits, for example One-shot
pulse generator in Monostable mode, as an Oscillator in Astable
Mode or in Bistable mode to produce a flip/flop type action. It is
also used in many types of other circuit for achievement of
various purposes for instance Pulse Amplitude Modulatin
(PAM), Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) etc.
MODES OF OPERATION OF THE IC555 TIMER:

The IC 555 TIMER has two operating modes namely

 Monostable Mode
 Astable Mode

Internal circuit of 555 timer IC

Monostable Mode Astable Mode

 HARDWARE DESCRIPTION

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM:

BASIC CONCEPT AND WORKING:

In this circuit, when light fall on the LDR then its resistance decreases which results in increase of the
voltage at pin 2 of the IC 555. IC 555 has got comparator inbuilt, which compares between the input
voltages from pin 2 and 1/3rd of the power supply voltage. When input falls below 1/3rd then output
is set high otherwise it is set low. Since in brightness, input voltage rises so we obtain no positive
voltage at output of pin 3 to drive relay or LED, while in poor light condition we get output to
energize.
IMPLEMENTED CIRCUIT

555 LED

Timer IC

(on IC Base)

470k
ohms
Resistor

100 uf

Electrolytic 4.7k
ohm
Capacitor
s
Resistor

100 Nf

Ceramic
Capacitor
47k
ohm LDR Battery-clip
s
Resistor
connector
RESULT

When in presence of a light source, the LDR senses it and the

system automatically switches OFF the lights.

When there is no light

source

When there is a
light source
 

APPLICATIONS

 It can be used in homes for automatic turn off or on lights.

 It is used for automatic turn on and off street lights.

 It is also useful trains, libraries, class rooms, offices etc.

CONCLUSION

 By using the dark sensor we can automatically turn on and

turn off lighting system in a room.

 With this system installed in a room, there will be no need of

manually controlling the lights in the room

 We can also conserve electricity as the dark sensor

automatically turns off the light when there is adequate
brightness in the room.

It can be used in Offices, schools, and Stores as there will be no

need of human intervention.

 
REFERENCES

www.google.com

https://how2electronics.com/dark-light-detector-using-555-timer-ldr/

https://youtu.be/TWl3cROfCYA

https://youtu.be/EYU4ZuQgWsM

https://www.circuits-diy.com/dark-detector-circuit-using-ldr-and-555-ti
mer/

https://youtu.be/MRazE0pyGOY

https://youtu.be/hpAPTm3QqV0

https://youtu.be/eDkK3YcSpdY