American International University Bangladesh

Project Report
Course : Electrical Circuit-2 (AC)

12 V Dc To Ac Converter Using 555 Timer IC

Submited by :

Akand,Md Anim Akash (14-26535-2)

Das,Seemanta (14-27725-3)

Mia,MD.Ibrahim (14-26810-2)
Chowdhury,samit (14-27580-3)

Akash,md. abralur rahman (14-27601-3)

One of the important applications of a transistor is in switching. For this application, the transistor
is biased in saturation and cutoff region. When the transistor is biased in saturation region, both the
collector emitter and collector base junctions are forward biased. Here the collector emitter voltage
is minimum and collector current is maximum.

Another important aspect of this circuit is the oscillator. An important use of 555 Timer IC is in its
use as an astable multivibrator. An astable multivibrator produces an output signal which switches
between the two states and hence can be used as an oscillator. The frequency of oscillation is
determined by the values of capacitor and resistors.

Operation :
When this device is powered using the 12V battery, the 555 timer connected in astable mode
produces square wave signal of 50Hz frequency. When the output is at logic high level, diode D2
will conduct and the current will pass through diode D1, R3 to the base of transistor Q1.Thus
transistor Q1 will be switched on. When the output is at logic low level, diode D1 will conduct and
current will flow via and D1 and R4 to the base of Q2, causing it to be switched on. This allows the
DC voltage to be produced across the primary of the transformer at alternate intervals. The
capacitor ensures that the frequency of the signal is at the required fundamental frequency. This
12V AC signal across the primary of the transformer is then stepped up to 220V AC signal across the
transformer secondary.

Apparatus :
 Power supply (12V)
 Resistors (3kΩ x 2; 1kΩ, 2W x 1)
 Capacitor (10µF)
 555 timer IC
 Diode(1N4007)
 Transistor (2SC4029)
 9V to 220V Step up transformer
 Breadboard
 Wires
Circuit Diagram :

Circuit Design Explanation :

Oscillator Design:

An astable multivibrator can be used as an oscillator. Here an astable multivibrator using 555 timer
is designed. We know, frequency of oscillations for a 555 timer in astable mode is given by:

f = 1.44/(R1+2*R2)*C

where R1 is the resistance between discharge pin and Vcc, R2 is the resistance between discharge
pin and threshold pin and C is capacitance between threshold pin and ground. Also the duty cycle
of the output signal is given by:

D = (R1+R2)/(R1+2*R2)
Since our requirement is f =60Hz and D = 50% and assuming C to be 0.1uF, we can calculate the
values of R1 and R2 to be 3K and 3K Ohms respectively. Here we prefer using a 150K potentiometer
to fine tune the output signal.

Also a ceramic capacitor of 10uF is used between the control pin and ground.

Switching Circuit Design:

Our main aim is to develop an AC signal of 220V. This requires use of high power transistors to
allow the flow of maximum amount of current to the load. For this reason we use a power transistor
TIP41 with a maximum collector current of 6A, where the base current is given by the collector
current divided by the DC current gain. This gives a bias current of about 0.4A *10, i.e.4A. However
since this current is more than the maximum base current of the transistor, we prefer a value less
than the maximum base current. Let us assume the bias current to be 1A. The bias resistor is then
given by Rb = (Vcc – VBE(ON))/Ibias

For each transistor, the VBE(ON) is about 2V. Thus Rb for each is calculated to be 10 Ohms. Since the
diodes are used for biasing, the forward voltage drop across the diodes should be equal to the
forward voltage drops across the transistors. For this reason, diodes 1N4007 are used.

The design considerations for both the PNP and NPN transistors are same. We are using a PNP
power transistor TIP42.

Output Load Design:

Since the output from the switching circuit is a pulse width modulated output, it might contain
harmonic frequencies other than the fundamental AC frequency. For this reason, an electrolyte
capacitor needs to be used to allow only the fundamental frequency to pass through it. Here we use
an electrolyte capacitor of 2200uF, large enough to filter out the harmonics. Since it is required to
get 220V output, it is preferred to use a step up transformer. Here a 12V/220V step up transformer
is used.

Working of DC to AC inverter :

o This is a simple inverter circuit based on 555 timer IC. Here timer IC wired as an astable
multivibrator mode.
o The diode 1N4007 is used to get 50% duty cycle for the pulses from 555, it also reduces the
design complexity.
o The output pulse from the 555 astable multivibrator is fed to the base of power transistor
2N5192. The 2N5192 transistor works as a switch, so the 12V DC supply passed through the
transformer at a rate of 50 times per second.
o Transformer step up the 12V to 220V, thus we got 60Hz, 220VAC supply at the output of
transformer secondary.
o Used a 12V battery along with a battery charger circuit to power this DC to AC inverter.
Advantages :

 This circuit can be used in cars and other vehicles to charge small batteries.
 This circuit can be used to drive low power AC motors
 It can be used in solar power system.

Disadvantages :

 Since 555 Timer is used, the output may slightly vary around the required duty cycle of
50%, i.e. exact 50% duty cycle signal is hard to achieve.
 Use of transistors reduces the efficiency of the circuit.
 Use of switching transistors has the possibility of causing cross over distortion in the output
signal. However this limitation has been reduced to some extent by the use of biasing diodes

Summery :

The basic idea behind this circuit involves the working of a voltage driven inverter circuit. An
oscillator is used to drive the semiconductor switches alternatively. Each of the switches allows the
DC source voltage to appear across the primary of the transformer in alternate intervals, causing an
alternating voltage to be developed across the primary. This primary voltage is then stepped up to
a higher voltage depending upon the number of turns in primary and secondary coils.

References :

1. http://www.electronicshub.org/12v-dc-220v-ac-converter-
circuit/#Principle_Behind_this_Circuit
2. http://www.electroschematics.com/9155/12v-to-220v-voltage-inverter
3.American International University Bangladesh Electric circuit 1 and 2 Lab sheets
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_inverter
5. http://www.circuitsgallery.com/2012/09/inverter-circuit-schematic-555-timer.html

Thank you very much for this project, Sir.