"555 Timer is soooo versatile", really?

[bsfeechannel]

I recently acquired a used GW Instek analog scope. The calibrator was a little off in frequency, so I resorted to its schematic and what, do you suppose, provides the 1KHz calibrated signal? You guessed it: a 555.



And here it is in all its glory!



Now the calibrator is calibrated to spec.

[Electroplated]

Ha, found another of my 555's in a led garden light, forgot about it, not surprising as it was over five years ago when I build the circuit, its just a crude and rude drop down switching reg that drops the 12v to 5v for the led. Dam LED gave up the ghost a few days ago, Once the led was swapped out, the light sprung back to life, not very exciting I know, but still very much 555 related !

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I wonder if it's actually any more efficient than just using a resistor in that application. Or 2-3 LEDs in series with a resistor. Most garden lights have a switching converter because they're stepping the voltage UP to run a white LED from a single AA cell.

Its one of those colour changing led globes, the LEDS need 4.5v each to work correctly. There are many ways to derive 5v from 12v but I went with the 555 as it was on hand at the time. At the other end of the scale we have a lampost type light that I modded so the 12v supply was stepped up to power three flame effect neon candle type bulbs, it also used a 555 and a coil to boost the voltage.

Its works but not very efficient so I designed a similar lighting effect with orange Osram SMD leds and CC driver, far brighter and more efficient.

All this garden lighting was intended as a simple project but over time it got way out of hand and now I just have lights or ornaments chucked at me with the instructions  'to do something with it'.