555 timer question

[headshrink]

A while ago I built a "call light" system in my office. The original project is discussed here: http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showt...atching+switch

Now I was thinking about upgrading (just for fun).

I want to add a reset button in my office, so I have the option of turning the light off remotely, as opposed to the main panel. I do NOT want to use 3-way switches (that would be too easy). Since I want to have an LED indicator on the main panel, to show when the load (light in my office) is on, I figured I would use a momentary switch, and learn some stuff.

I have a 555 timer, and was wondering if this could be used as a basic latching circuit: Press momentary switch (light goes, and stays, on), Press switch again (light turns off). Ideally I don't want the switch on the main panel to serve solely as the trigger, as I want it to have re-set capability as well. The remote switch in my office would be the same.

I have done a lot of googling, but have not found any answers that I understand. Any experts mind helping me out on this?

I can follow directions, but my understanding of electronics, theory, math, is crap. So any replies may have to be dumbed down a bit.

[alex.s]

you could do it but i think you may be over complicating things... you should be able to get away with simply a timer cap tied to ground some resistors and transistors to build the latch... you could even use an inverter with a tied down timer cap and a latched set of trans to handle switching...

[headshrink]

I have no idea what any of that means.
Should I just go with mechanical relays?

[Apex]

Originally Posted by headshrink

I have no idea what any of that means.

Do the easy route then.

[HKr1]

Bistable flip/flop is kinda what you want?

scroll down to bottom:

http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/555timer.htm#monostable


theres the on/off with relays too:
http://www.the12volt.com/relays/page5.asp#lsp

[headshrink]

Originally Posted by HKr1

Bistable flip/flop is kinda what you want?

scroll down to bottom:

http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/555timer.htm#monostable


theres the on/off with relays too:
http://www.the12volt.com/relays/page5.asp#lsp

I think so, although in my reading, the bistable will return to off after a delay.... which I wouldn't want it to do.

The relay example sure has a lot of relays... I'm pretty sure I say examples with one or two relays out there... will keep looking.

EDIT: The one with the trigger and the reset button would work, except I need the trigger button to also work as a reset.... I'm assuming that this circuit wouldn't do that, am I wrong?

[headshrink]

This is EXACTLY what I want to do.

http://www.electronics-lab.com/proje...012/index.html

Now to see if I can make that from RS parts..... with virtually no electronics background.

[FrugalNinja250]

Have you considered using an Arduino? They're super cheap nowadays on ebay, well documented, the programming is so easy even a caveman could do it (uses a very stripped down version of C) and the community support is in some ways better than here for the Ninjette.

[headshrink]

Originally Posted by FrugalNinja250

Have you considered using an Arduino? They're super cheap nowadays on ebay, well documented, the programming is so easy even a caveman could do it (uses a very stripped down version of C) and the community support is in some ways better than here for the Ninjette.

Never heard of it.... just googled it, and it does look like a good option.

I ended up building this version: http://todbot.com/blog/2010/01/02/mo...gle-using-555/
But, unfortunately, it didn't work reliably. So, I gave up and bought 3-way switches from HD, and am adding LEDs as pilot lights for the main panel. At least this gives it a more finished look than the DIY stuff I had been doing.