555 timer IC Inverter circuit schematic 12V to 220V

This article explains What is inverter? And how can you construct your own simple low cost 12V to 220V inverter circuit. An inverter is nothing but a DC to AC converter. Inverters are very useful electronics products for compensating emergency power failure, as it performs DC to AC conversion.

AC can’t be stored for future use but DC can be stored for future use in a battery. The stored DC can be converted back to AC by using power inverters.
Here is the simple inverter circuit diagram using 555 timer IC. The astable multivibrator mode operation of 555 timer utilized here for AC oscillations and these oscillations are switched via transistor 2SC4029 to a transformer. The transformer step ups the voltage to 220V AC. Use a 12V battery and Battery charger circuit for this project. Design of inverter circuit is also given.

Circuit diagram of DC to AC inverter

Components required

  1. Power supply (12V)
  2. Resistors (3kΩ x 2; 1kΩ, 2W x 1)
  3. Capacitor (10µF)
  4. 555 timer IC
  5. Diode(1N4007)
  6. Transistor (2SC4029)
  7. 9V to 220V Step up transformer

Working of DC to AC inverter

  • This is a simple inverter circuit based on 555 timer IC. Here timer IC wired as an astable multivibrator mode.
  • The diode 1N4007 is used to get 50% duty cycle for the pulses from 555, it also reduces the design complexity.
  • 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.
  • Transformer step up the 12V to 220V, thus we got 50Hz, 220VAC supply at the output of transformer secondary.

Design of Inverter circuit

555 timer Astable designed about to oscillate at 50Hz, line frequency.
Frequency of astable multivibrator is given by,

Choose C=10µF, then

Use R1=R=3kΩ

Related circuits

Pinout of transistor and 555 timer IC

109 thoughts on “555 timer IC Inverter circuit schematic 12V to 220V

  1. output power? 5w, 10w 75w, 100w…? what kind of stuff can i plug into this inverter? what about computer charger (70w) so that i can use laptop in car? thanks

  2. hi, can we replace transistor 2sc4029 with n-channel mosfet like irf830b or irf3205 this way: base=gate, collector=drain, emitter=source? thanks

    • Hi Kevinjohn,
      Yes it is a step up transformer. Positive is connected to 12V Vcc to collector of transistor. Transistor is switched by astable, so output will be AC.

  3. If a pure sine wave is fed into the base of the transformer instead of a square wave, will the output be a pure sine wave?

    • Hi Akin Olufemi,
      As we know a transistor can work as both an Amplifier and as a Switch. Square wave used while dealing with transistor switch (common in Digital electronics) where as Sine wave need proper biasing and Q point for amplification. Amplifier will give pure sine wave.

  4. I had 3.3 volts output in my circuit. I want to convert it to AC . What changes do I need to do in the above mentioned circuit ?

  5. Can you please tell me if I can use a centre-tap transformer in this circuit? If so, where will by centre-tap pin be connected? My inverter is not showing any output without the transformer 🙁
    Please answer my questions soon, I need it badly. Thanks

    • Hi Michael
      Here in the circuit relay cannot be used instead of transistor as relay cannot be used for faster switching.

      • sir what is the replacement of 2sc4029 transistoir as it is not available in market easily plz reply me fast

  6. timing of time inveter work for 7.5AH ,12v battery with f bulb(40w) or tv?
    can you give the for how long (hour) the inverter work ?
    40w bulb and tv

  7. if i use 555 as an oscillator and then fed this into tip122 and tip125 NPN and PNP combination will it work??
    secondly after this combination in order to increase power i use 2n3055 and output current of tip combination is fed into 2n3055 is that ok??

    help me out plzz

  8. hi Yaseen, Please I have a 12v 4ah battery and 12v-240v 1000MA transformer. Please what is the output power?.I made this circuit it works, but my question is that why is it that the output vary ? And how can I get a constant 240v output. .ADMIN KINDLY HELP TOO. THANKS

    • I have buld 555ic base inverter but when i collect it with baery,the ic get bunt.please help me.how can i know which led of the transistor is common and emiter.can you indicate it by show the picture of the transistor with label.thank

  9. Hey! Please help me. I have made the circuit but when i connect the transformer it does not work;when i check the input voltage of the transformer it show 12v (AC) when transformer is not connected but when i connect the transformer it show 0v. please reply.

  10. Sir (admn)…
    Am very excting to do this project Can you please tell me the battery and transformer ratings(Ah&current) for 40w load???
    Rly me as early as possible plzzz

  11. is it posible to use a 220v- 9v 2amp step down transformer and yet am using 12v battery as power supply

    And i cant get ic555 , cd4047, RFF44 mosfet Transistor (2SC4029) any replacement pliz help am at the buying components

  12. Sir…how about the frequency?is the frequency about 60 hz like a normal frequency on AC?
    is changing the resistors on timer 555 make any differences about the frequency?

  13. Sir I implemented this ckt but proper output can’t obtained. 5W CFL are not working properly …so help mi

  14. Hi, I am trying to measure the voltage coming out of the circuit and it is only giving me a reading in mV, I can’t seem to figure out what is wrong. Could you help me understand some possible reasons that this could be happening? It would be a great help, thank you!

  15. Hi, can your please list for me the items that I should use to get an a power output of 250W, 230VAC.
    Thanks in advance

  16. i have made an inverter but the frequency is not remaining stable. can a monostable or astable multivibrator do this task.

  17. Sir, what will hapen if I put 1kOhm 0.5w resistor? And can I use bc547 transistor instead of 2SC4029? Thanks 😀

  18. I have 9v 0 9v transformer. Its very big step up transformer. I don’t know the amperage. Can I measure the Amperage of it. So how i connect to this ? BCos it has 3 inputs.9+ 0 9-

  19. Sir, astable multivibrator base on the 555 timer IC, the output frequency from 555IC is
    f=1/0.693(R1 + R2) C + 0.693 R2 C
    So, how to I will be give 50 Hz across the ac lode according to your ckt. description. will you elaborate it plz………

  20. It first worked, but after a week of being kept, only the transistor got hot but no output detected again. Changed transistor, 555, resistors, and others, still no output. I used 2n3055.

  21. Sir,
    I have made the above inverter,But problem is that i m not getting 230v at output in place if that i m getting 100v as output.Do reply ASAP ..need ur help!Thanx

  22. what is the application of this inverter . how it differs from the other inverters normally we are used in home.

  23. Hi,
    Can we use some variable resistors (POT) to control the duty cycle and frequency separate from each other??? If not can you direct me to a circuit that can do that ?


  24. My transformer is 12V to 220V 150VA. What component adjustments I have to do in order to work with my transformer and provide 220V at the end?

  25. Sir
    Transistor allow current to flow only in one direction, this mean half wave will be produced. how i can produce ac from this circuit??

  26. Hi guys and Gals, i am new to electronics (about a month and a half) and have a MILLION questions….., however i am only posting my first problem today !

    i have built an inductor based voltage booster with a primary coil of an old transformer, 2 capacitors and a switch (and it works, it actually takes the voltage up very nicely when the button is pushed !!)

    So having been so infinitely successful with this major achievement (hihihihihi) here is my problem…………..

    1) as soon as the voltage appears it disappears ……………………(want to be able to preset the voltage and once achieved, keep it there and stable)
    2) i am using a push button switch. (to “up” the voltage)………….(want the circuit to do the switching, i heard about the 555 and a mosfet)
    3) even with high voltage (around 50), it wont turn a relatively small motor….(circuit must produce enough amps or miliamps to run the motor at full load)
    4) system must be adjustable, varying from 12vdc (with its given miliamp) to around 20vdc (with its given miliamp) (or alternatively adjustable in a 10 – 15volt range either up or down, with a max input volt of 24vdc)

    To put you all in the loop !!, i have a small solar panel (20vdc around 11 watt) and want to use this to power a small electric motor !, currently the battery (12vdc) powers it perfectly, but the solar panel(20v) just doesn’t have the juice (even though the voltage is higher)………………

    as simple as it can be (regards to explanation and schematics) i would appreciate any help !

    much appreciated

  27. Hello the transformer we have here in Nigeria is always 230 Ac primary to DC secondary.
    How can you help me

  28. i think you got wrong about value of Resistor 555. if the standart equation astabil without Diode then the equation is T=0.693x(RA+2RB)xC and Duty Cycle not equal 50%. but you add diode then Duty Cycle is 50% but the function to be T=0.693x(2R)xC or Time High (TH) is 0,693xRxC and TL is 0,693xRxC. because value of resistors are same. then the value of resistor is ((0.02×10^6)/(0,693×10))/2 = 1443.001443 Ohm not 2898.55 Ohm.

    • @Rifqi — have you confirmed this error in resistor value?

      I had the same suspicion about resistor values when my simulation came up with ~25 Hz. I also thought to look to the 50% duty cycle as the culprit but simply removing the diode is not a fix according to the sim as well as the author’s statement about the diode simplifying the overall design.

  29. Sir what is the voltage of a capacitor coz we’ve used 16 volts ?And we’ve only got only 75 in the output voltage, but the connection is correct. Can you specify all of the components? Thanks !

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