555, EEPROM, PWM assortment kit project?

[NightMoth]

Hello all

I bought an IC assortment kit which includes:
- NE555 timers,
- UC3842/43/45 Current-mode PWM Controllers,
- 24C04/08/16/32/64 EEPROMs

Now I'm wonder is it just a random set of IC's, or these parts usually utilised together for some purpose?
Can anyubody advice some project in which these parts to be used together?

[Ian.M]

Random as ****!

* NE555 is old-skool analog timing/cycling that can also be abused as a relay driver or even as a latch.
* UCx84x is a family of SMPS controllers - typically for the primary side of off-line PSUs, or transformer coupled DC-DC applications.   They are also pretty long in the tooth but nowhere near as ancient as the 555.  There are probably some fringe hobby applications, but otherwise they are pretty much repair parts.
* The 24Cxx I2C EEPROMs are useless without a processor to read them.  Sometimes its a MCU you are writing code for, sometimes its OEM firmware or a hardware state machine in some application specific USB IC, or various other applications where storing a tiny amount of data is worth the cost of an extra IC (e.g. monitor EDID).

While you *COULD* (if you are a masochist) use UCx84x if you were designing your own SMPS to power circuits containing the other two, anything with a 555 is *VERY* unlikely to have an I2C EEPROM and visa versa!

[Andy Chee]

I must admit that my junkbox salvaged parts bin is also fully stocked up with 555s, PWM controllers, and EPROMs, which don't really go together!

Out of the three, the EPROMs are the most useless.

[Ian.M]

... or the most useful if you do a lot of development with microcontroller families that don't have on-chip EEPROM.

I'd vote for the UCx84x ICs to be the most useless - even if you *ARE* into SMPS design, there are much better choices for driver chips nowadays, and if someone is paying me to repair a SMPS that uses one, I'd prefer to use one from a reputable distributer rather than risking a fake chip blowing up all the other parts I've just replaced and anything connected to the power supply output(s)!

[Gyro]

It is a really good idea to look at and understand the datasheets of all ICs before you buy them. I assumed that it was a random selection (lucky bag), but all the part numbers are stated in the listing. I guess this is advice for next time though.

As a beginner, you will probably get most use out of the 555s. There are lots of simple projects and explanations on the web. As for the others, probably no use to you.