What is it?

MG006 is a programmable timer. It can accomplish many of the tasks that would normally see a 555 being used, only MG006 aims to do them better.

It can switch up to 1A of AC or DC current (low voltage only - it is not designed for dangerous voltages). On and off durations are set via DIP switches and it is self contained, being powered by a single CR2032 battery (not supplied).

Why did you make it?

Because my supplier sent me an ATTINY44A by mistake, and let me keep it (thanks, Farnell!). I also needed to test another circuit for its ability to operate after power cycling. The result was this.

What makes it special?

It uses a Solid State Relay (SSR) which has a low on resistance (compared to most SSRs) of 0.25 Ohms maximum. The use of an SSR (as opposed to a mechanical relay) reduces current consumption, and makes battery power possible.

Also, the use of the ATTINY makes for accurate, easily set timings (compared to the 555-based timers out there). Eight different on, and eight different off timings can be set using DIP switches. Finally, if you don't like the timings I have set, you can remove the ATTINY and reprogram it to work the way you like. Full Arduino IDE-comptible code is supplied in the instructions, which can be easily altered.

What else do I need to know?

My testing with a standard Varta CR2032 gave a battery life with 50% duty cycle (equal on and off times) of over 3 days (72 hours+). Shorter duty cycles will give a longer battery life.

The standard durations that can be set for both on and off times are 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 or 128 minutes.

MG006 has been designed for hobbyist use only and is not to be used for safety or business critical applications. The kit assumes basic through-hole soldering skills.

The payment of any import taxes and duties will be the responsibility of the Buyer.