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I want to simulate a 555 circuit in KiCad, but quite failing to do so. I found a SPICE model here and included it in my model like this:

enter image description here

My circuit looks like this:

enter image description here

The transient simulation works. It should oscillate at around 14ms, but it doesn't do so:

enter image description here

How can I simulate the 555 in KiCad?

Update I made the simulation a little longer, and I do get some results, but not quite what I expect:

This is from 3s - 4s: enter image description here

And from 4s - 5s: enter image description here

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I think that in Kicad 8, that it's at the moment in 'release candidate 2', there are important improvements in simulation. \$\endgroup\$
    – Gos
    Commented Feb 13 at 11:36
  • \$\begingroup\$ Hmmm...looks like the ngspice engine is having trouble with the transistor-based model. Try adding a SPICE directive to the schematic and see if it helps: .options cshunt=1p \$\endgroup\$
    – Ste Kulov
    Commented Feb 13 at 19:12
  • \$\begingroup\$ Can also try Gear integration method by doing this: .options method=gear \$\endgroup\$
    – Ste Kulov
    Commented Feb 13 at 19:31

3 Answers 3

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Did you give it enough time to start? My model does start after ~2.38sec.

I tested with KiCAD 7.0.8

Simulator, Sim Command, Transient tab, 1m in Time step and Final time set to 3 seconds.

enter image description here

Please see attached picture:

enter image description here

Zoomed in and more signals - the plot looks like this:

NE555 simulation

NE555.lib file downloaded from here: KiCAD forum

---EDIT--- To check if skipping is present.

This is my result when setup is: transient: 100us step, 3 to 4 second simulation. Voltage seems to be a bit unstable, otherwise fine (no skips).

100micro-3secto4sec

Other setup: 10us step, other parameters the same.

10microsec-3secto4sec

And the last one: 1us step.

1microsec-3secto4sec

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Thanks, I got it almost... Ran it in KiCAD 7.0.10, see my updated question. Your results are significantly better. \$\endgroup\$
    – Bart Friederichs
    Commented Feb 13 at 10:53
  • \$\begingroup\$ @BartFriederichs Perhaps skip the initial operating point analysis for the transient simulation, by including the "UIC" argument. For example ".tran 1m 1 uic" \$\endgroup\$
    – Simon Fitch
    Commented Feb 13 at 11:14
  • \$\begingroup\$ @SimonFitch skipping is OK, problem I still have is the results vary even after that initial startup time. \$\endgroup\$
    – Bart Friederichs
    Commented Feb 13 at 11:30
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Bart Friederichs I see your skipping. Also, your voltage levels are somehow uneven. Let me check this on my simulation. I see the .lib files are identical. \$\endgroup\$
    – smajli
    Commented Feb 13 at 22:36
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Additionally, try to force a initial condition on C1. Making "IC=0" should put the circuit to oscillate right away.

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it should oscillate at around 14ms, but it doesn't do so:

It should be 35 ms ... Simulated with microcap v12.

enter image description here

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  • \$\begingroup\$ The problem is not with the circuit, but with KiCad. I have successfully simulated it with other tools. I want to use KiCad because my other designs are in there as well. \$\endgroup\$
    – Bart Friederichs
    Commented Feb 12 at 12:09
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    \$\begingroup\$ Don't know KiCad. Ok, but the period should be 35 ms, not 14 ms ... \$\endgroup\$
    – Antonio51
    Commented Feb 12 at 12:10
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    \$\begingroup\$ @BartFriederichs The problem is with NgSpice that KiCad uses as the SPICE engine. The KiCad project has not developed their own simulator yet :) \$\endgroup\$
    – Kuba hasn't forgotten Monica
    Commented Feb 12 at 17:14

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