Is it possible for a 555 timer to do this?

[Carlo]

What I want a 555 timer to do is turn a light on for one min and then turn off for 5 mins but my capacitor value just skyrockets. Is there another way to make a kind of astable timer to do this with other chips like the 555?

 

[BrianKiwi]

Hi. Why don't you use a 4017 decade counter, the chip used in LED chasers. Set your 555 pulse for 1 minute, and set the 4017 to count only to 6, by connecting the reset input to output 7. Then, connect your light, via a relay and npn transistor, to one of the first six outputs, output 1 would do fine. When this output goes high, it will turn your light on, and for the remaining 5 outputs, your light will be off. Since each output will turn on for 1 minute, that should work for you.

 

[amdNRA]

Similar suggestion as before but this time with a 555 and the 4040 or 4060 ripple counters. Adjust the frequency of the 555 to something that lets you use a good output with the timing you want out of the cmos chips.
Later, Gil.