Who makes the "standard version?"
In discussing the Philips' (NXP) version, please show your circuit and data to support your assertion that the discharge pin can sink 200 mA.
John
Hi,
There are different versions, some are upgrades to the older standard style which would probably be the NE type.
You probably already know there is a CMOS version, but that's not the standard version really.
I'd have to find the old data sheet, but basically it gives 2.5v saturation voltage at 200ma, but the pin is not limited to 200ma which means it might sink more than that. The catch is that while it is sinking current, the package dissipation can not be exceeded. For example, lets say your application draws 200ma and the saturation voltage was measured to be 5 volts. This make the dissipation about 1 watt. The max temperature might be 150 deg C, and the thermal resistance might be 120 deg C per watt. With an ambient of 30 deg C, that would mean a case temperature of 150 deg C which would be too close for comfort. Something would have to be changed.
From that data sheet it sounds like the designers went through the trouble of making the pin 7 as indestructible as possible making this a primary design point. They want users to not worry about the discharge current as much as case heating, probably so that they dont have to worry about discharging higher capacitance capacitors.
The LM555 data sheet says, "The output pin can source or sink 200ma".
That data sheet also shows the discharge pin going as high at 100ma with around 1v sat voltage.
BTW the package dissipation would include both the discharge pin dissipation and the output pin dissipation.