Need help designing / understanding this 'circuit'

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bradleyheathhays

Joined Sep 23, 2015
9
I'm a novice builder of whatever I can imagine with not a lot of formal training in electronics, but I follow directions well so I imagine I have a good chance of pulling this off with the right advice.

Here's the deal...

Keeping it simple, I need to turn on electricity to a 1500 watt device (heater) when a mechanical circuit I've made is closed. But I don't want to run 1500 watts through the wire I've used to create the mechanical circuit. so I'm writing in for advice on how I should go about doing this.

The design is that once air is ran through a vent, a flap is actuated which moves and creates contact with two wires, and I need to figure out how I can convert these two wires coming into contact into turning on power to a 1500 watt heater (without running 1500 watts of current through the two wires on the vent flap. So is what I'm talking about here called a 'relay?'

Like I was saying I'm now trained in electronics so I would need somewhat detailed instructions on how to go about making this happen.

Thanks for your time I'm all ears!
 

Dodgydave

Joined Jun 22, 2012
11,285
Use a relay, what voltages are you working with, that will determine the relay coil and contact current details, you can get 120/230v ac coils.
 
Last edited:

OBW0549

Joined Mar 2, 2015
3,566
So is what I'm talking about here called a 'relay?'
That's it. Get a relay whose contacts are rated to withstand the voltage/current you intend to switch, and with a coil designed for the voltage you intend to be using in the vent flap circuit (5 volts, 12 volts, 24 volts are common coil voltages).
 
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