What electrical component would you use?

Thread Starter

STL

Joined Nov 12, 2012
6
Hello Everyone...

What kind of electrical component would you use to turn on & off 120 vac devices, with at least 10 available amps? I've looked at Solid State Relays like this one, https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10636? and I've looked at Contactors like this one, http://www.comfortgurus.com/product_info.php/products_id/2617

Any other ideas or better recommendations?

I'm building an Arduino Uno R3, lighting and temperature controller... Where you can plug your lighting into one 120 vac outlet and fans into another 120 vac outlet... and it will turn the lights and fans off and on as programmed...
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
34,284
Contactors are just mechanical relays. I prefer a Solid State Relay since it is quiet, more reliable, and can typically be controlled by a smaller current.
 

BillO

Joined Nov 24, 2008
999
10 amps is quite a bit. Must be lots of light and large fans.

That electro-mechanical relay will require a driver cirduit, but I'm sure you could find an SSR that you can drive directly from the Arduino.

You might also think of small relay modules that can be driven directly from the Arduino. Something like this. I've bought that particular module before and it works well. Draws about 30ma, so you could probably run 8-10 of them directly off an Arduino on a 1 amp, 9V wall-wart without supplying external power, and they can handle 10 amps.
 
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