Triac or relay to switch AC power?

[Jean]

Triac or relay to switch AC power?

I want to use a controller to switch for an hour the AC power of a
light bulb.
Should I use a triac or a relay?
Besides the circuit needed to drive the triac or the relay, what are
the parameters I should be aware of to choose between the triac and
relay?
In both cases, the controller has to keep sending the signal for an
hour; The circuit around the controller will use current for an hour
and I am concerned about this consumption and want to keep this
consumption as low as possible.

 

[mike]

Jean wrote:

Triac or relay to switch AC power?

I want to use a controller to switch for an hour the AC power of a
light bulb.
Should I use a triac or a relay?
Besides the circuit needed to drive the triac or the relay, what are
the parameters I should be aware of to choose between the triac and
relay?
In both cases, the controller has to keep sending the signal for an
hour; The circuit around the controller will use current for an hour
and I am concerned about this consumption and want to keep this
consumption as low as possible.

Get a wind-up timer and be done with it. Fits right into the box in the
wall and does everything you asked for.
mike

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[John Fields]

On 1 Feb 2005 12:29:33 -0800, Robijean@hotmail.com (Jean) wrote:

Triac or relay to switch AC power?

I want to use a controller to switch for an hour the AC power of a
light bulb.
Should I use a triac or a relay?
Besides the circuit needed to drive the triac or the relay, what are
the parameters I should be aware of to choose between the triac and
relay?
In both cases, the controller has to keep sending the signal for an
hour; The circuit around the controller will use current for an hour
and I am concerned about this consumption and want to keep this
consumption as low as possible.

---
How do you want to start and stop the timer?

--
John Fields

 

[Rich Grise]

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 12:35:36 -0800, Jean wrote:

From Fred's point of view, I think VCC should be replaced by the LINE
with a connection like this:

+------------------------------+----------+
| N.C. = 'off' | |
LINE----+---o/ o-------+---o__o----+ | |
N.O. = 'on' | | | | +--- load
| | | | | | |
+-----------------------------------------+
| | NC COM NO NC COM NO |
| K|| |
| K|| |
| K|| |
| K|| |
| K|| |
| K|| |
| K|| |
| | |
+-----------------------------------------+
|
|
Ground----+

I know it's poopy of me, but the only difference between that and the
circuit I suggested is the source of relay power.

When you use other people's material like that, it's polite to say
something like "as Rich suggested, but..."

Thanks,
Rich

 

[John Woodgate]

I read in sci.electronics.design that Rich Grise <richgrise@example.net>
wrote (in <pan.2005.02.25.00.25.08.657426@example.net&gt about 'Triac or
relay to switch AC power?', on Fri, 25 Feb 2005:

When you use other people's material like that, it's polite to say
something like "as Rich suggested, but..."

Jean may not have read your post before posting his/hers.
--
Regards, John Woodgate, OOO - Own Opinions Only.
The good news is that nothing is compulsory.
The bad news is that everything is prohibited.
http://www.jmwa.demon.co.uk Also see http://www.isce.org.uk