Hi there,
First post, short presentation.
I am mechanical engineer but I have been always interested in electronic. I have been building myself a couple of device, most of the time because I had needs for stuff not yet available or affordable (fast charge nimh, DC-DC Car to 5V 3A, vaccuum regulation...). I have (nearly) never been twaeaking a microcontroler so far, I mean my temperature regulator has been built by a friend!
I think Arduino stuff is brillant and I am looking forward doing some simple stuff to start. It will be mainly to help produce my kite boards (Temperature and vaccuum regulation, but why not a CNC or a laser too?). If I am doing great I also have an old project: build a multy channel accumalator capicator (plotting V over time doing a constant discharge), to check their real capacity, internal resistance pair them and trash the bad ones!
I am looking for using an Arduino to pilot high voltage device. For exemple a fridge pump (=vaccuum) which draws about 100W or so at 230V. My application would require a lot of shutdown/poweron so I would prefer not to use relays.
I have seen the following online http://powerswitchtail.com/PSTIIU.aspx
Except from learning is there any reason for me to build something similar or should I go directly with that? I mean shipping+ adding the plug I will be under $60 for two switch. Do you any kit with 2 or 4 triac output that could do the same? I do not fancy to much playing with high voltage, so I am asking first.
I also have another project with high current needed. I will pilot with a classical +5V, and I need high wattage on 12V. I will use 12V car light bulbs to produce... heat (between 200 and 300W), which will be safer I think than using 230V light bulbs or heat wire at the same voltage. I am wondering if turning On/Off a computer power supply is OK? I was thinking of using a refresh rate around 0.2 ou 0.3Hz (3s or 5s).
Thanks for you support.
