Flutterby™! : So what's the right way to switch a 20A

So what's the right way to switch a 20A

2013-01-14 04:56:11.168683+00 by Dan Lyke 7 comments

So what's the right way to switch a 20A circuit from my home network & tablet. Z-Wave? Zigbee? Don't make me build my own...

[ related topics: broadband ]

comments in descending chronological order (reverse):

#Comment Re: made: 2013-01-16 03:38:44.848446+00 by: Dan Lyke

Yeah, I've got a bunch of those XBee controllers...

#Comment Re: made: 2013-01-16 02:05:26.310126+00 by: Larry Burton

Or you could go wireless.

#Comment Re: made: 2013-01-15 22:31:19.184016+00 by: Dan Lyke

these guys have an RS232 controlled 2 20A relay board for $34, and 2 with an Ethernet port for $163.

#Comment Re: made: 2013-01-15 02:26:19.352569+00 by: Larry Burton

Find you a contactor that can handle the 20a. load with a 115vac coil and find you a small control relay you can switch with your raspberry pi output. Jumper the line side of your contactor through your control relay to the contactor coil and use your raspberry pi to operate the control relay to pull in the contactor.

I played with X10 for a couple of years back in the late 90s and was very unimpressed with it's reliability. Yeah, 15 years have passed but I don't see enough popular interest in it for the companies to feel a need to make it more reliable or more robust.

#Comment Re: made: 2013-01-15 01:01:37.4571+00 by: meuon

Do you want to switch the circuit (at the breaker) or an outlet/appliance? I bought a 3 outlet RF kit with remote at WalMart.. currently only controls my exterior lighting. I fight this because there should be an open standard. Homeplug, X-10, Lutron.. etc don't all play well together.

#Comment Re: made: 2013-01-14 21:11:35.551426+00 by: Dan Lyke

Looks like this'll do it, though it requires buy-in to the Insteon controller stuff: http://www.insteon.net/2475SDB-In-LineLinc-Relay.html

The "assemble my own solution" is still pretty darned attractive.

#Comment Re: made: 2013-01-14 21:04:34.101756+00 by: TheSHAD0W

I don't know of any devices that can handle a full 20 amp circuit without costing a shit-ton of money. I'd recommend you use a lower-power controller to power a contactor (the fancy name electricians give a relay). You can get them at any electrical supply store.