Hi I have an idea of making a arduino home automation on an existing wall switch shown in below picture. This is a boiler switch. Should I use some kind of relay or is there a mod that i can install on top of it?
I don't see a picture.
ieee488:
I don't see a picture.
There is now. Thanks
A relay will work, but if you want to keep the existing switch you'll have to decide if you want an "and" connection with the existing switch or an "or" connection....
You can drive a solid state relay directly with the Arduino, but an electro-mechanical relay will require a driver circuit, or you can get a relay board with a relay and driver built-in.
And of course, you'll also need a power supply for the Arduino (and for the relay if you use a regular electro-mechanical relay).
DVDdoug:
A relay will work, but if you want to keep the existing switch you'll have to decide if you want an "and" connection with the existing switch or an "or" connection....You can drive a solid state relay directly with the Arduino, but an electro-mechanical relay will require a driver circuit, or you can get a relay board with a relay and driver built-in.
And of course, you'll also need a power supply for the Arduino (and for the relay if you use a regular electro-mechanical relay).
Will this relay board work?
Also for the relay board, is that all i need to do is hook it up wait the wall switch? Do I need to mess with the circuit breaker?
I think I am going with the and connection, since I would like the original switch to be working as well.
If you have to ask about "messing with the circuit breaker", perhaps you should not be playing with mains voltages - they can kill (as well as burning the ends off various tools!!)