I am thinking I can use my Arduino to monitor a contact that has 5vdc across it from a digital counter. When the contact closes for the first time I want to send a 12vdc pulse to a latching relay coil, when the contact closes for the second time I want to send a 12vdc pulse to another latching relay coil, I want to do this adinfinitum. The closing of the contact occurs every 60 seconds and it is closed for 30 seconds.
Is it easy/possible to do this, I am just starting to use Arduino but think this would be a good project.
Yes, this is inside the capabilities of an Arduino.
Study the state change example and use millis() for your timing.
Pay attention to the driving of the relais coils; an Arduino output is not designed to drive 12V and high and currents. A transistor/fet/optocoupler is the usual way. Don't forget a flyback diode over the coil to protect that transistor/fet/optocoupler.
Hi,
Welcome to the forum.
Please read the first post in any forum entitled how to use this forum.
http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php/topic,148850.0.html.
How many latching relays will you have, when will you RESET them?
What is your project?
Thanks.. Tom... 
Hi Tom, thanks for the reply, I did read the post, I am using a 2 coil latching relay (I need to pulse one coil to 12vdc on the first minute and the other coil on the second minute), this changes over another 2 coil latching relay to reverse output polarity.
The task I want to achieve is to drive a flip clock which needs a polarity reversed 12vdc pulse every minute from a contact on my master clock which closes on the minute and opens at 30 seconds, when open it has 5vdc across it from a digital counter (the reset contact of the counter)
I would like help with the program required and the interfacing of the Arduino to the 12v pulses
If you can think of a way of doing this without the latching relays I am keen to hear