Choosing the correct motor for physically flipping a light switch

Other Hardware Motors, Mechanics, Power and CNC
1

Hello. I am trying to start an arduino project wherein a knock pattern on the wall beside my bed (detected by a piezo sensor) triggers a lamp to switch on and off.

I don't think I would like to work with high voltages yet and use relays and that, so I figured a better (safer) solution would be to use a motor (maybe a rotating servo) to physically flip the switch on the lamp.

I'm not sure if a small motor like this would have enough torque (?) to actually flip the switch, since I want to make the system as compact as possible. What alternatives can you suggest?

Thanks.

2

Is the switch a pushbutton, toggle, rocker, slide, touch, rotary or something else?
How 'bout a picture. :slight_smile:

3

This is what the switch looks like.

20170815_043052-min.jpg
20170815_043052-min.jpg3024×4032 952 KB

4

Tricky - really needs two push actuators for on and off, then you can't get at the switch yourself... A separate
wirelessly controlled switch (hack into the push buttons on the control fob) might be simpler.

5

http://www.powerswitchtail.com/ makes what you need.
Plug it in to the wall. Plug your lamp in to it.

Connect your arduino and go!

6

Thanks for all the responses.

vinceherman:
http://www.powerswitchtail.com/ makes what you need.
Plug it in to the wall. Plug your lamp in to it.

Connect your arduino and go!

I'm actually just going to use a relay, but instead of connecting it directly to the lamp, I'm sorta doing something similar to this (split a one-gang extension lead halfway, connect the relay in between). This will allow me to use the sensor with any appliance I plug into it.