Newbie looking to control push buttons on 12V bus bar

Problem: Machine at work needs controller to tell machine buttons are pushed remotely.

Solution I believe will work: use Arduino controller connected to internet to actuate transistor or relay in parallel with physical button.

Am I right in thinking this will work at all for remote control of machine?

I need to know what I would need in order to allow the 5V output of Arduino board to control the 12V needed to actuate the switch inside machine (if possible).

I have read bits and pieces around the forums but nothing addressing this specific issue and before we invest any money I need to know if it is possible in the first place.

So far the closest solution with my understanding would be using a transistor with a resistor but I need to know the exact schematic and ohms required to make it work.

Also any suggestions as to the best Arduino boards for this purpose would be greatly appreciated since I can't stress how much of a beginner I am with their functions even though programming shouldn't be any issue for me. (I work with G & M code along with other machines which require IF/THEN statements all the time so the logic is easy to see/understand. Plus I have read through the basics and it all seems straightforward)

Thanks in advance for any help!

Am I right in thinking this will work at all for remote control of machine?

How many buttons on the machine do you want to control? This can help us to tell you which Arduino to use.

So far the closest solution with my understanding would be using a transistor with a resistor but I need to know the exact schematic and ohms required to make it work.

How much current do the buttons switch? Without that, we can't recommend which transistor to use.

So you want a given machine to have simultaneously both local and remote control?

On the face of it, that isn't a machine I want to be anywhere near, much less actually try to do work with.

But I'm sure there is more to the story and as HenryBest suggests, you will tell it to us.

GabrielS:
I need to know what I would need in order to allow the 5V output of Arduino board to control the 12V needed to actuate the switch inside machine (if possible).

If you are just paralleling switch contacts a relay with a 5V coil would do that directly, or you could use an opto isolator -- either would provide electrically isolated connections.

An important question: are the switches on the machine providing low current logic signals to some electronics, or are the switches switching higher currents such as the connections to a solenoid or motor? That would affect the detail design in terms of the choice of suitable components.

And if you consider using a transistor as a switch, does one side of the switches in the machine have a 0V ground you could connect to safely -- using electrically isolated contacts would avoid the need to consider that potential safety issue.

Hi, is it safe to operate this machine remotely, if it is industrial I would be checking OH&S before going any further.

Tom....... :slight_smile: