- Fri Feb 06, 2015 11:49 pm
#179529
This is probably a very gray area to get into, especially when arduino and high current 12V is involved. Regardless, I am looking for something better than what I have right now.
For almost two years now, I have used Arduino to control 12V relays to switch high current 12V. Arduino IO is connected to 2n2222 NPN through 1k Ohm resistor. Emitter connected to ground, and collector is connected to one of the relay's coil terminals. Other coil terminal is connected to terminal 30 which is the source of 12V (battery). For a while I had diode between coil terminals, but have switched to relays that have internal diode.
Worked great for two years, so what is the problems? None, except that I would rather not have power drained from Arduino's IO pin, and switch to some sort of latching mechanism. If there were 12/14V 50A latching relays, I would have done it already so, but unfortunately that is not the case.
I would love some ideas to accomplish the same thing with some sort of latching mechanism instead. One thing that has just came to mind is using mosfets with arduino and npn transistor as push button to build latching/toggle power circuit. However, I am no electrician so I will start researching.
For almost two years now, I have used Arduino to control 12V relays to switch high current 12V. Arduino IO is connected to 2n2222 NPN through 1k Ohm resistor. Emitter connected to ground, and collector is connected to one of the relay's coil terminals. Other coil terminal is connected to terminal 30 which is the source of 12V (battery). For a while I had diode between coil terminals, but have switched to relays that have internal diode.
Worked great for two years, so what is the problems? None, except that I would rather not have power drained from Arduino's IO pin, and switch to some sort of latching mechanism. If there were 12/14V 50A latching relays, I would have done it already so, but unfortunately that is not the case.
I would love some ideas to accomplish the same thing with some sort of latching mechanism instead. One thing that has just came to mind is using mosfets with arduino and npn transistor as push button to build latching/toggle power circuit. However, I am no electrician so I will start researching.