I'm software engineer trying to get a little electronics project working. I have a netduino plus. I want to hook up a huge light like this and make it turn on and off. Where do I start? What would it take to make this happen? I'm not worried about the programming side I'm just curious what components I would need to get going. I'm a total noob so be nice. Thanks in advance.
Answer
On the manufacturer's site it says that it's AC operated, so you'll need a switch for that because the Netduino neither can stand the 120V nor can it supply the power needed.
Basically there are two ways to this: the electromechanical relay and the triac, which is an electronic switch to switch AC power.
Relay
The relay will still need more power than the Netduino will provide, so you'll need a transistor to provide the required current. The basic schematic is this:
The transistor will let a larger current flow through the relay's coil if a smaller current enters the base (the input from your Netduino). The 12V is the relay's rated coil voltage. Select an approriate relay if your Netduino's power supply gives a different voltage. The contacts need to be able to switch 120V AC, most probably at a relative low current. A 5A relay will do.
The transistor can be any small-signal NPN transistor, like the BC547. The diode can be a 1N4148.
Triac
This solution is all electronic, so no moving parts. It requires a few more parts than the relay.
The NAND gate on the left can be left out; it just shows that the MOC3041 is driven from a logic level.
Which to choose Since you're new to electronics the second schematic may look even more daunting than the first one, so I would go for the relay to start with, though I like the triac solution better.
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