Premade relays

[DaveWC]

I was checking out the Digital Aquatics site and saw this item (http://www.digitalaquatics.com/expansion.html). It seems like it's just a relay already put together nice & neat. Plug the expansion socket into your controller, plug the chiller/lights into the expansion socket, and plug another plug from the expansion socket into a plug outlet. The controller only powers the relay and turns it off and on which controls the device attached, but the power to the device is coming from the expansion socket. Does that sound right? I'm ok doing a lot of DIY stuff but electronics isn't something I play around with much. Are there other devices like this one, that don't cost $42, but are premade like this and do the same thing?

[nyvp]

I would like to know if that would work on my Aqua III nice idea

[perpetual98]

Do you have a ReefKeeper controller? I'd be willing to bet that it only works with those.

[DaveWC]

I don't. But I don't see why that would matter. It should work on anything.

[perpetual98]

How are you going to control whether the relay is open or closed?

[DaveWC]

It's a relay with two plugs. You plug one into your controller and it determines whether the relay is open or closed. The other plug plugs into a normal outlet and provides power to the chiller/lights/etc. So you don't overload your controller with those kinds of devices but the controller still completes the circuit. At least that's how I think it works. I just can't believe that someone out there doesn't already sell these things for 1/2 the price.

[perpetual98]

The relay is going to need some sort of voltage to either hold it open or closed. It could be any voltage (I'm not sure what the ReefKeeper puts out for control voltage) but it's most likely 5V to 24V. I would guess 12V, but that's just a guess because I don't have a RK.

It's most likely a Normally Open (NO) relay and it will take (lets just say) 12V to close it to "turn on" the outlet. If you can figure out the control voltage, sure you could use that.

The next question would be how are you going to control whatever sends that voltage to your relay?

[DaveWC]

Usually on relays they use a 9v battery or an adaptor. With the two wires I see coming off of this unit I assume that one wire goes to an adaptor and that controls the relay. I also figure it's a NC relay. You plug the adaptor into your controller/timer and that turns the relay off and on. In my case I'm going to be using an Aquatronica controller to turn the relay off and on. At least that's how I figured I'd use a relay if I built one for the lights.

[perpetual98]

I would gues it's a NO relay for safety reasons, but it may be NC too for all I know.

How are you going to get voltage from the Aquatronica to the relay? I'm not terribly familiar with the Aquatronica line. :) Are you out of outlets on the Aquatronica, or are you just looking for more robust relays?

[DaveWC]

I'm neither. I have ordered an Aquatronica but haven't received it yet. I'm going to get voltage to this relay by plugging it into the Aquatronica powerbar. I could just plug the chiller/light into the powerbar too, but if it draws a ton of power and there are other devices on the powerbar that also draw a lot of power (pumps etc.) then wouldn't the powerbar become overloaded? Isn't this why RK offers this relay?

[nyvp]

I saw this thread

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=795521


and was going to build them. This way if I can use them would be much easier

[perpetual98]

i see what you're after DaveWC! :)