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SOlid State Relays ??? — Parallax Forums

SOlid State Relays ???

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2002-05-04 15:06 in General Discussion
I read thru all msgs about Solid State relay, and decided to buy one
online. I bought the Crydon with the spec as follows: input 3-32 V,
output 25A with 120VAC. I thought it would help me to control the lamp
on/off. But it didn't work at all. With my voltmeter, I could read
the input from my Stamp 4.8V, but no voltage at all on the other
side (output). My question is, do I have to do any extra thing to
make it work ??? I hooked my Stamp and the lamp directly to the relay.
Thanks advance for your help.

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-05-02 02:50
    At 19:17 05/01/02, fredru2002 wrote:

    >I read thru all msgs about Solid State relay, and decided to buy one
    >online. I bought the Crydon with the spec as follows: input 3-32 V,
    >output 25A with 120VAC. I thought it would help me to control the lamp
    >on/off. But it didn't work at all. With my voltmeter, I could read
    >the input from my Stamp 4.8V, but no voltage at all on the other
    >side (output). My question is, do I have to do any extra thing to
    >make it work ??? I hooked my Stamp and the lamp directly to the relay.
    >Thanks advance for your help.

    The relay is meant to switch a standard 120 volt AC line on and off when
    you apply or remove the control voltage. There is no "output" per se, just
    a set of solid state "contacts" activated by the input. You don't mention
    a 120 volt AC power source to the lamp with the "output" of this relay in
    series anywhere above. Is that an oversight or did you not connect the AC
    line?

    Jim H
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-05-02 12:01
    Hi,
    Regarding SSR's, there are several things to watch for.

    1. If the unit you bought, accepts a DC control voltage of from
    3-32 V.D.C., it seems like that side of things is working.

    2. Do you have the output of the SSR wired in "series" with your
    lamp and the 120 VAC supply?

    At the risk of being redundant, I'll explain wire by wire.

    On the high voltage side you should have one wire coming from the
    line side of the 120 volts, connecting it to one terminal of your lamp.

    The other terminal of your lamp should connect to a fuse of some
    type.

    The other terminal of the fuse should connect to one of the output
    connections of the SSR.

    The other output terminal of the SSR should then connect back to
    the other side of your 120 VAC.

    Good luck
    Russ


    Original Message
    From: "fredru2002" <phucle@c...>
    To: <basicstamps@yahoogroups.com>
    Sent: Wednesday, May 01, 2002 7:17 PM
    Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] SOlid State Relays ???


    I read thru all msgs about Solid State relay, and decided to buy one
    online. I bought the Crydon with the spec as follows: input 3-32 V,
    output 25A with 120VAC. I thought it would help me to control the lamp
    on/off. But it didn't work at all. With my voltmeter, I could read
    the input from my Stamp 4.8V, but no voltage at all on the other
    side (output). My question is, do I have to do any extra thing to
    make it work ??? I hooked my Stamp and the lamp directly to the relay.
    Thanks advance for your help.



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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-05-04 11:43
    As usual if I know ANYTHING about a topic written here I feel I have to
    reply, you would too if you were as stupid as me [noparse]:)[/noparse]

    The thing that really stitched me up with SSR's was that there must be some
    load on it before it will contact. For instance if you connect 120VAC to
    the + terminal on the output side and + and - 5V on the input side and then
    put a meter on the output side the meter will read nothing. However is you
    connect a lightbulb it will work.

    Obvious possibly [noparse]:)[/noparse] But I had many exciting hours working this one out [noparse]:)[/noparse]

    Justin
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-05-04 15:06
    Went through the same thing with a controller we sold where I used to work.
    They used triacs to control a series of 24-volt AC valves and without a load
    you could not use a meter to determine if you had output or not.

    Might read the poop sheet on the device and see if a minimum load is
    specified. If so, I would make a load of some sort with an LED that you
    could connect and test your outputs with in the field.

    Original Message

    > As usual if I know ANYTHING about a topic written here I feel I have to
    > reply, you would too if you were as stupid as me [noparse]:)[/noparse]
    >
    > The thing that really stitched me up with SSR's was that there must be
    some
    > load on it before it will contact. For instance if you connect 120VAC
    to
    > the + terminal on the output side and + and - 5V on the input side and
    then
    > put a meter on the output side the meter will read nothing. However is
    you
    > connect a lightbulb it will work.
    >
    > Obvious possibly [noparse]:)[/noparse] But I had many exciting hours working this one out
    [noparse]:)[/noparse]
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