On Fri, 1 May 1998 18:20:54 +0200 "Max Dekkers,ri" writes: >Hi there! > >Has anyone out there experience with switching mains power (220v / >3amps) from a 12c508 ? (I'm trying to switch a PC ON and OFF) > >I'm trying to find a cheap but reliable method. I heard the cheapest >method is using a triac. The cheapest method is usually an old-fashioned electromagnetic relay. They are also decently reliable and much more resistant to spike and surge damage than electronic switching. You will usually need a small transistor and diode to drive the relay from a PIC pin. Of course, if the application involves frequent switching, a relay can wear out. About 10,000 cycles over the life of the device seems like a good place to draw the line. _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]