Model Train Journal

All:

I need some guidance. I want to use an Arduino to control the external power (5VDC) supplied to a device. For example, under program control, I want the Arduino C program to turn on a 5VDC power supply wired to an MTH smoke unit and after some time turn it off. My questions are:

• What board(s) would you recommend?
• Are there boards that can do this for multiple situations? The MTH smoke unit has 2 pairs of 5VDC wires – one for the heater and one for the fan. I would need to turn both on simultaneously.
• How many such boards can the Arduino control? It's likely there would be 3-4 devices I would like to control in this way. How would they interface to the Arduino?

The Arduino has many auxiliary boards available for it. I’m just trying to understand enough to ask an intelligent question or two and choose the right board.

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

George

Probably an UNO as it has more code available for use and more inputs/outputs than the Nano/Micro. You will need to have the Arduino trigger a relay to actually operate the devices. The current draw is probably too high to run the the smoke unit and possibly marginal for the fan.

My direct experience with these devices was pretty much limited to get the design classes students set up to program the boards through the maze of security protocols in Windows 8/10. They would access the arduino board through any of the ports (serial or USB). I had to make sure ALL of the intermediate drivers were compatible with the OS AND that the security settings would permit access/control of the ports to download/program the board. These were student designs where the board was used to sense various inputs related to biological monitoring and controls for medical devices (pumps/actuators). In many cases the sensors could be direct wired in but the control elements usually required additional device/circuitry to handle the power loads associated with high load devices like motors/pumps/linear actuators, etc.

There are a lot of tutorials on-line, some on YouTube.

This is from the arduino web site on fan control.

https://arduinogetstarted.com/tutorials/arduino-controls-fan

Thanks Chuck. I will take a look at these.

George