Controlling large power with a uC

[windozeuser]

hello board,

I am working on a project that needs to be able to switch on 1500 watts. The load is a radiator type heater from honeywell, now this heater is digital and I was kinda thinking maybe I should "hack" into it and control the heater from the digital side, instead of messing with the 120V 10.3 amps.

Which way would you do it? If I hacked into the digital circuitry of the heater, I don't want to ruin the heater potentially, but I did purchase it at Walmart a week ago, and can return it lol...

Say the heater wasn't digitally controlled, what would be the best way to turn on a load like this?

 

[Jon Wilder]

I'm thinking you could use a uC to control a transistor triggered high current TRIAC. Or maybe a uC controlled high current MOSFET as a current source/sink to the load.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Or a relay - simpler still.

But heaters aren't 'digital', it may have some kind of control system which could be digital, but the heater itself is just a crude element.

 

[Jon Wilder]

Or a relay - simpler still.

But heaters aren't 'digital', it may have some kind of control system which could be digital, but the heater itself is just a crude element.

HA! Simplicity was what kept me away from the digital world for 20 years. lol

But basically any device that only requires a small input current to source/sink a large output current will do (i.e. an amplifier basically).

 

[DirtyLude]

A regular relay.

 

[BeeBop]

The nice thing about solid state relays it that they turn on when you apply anywhere from about 3 to 28 volts. Quieter than a mechanical, and probably longer lived, but more $ to acquire.

EDIT: to get one which handles more power, throw more $. I think they can get really big and powerful.