# 5v controlled power adapter **URL:** \ **Category:** New Product Ideas\ **Created:** [April 28, 2011, 7:34am UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/5v-controlled-power-adapter/20482 "2011-04-28T07:34:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dequo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a587f6/32.png) [@dequo](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/dequo)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 7:34am UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/5v-controlled-power-adapter/20482/1 "2011-04-28T07:34:58Z")
simple, a 5v signal wire that can control a power socket that goes in between the wall socket and the appliance, no messing around with relays. if this is already out there please link me ---
**Author:** ![Valen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/9dc877/32.png) [@Valen](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/Valen)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 9:33am UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/5v-controlled-power-adapter/20482/2 "2011-04-28T09:33:05Z")
> dequo: > simple, a 5v signal wire that can control a power socket that goes in between the wall socket and the appliance, **no messing around with relays.** if this is already out there please link me There won’t be any way withouth some form of relay. You should use one in one way or another: opto-, magneto-mechanical, or solidstate. Trying to conduct mains through a transistor or MOSFET connected to the 5 volt circuit is asking for trouble. ---
**Author:** ![n1ist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@n1ist](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/n1ist)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 11:29am UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/5v-controlled-power-adapter/20482/3 "2011-04-28T11:29:20Z")
Look at the [[power switch tail](http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9842). It does use a relay internally, but you don’t need to mess with the high-voltage side yourself. /mike]([IoT Power Relay - COM-14236 - SparkFun Electronics](http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9842)) ---
**Author:** ![dequo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a587f6/32.png) [@dequo](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/dequo)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/5v-controlled-power-adapter/20482/4 "2011-04-29T02:29:45Z")
valen i just meant to messing with relays yourself, a unit ready to go like n1ist posted. now we just need that in 240V… ---
**Author:** ![UNTEngineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b38774/32.png) [@UNTEngineer](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/UNTEngineer)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 6:35am UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/5v-controlled-power-adapter/20482/5 "2011-05-27T06:35:33Z")
It has to be either a solid state MOSFET relay or a mechanical relay. I’m already working on various designs to incorporate both types of relays for use with the Arduino UNO, the Teensy and for standalone use. ---
**Author:** ![erc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@erc](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/erc)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/5v-controlled-power-adapter/20482/6 "2011-05-27T20:08:19Z")
you wouldnt use a mosfet for switching line voltage AC power. You would use a thyristor based solid state relay. If turning things on and off you would use the zero crossing variety. If you are using it to dim an incandescent lamp or vary the output of a heater you would use the non-zero crossing variety. Alternately you can use the proper optocoupler (such as MOC30XX series) and a back to back pair of SCRs or a Triac. In either case make sure the required heat dissipation is considered as well as the requisite safety practices involved when working with line voltage AC power. ---
**Author:** ![phil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@phil](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/phil)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 9:57am UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/5v-controlled-power-adapter/20482/7 "2011-06-29T09:57:21Z")
There probably are many items out there which will work, but I recently bought one of these (in Australia) which I think pretty neat since they’re opto-isolated (and cheap). Not so cheap however are other parts like an enclosure and cable glands etc. \ [http://secure.oatleyelectronics.com//product\_info.php?cPath=100\_109&products\_id=275&osCsid=641ea4b81057a0846a61b92069f3c1ff](http://secure.oatleyelectronics.com//product_info.php?cPath=100_109&products_id=275&osCsid=641ea4b81057a0846a61b92069f3c1ff) \