i need help with this as im trying to fugure out how to make the hd header on the mainborad flip a relay to a device attatched to the mains supply when a certian amount of usage is achieve, i though about modifying the circuit macroman posted as that would give me the set level for the relay to switch in but i still would not have enough current to flip the relay. any ideas on how to do that so when my hard drive is uses lingtly nothing happens but when there is a fiar bit of usage it flips the relay to the mains device? the reason why i want to do this will all be revealed when ive finished [<--lookie my evil grin] oh i should also poitn out i am a total n00b when it comes to electronics (sorry lads its not going to be easy)
Well, a triac optoisolator driving another triac is the cheap way to go. Check out the diagrams at http://www.discolitez.com/ for some more enlightenment.
