TRIAC BASED LIGHT CONTROLLER

ABSTRACT
This project is intended for controlling mains powered disco lighting, although there are
many other possible uses for controlling almost any mains appliance. It will control five seperate
channels at up to 3 Amp per channel. This could be increased by designing another PCB with
wider tracks than the PCB included with this design. I could have used relays to control my
lights, but triacs seemed like a more sensible solution as they react quicker and are totally silent
as they contain no mechanical parts. The low voltage control side and the mains side are totally
isolated, as opto-couplers are used to fire the triacs. I have not included any schematics as this
project is very simple, especially due to the fact I have included a PCB.

BLOCK DIAGRAM

INPUT OPTO DETECTOR

ISOLATOR CIRCUIT TRIAC
POWER
ACTS AS
SWITCHES
CONTROL
SIGNAL
LAMP
LOAD

EXISTING SYSTEM
Most of the strobocopes designed for commercial use have a external trigger connectors on
the back of the strobocope. Those so that many stroboscopes can be easily wired to one
controller by just connecting the first connectors are typically 6.3 mm jacks or XLR connectors.
Sometimes there is one input and one output jacks stroboscope to controller and wiring next
stroboscope to the output of the first stroboscope etc.
Typical stroboscope inputs have following characteristics (may vary from manufacturer to
manufacturer): Allowed input voltage level is 0-10V; 10V pulse is guaranteed to trigger the
stroboscope; typically the stroboscopes will cappt trigger pulses in 3-10V range; Input
impedance is typically around 1 kohm; Trigger input is typically galvanically isolated from the
rest of the circuitry, in some models the trigger input can be in connection with the metal case of
stroboscope.

DISADVANTAGES OF EXISTING SYSTEMS

 Low voltage halogen lighting with a traditional transformer

 Par 36 pin spots; Any lamp with a transformer in it.

The light belonging to this category are somewhat inductive loads and contain a transformer. To
be able to dim the lights in this category you must have a dimmer which can handle inductive
load and works very symmetrically on both negative and positive halves of mains current (so no
DC component on output to saturate transformer). Using a dimmer not suitable for this kind of
use might result strange operation, damaged dimmer or burned out transformer.

PROPOSED SYSTEM

In this paper it is designed to switch the neutral side of the mains, although a few minor
modifications could change this. When current is passed through the low voltage side of the opt
isolator (through a resistor) a small LED inside the isolator illuminates. On the other side of the
opt isolator is a detector circuit, and when this detects light from the low voltage side it will
allow current to pass through the high voltage side. This applies a current to the gate of the triac
and allows it to conduct. This means current can flow through the load you have connected to the
circuit, through the triac and down to neutral.
ADVANTAGES OF PROPOSED SYSTEM

Triacs seemed like a more sensible solution as they react quicker and are totally silent as they
contain no mechanical parts. The low voltage control side and the mains side are totally isolated,
as opto-couplers are used to fire the triacs.
SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

 PROTEUS

 MPLAB

 MICRO PRO

HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
TRIAC : BTA06
Driver IC : MOC3021
Capacitor : 0.01uF (500V) ; 1000uF
Controller : PIC16F877A
Regulator : LM7805
Diodes : IN4007
Opto coupler : 4N25
Resistor : 0.25 Watts

APPLICATIONS:
 Disco
 Pubs
 Party shows
 Reality shows