I got my hands on a solid state relay and wanted to give it a try this week. A solid state relay allows you to control a high-current AC source with a low-current DC input:
I decided to power an extension cord so that I could plug any AC device into the current. To connect the extension cord to the relay, I clipped the “hot” wire of the extension cord (identified by having no writing on the wire), and attached each end to the relay leads:
Attached the DC source is simple as well. Here is the fully connected board. I first tested with a power supply to make sure the relay worked as intended:
Finally, I modified a simple board which enabled an output pin when the button was pressed. This turned on the relay, which turned on an immersion heater. I am almost ready to start building my sous-vide!