On 5/25/2010 6:33 AM, scott wrote:

>> 3. Relays presumably use about 100x the current that an IC can supply.
>
> Hehe no, I've got a tiny surface mount IC here that is driving 6W of
> LEDs directly.
>

It's more about the relay's coil being an inductor. Once the IC 
switches, it will send a high voltage pulse back through the IC, frying 
it nicely. There are ways to get around that, but I'll leave that as an 
exercise to the reader to figure that out.

Hint: The circuit simulator has an example of this. :)

-- 
~Mike

Post a reply to this message