My apologies if anyone is insulted by this question.
I have this recording studio. And there is a front door with a gate that I always leave locked. I want to put a little tiny button outside the door to the building that people can press to turn on a light bulb in my control room to silently signal me that someone is there. Rather than running a leg of the 120v AC circuit out to the
*public* sidewalk and having some high-current switch out there (not to mention bulky wire and conduit) - I just want a little tiny button with wimpy little wires (it will be about a 30' run).Enter the relay, right?
My question is what type of relay to look for and I am also looking for any suggestions. I have a mouser account and a digi-key account (which makes me a certified hack). I realize it sounds simple - but there is so much to know - like what the current requirements are for the little buzzer "button" on the relay based on the relay's capacities...and the switching of the relay itself...for maybe a small
20-40w AC bulb. Do relays work like this? Or does the "control" on a relay have to receive power from a second source? Are there relays that can use switching power from the host power itself? Or is this not possible? Should I just bust open a door bell from home depot and try to hook a light bulb up to it?