LED Christmas Lights & MTH AIU

Although the relays that are used in an AIU are rated for 250VAC, the circuit board does not appear to be designed with AC voltages as high as 120V in mind.  The spacing between traces and other traces or pads is quite small in some places. 

One safe solution would be to use the AIU to control an additional external relay that has screw-type terminals for the contacts that have adequate space between terminals.

Another option is a light-sensor wall outlet.  These are typically used to turn on a lamp at dusk and off at dawn.  So an AIU port would turn on/off a low-voltage LED or low-voltage light bulb "aimed" at the wall outlet sensor.  In this way you don't have to mess with splicing 120V wiring.

The rub with this approach is it operates "backwards".  When you shut off power to your layout/AIU, there is no power to your low-voltage LED/bulb and the Christmas lights will turn on via the wall outlet.  So I suppose you could plug-in the light-sensor wall outlet into the main layout AC power strip.

Get a hold of Jim Barrett as years ago he talked about having his AIU wired so it'd turn his coffee maker on & off 

Jim used an external relay, as Dale suggested above.

Thanks ... Dale ... Stan ... Casey Jones & Barry ... for your suggestions.

I think the easiest way to handle the opportunity is to use a wireless remote control that will control the power coming from the wall outlet.

Thanks again for your assistance.  This is what makes the OGR Forum THE PLACE to go for knowledge and friendship.

Are you going to use the AIU to activate the ON and OFF buttons?

Stan ... I was not planning on using the AIU to activate the remote control.  The circuit board in the remote control is real small and to wiring it to the AIU does not seem worth it.  The layout that I will be using this on is 5' x 8' so the remote control will be within arms reach at all time ... just slightly inconvenient not having it on the AIU which would be controlled by the MTH remote control.

If you believe that it would be advisable to wire the wall outlet remote through the AIU ... please let me know.

Thanks for your inquiry.

Only if you want to integrate the Christmas light operation into a DCS record/playback script.

Yes, it can be tedious attaching wires from the AIU port(s) to the tiny switches in these miniature remotes.  I was going to suggest that if going thru the trouble of doing so, it might be worth considering a 2 or 3 outlet version which don't cost much more. 

Stan ... thanks for the updated info ... I have used both the Home Depot single and 3 pack remotes on other layouts as well as the Staples model.  I purchase them during their after December 25th sale.  All function well and do the job ... the only draw back is the size of the plug in unit (rather large) ... but as least it has a pigtail so it does not hog the AC outlet (which I use a power strip that is then plugged into a wall outlet).  In addition, the plug in unit has a screw hole on the back to facilitate mounting to a piece of wood on the layout (like a table leg).