I am looking for an inexpensive way to remotely turn on and off three amps. Obviously, I need some piece of equipment with IR control into which I can plug the amps (or plug the amps into a strip and the strip into the device). Any ideas?

IR543 and x10 appliance module

The Niles AC-3 is a 3 oulet (2 switched 1 unswitched) 12V triggered. I'm sure you ould make it work for what you want to do

xantech ac2 ir controled outlet

The major pieces are the Niles and the Xantech, but they are not IR controlled themselves. You can get a Xantech CC12, which is an IR-controlled relay, and use it to turn on either the Niles or Xantech outlet. You can also plug a wall wart into an audio/video receiver or the like, and have that voltage switch on the Niles or Xantech piece. Lexicon preamps have 12 volt control outputs that can be used for this directly.

Panamax has power strips that can turn on outlets. They use two different approaches -- one uses a trigger voltage like above, but the trigger voltage can even be 120V via a power plug! The other approach is for a circuit in the Panamax to sense how much current is drawn by a component, and to turn on particular outlets when that component draws more current (which is to say, when it is turned on).

Let me rephrase that : Panamax has boxes, not power strips, with such control.

I posted this a while back:


Dundas, check out:
[Link: remotecentral.com]

And, to quote from that thread:
"I don't know why I didn't think of it before, but I've recommended this to someone else here. Sears carries a device that senses current draw and switches on plugged-in equipment. It is called the Craftsman Autoswitch, Sears part # 00924031000. It's normally used to switch on a shop vac when a saw or other tool is turned on.

"The only concern is that the receiver... " (or in your case, Dundas, the TV) "...alone doesn't draw enough current to activate the device, so you may need to plug a power strip into it, so more than just the receiver draws from the sensing outlet."

I use one to power on my Sunfire Stereo and Sunfire Cinema Grand amps when I turn on my system. My preamp wasn't enough of a load to trigger the switch by itself when turned on, so your TV's "tricle current" won't be a problem, but hopefully your TV will use enough current when turned on to trip the switch.

Dundas, go to:
[Link: sears.com] to see the item.

If that doesn't work, go to:
[Link: sears.com]
and type (or copy'n'paste) this number: 00924031000
into the search window, and click on 'GO'. Then, click on the item name for a better description.
They are usually in stock at your nearby Sears, so you don't have to buy online.

Larry
www.fineelectricco.com

Numerous pieces of Xantech and Nilse componentry can accomplish this task. Do your amps that you wish to trigger have 12 volt trigger inputs? If so, there is a myriad of options out there for you. E-Mail me with info, and I can tell you what might work...

Okay, here's a current (pardon the pun) link: click here

Larry
www.fineelectricco.com