AC Switch Family Invades Appliance Markets

Groomed for controlling appliance motors, the latest-generation ACST4, ACST6, and ACST8 ac switches include a power triac delivering enhanced commutation performance to turn the motor off without external components to suppress voltage transients. The switches also integrate protection against surge voltages up to 2kV on the ac line in accordance with the international IEC 61000-4-5. The ACST410 and ACST610 switches have a trigger current of 10 mA, allowing direct control by a CMOS device such as a MCU without requiring a buffer or driver. The ACST435 and ACST830 are high-immunity devices specifying noise immunity of at least 1 kV and 2 kV per microsecond, respectively, complying with the IEC 61000-4-4 fast transient burst test and eliminating any need for conditioning of the trigger signal. Pricing starts from $0.70 each/10,000. STMICROELECTRONICS, Lexington, MA. (888) 787-3550.