A relay is an electrically-operated switch. These switches can be extremely useful for a variety of Raspberry Pi projects (think turning on a light or opening your garage door. Watch the video below to learn how to drive a relay using your Raspberry Pi.
  | Raspberry Pi | × | 1 | |
| SainSmart 2-channel Relay Module | × | 1 |
Howchoo is reader-supported. As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a small affiliate commission at no cost to you when you buy through our links.
The following video will show you how to wire up the relay to your Raspberry Pi.
Here's a copy of the test script used in the video:
#!/usr/bin/env python
import time
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
GPIO.setup(17, GPIO.OUT)
GPIO.output(17, GPIO.LOW)
time.sleep(0.25)
GPIO.output(17, GPIO.HIGH)
GPIO.cleanup()To run the script, simply copy the code above to a file on your Raspberry Pi called test-relay.py (or whatever you want). And then run the script using:
python test-relay.py
If you don't know what time it is—this is the project for you! In this guide, I'll be covering all the basics you need to start your Raspberry Pi smart alarm clock project.
