How to conect solenoids to the circuit board. and how to program it...???

[arpitshah]

we are having problem connecting the solenoid to the electronics...we can not figure it out that where to collect the solenoid wires on the circuit board. like we don't even know where to attach those 2 red and black wires and also that waht are they gonna do..we are thinking that those black and red wires are the one who will provide the power to the solenoid but than the quesrtion is that where we gonna attach the pwm like cables that will bring the command to the solenoid.... moreover we don't even know how and what to program to use the solenoids. the single swith solenoid is the one we want to use. So if u guys can help us out that would be really great..basicall we are trying the pneumatics for the first time so we don't know anything about the pneumatics.....thanks a lot...
:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

[jee7s]

Solenoids draw quite a bit of current, so you can't connect them directly to the RC, they need to go through a relay. How you wire it depends on the valve you are using. Generally speaking, the relay will put voltage on the solenoid coil, which will in turn cause current to flow, creating the magnetic field that opens the valve.

So, you need to wire the solenoid to a relay output, then wire the RC to the relay using a 3-pin cable connected to the RC relay header.

-JEE

[Al Skierkiewicz]

The relays which Jeff discusses are known also by the name IFI Spike. You received several in your Kit Of Parts.

[Gary Dillard]

Check out the documentation for the Spike Relay on the IFI website, found here (http://www.ifirobotics.com/docs/spike-blue-guide-sep05.pdf). It shows how to wire up single and double solenoids and what the different pwm signals from the controller to the Spike do for solenoid control.

[nickcvet89]

To connect the solinoids you will need a spike. The black which is ground (negative) connects to the circuit breaker panel where it says negative and the red connects to the same panel but to a 20 amp breaker not fuse. The m+ and m- on the spike is where you connect the solinoid. I believe that you take a black wire from one side of the solinoid and a red wire from the other side and put a connector to it, do the same for the other two. Also the programming for it is the default code which i believe uses relay outputs 2&3. Not sure on that one but this stuff should help you.

[Gary Dillard]

I believe that you take a black wire from one side of the solinoid and a red wire from the other side and put a connector to it, do the same for the other two.

That's the way I've always done it, but that's not what the manual says. There is an old thread debating the merits and risks of this method; I've never had a problem doing it that way, and the standard EasyC code library works fine with it either way.

[nickcvet89]

Yea me too, never had problems with it and we've been doing it for over 6 years so it think it's fine, but we would do it the other way if the manual was more clear as to how to wire it.