2008 Festo Solenoid
 

I'm working on a little project with some of the FIRST pneumatics parts from the 2008 season. I know to trip the solenoid I need 12volts, but does anyone know the appropriate amperage for the solenoid?

Re: 2008 Festo Solenoid
 

The problem is I'm not using any of the Crio or robot controller or any of the FIRST control systems. I have a switch that when pressed I want to have the solenoid be tripped. The setup is basically a battery->switch->resistor->solenoid I just need to know how many amperage range of the solenoid so that I can use an appropriate resistor so that the solenoid has enough power to activate but not so much that it frys. (Also I do understand that I need 30psi to trip the solenoid)

Re: 2008 Festo Solenoid
 

10 amps? I can't imagine any valve needing that.

I don't believe that is the valve he is looking for anyway.

A good rule of thumb for most small solenoids is 1 watt and if I remember correctly that particular solenoid was much happier at a minimum of 40 psi.

Re: 2008 Festo Solenoid
 

10 amps? or 10 milliamps? cause the stock connection wires are tiny. I think you'd light them up with 10 amps

Re: 2008 Festo Solenoid
 

right now just based on the assumption of 1 watt.

P=EI
P/E=I
1W/12V=.0833333A=833mA
E=IR
E/I=R
12V/.083333A=144ohms

Tomorrow I'll hook up the compressor and give this a try. Also if anyone was wondering the project is basically a claymore for airsoft games. I've already assembled most of the project, but when it's done you'll be able to stake down the claymore and run back to a position with the clacker (not sure if that's the technical term but it's the switch I'm using to set off the claymore) and then when you hit the switch it'll shoot baking soda, flour etc. (In airsoft most claymores and mines shoot flour or a similar material instead of bbs)

Re: 2008 Festo Solenoid
 

the output of the solenoid break out is .75 amps. So if I did the math right you need 16 ohms of resistances to limit the current of 12v to .75 amps. my math was 12/.75 in accordance to I=E/R of course

Re: 2008 Festo Solenoid
 

I may be necromancing this thread, but I happen to be working with a 2008 festo solenoid at the moment and have a multimeter and supply handy.

The festo valve's solenoid coil, when connected directly to a 12v supply, will draw about 120 milliamps (.12A). It needs no resistor in series with it. The 2008 pneumatics system was wired as such:
[spike relay +] -> [solenoid +]
[spike relay -] -> [solenoid -]

The spike relay has incredibly low internal resistance, analogous to a switch. You can run your solenoid without any external resistor (and in fact you should). Its internal resistance is roughly equivalent to 100 ohms.

Your circuit (for manual actuation with a switch) should look like:
[power supply +] -> [switch] -> [solenoid +]
[power supply ground] -> [solenoid 1]

Re: 2008 Festo Solenoid
 

Solenoid info aside, this sounds like a really cool project! I happen to be heading out to buy a new airsoft gun tomorrow. I would love to see some pics/vids once you've got this working!

Re: 2008 Festo Solenoid
 

I'm not familiar with the 2008 valves but most solenoid valves need very little power (~1 Watt) because the solenoid itself is not shifting the valve spool. It opens a tiny port to let pilot pressure do the work.

Look at the valve symbol (usually printed right on the valve). If the operator is shown as a small box with a diagonal line, it's a solenoid. If it also has a triangle it has an air pilot assist, so the solenoid is doing almost no work.

As a side note, if it also has a little "top hat" that's a manual operator. Great for troubleshooting without bothering those pesky programmers. ;)

Here's an example of a 5-way, 2-position double solenoid valve with pilot assist and manual overrides:

Re: 2008 Festo Solenoid
 

I would be very careful making a flour geyser in the presence of any possible spark or ignition source. Grain elevators and other such handlers of particulate organic material are susceptible to highly dangerous explosions when and if the correct distribution of particles is ignited. It may be spectacular for hundreds of trial runs, but that one time you get the mixture right=wrong spectacular will turn into disaster. ::ouch::