Solenoid Not Working

[professorX]

I programmed the relay that is connected to a solenoid to be control with button 6 and 7 on a joystick.

When I press button 6 on the joystick I see one a red light on one of the side of the solenoid light up and when I press button 7 I see the red light on the other side of the solenoid light up. The problem is that it does not activate the piston. The lights on the relay works since I see it turn green when I press button 6, turn red when I press button 7 and turn orange when I'm not pressing anything.

The solenoid works manually. When I push down on the orange button on one of the side of the solenoid the piston extends and I push down on the other side the piston goes in.

I tried different solenoids so I don't think that the solenoid is messed up. I don't think its the programming since the relay that is connected to the solenoid changes when I press the corresponding button and the light on the side of the solenoid turns red.

So what can it be?

Any help is appreciated since my team has to ship the robot soon.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by professorX

I programmed the relay that is connected to a solenoid to be control with button 6 and 7 on a joystick.

When I press button 6 on the joystick I see one a red light on one of the side of the solenoid light up and when I press button 7 I see the red light on the other side of the solenoid light up. The problem is that it does not activate the piston. The lights on the relay works since I see it turn green when I press button 6, turn red when I press button 7 and turn orange when I'm not pressing anything.

The solenoid works manually. When I push down on the orange button on one of the side of the solenoid the piston extends and I push down on the other side the piston goes in.

I tried different solenoids so I don't think that the solenoid is messed up. I don't think its the programming since the relay that is connected to the solenoid changes when I press the corresponding button and the light on the side of the solenoid turns red.

So what can it be?

Any help is appreciated since my team has to ship the robot soon.

Is the solenoid a 24V one, by any chance? The ones in the KOP in past years had a particular mod to get them to work with 12V. Classic symptom was the manual firing worked and the electronic didn't.

[professorX]

Originally Posted by EricH

Is the solenoid a 24V one, by any chance? The ones in the KOP in past years had a particular mod to get them to work with 12V. Classic symptom was the manual firing worked and the electronic didn't.

Is there any way to get them to work electrically?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by professorX

Is there any way to get them to work electrically?

Yes. However, I don't know exactly what it is. I'll let the folks who actually do that sort of thing explain how. (It may also be in an old FRC pneumatics manual.)

It would also kind of depend on the solenoid.

[professorX]

It is the SMC’s double solenoid valve.

I connected the two red wires to the M+ and M- on the spike and the two black wires are connected to the Power Distribution Block both conducting negative charge.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by professorX

It is the SMC’s double solenoid valve.

Oh, that one. Yeah, that comes in the older KOPs as a 24V, with the conversion stuff. Problem is, I don't know how to do it. I think it has something to do with a small gray clip or something, but I really don't know. Could someone who's done that conversion weigh in here?

[professorX]

Originally Posted by EricH

Oh, that one. Yeah, that comes in the older KOPs as a 24V, with the conversion stuff. Problem is, I don't know how to do it. I think it has something to do with a small gray clip or something, but I really don't know. Could someone who's done that conversion weigh in here?

EricH, thank you for your help so far.
I'm still trying to figure out how to make it work electrically.

My team might end up using the festo single solenoid but I'm not sure how it suppose to wire to the the pneumatic bumber on slot 8. And also, would it work if I connected the festo solenoid to a relay?

[professorX]

We finally got the SMC solenoid valve to work.

The problem was that both of the solenoid that we used were not functional.

Thank you EricH for you help.