Solenoid PWM?

[RedHeadRobotics]

Our team did not use pneumatics last year, so I am unsure how to connect solenoids with the new controls system.
(We are not using the 24 volt solenoids in the kit, we are using 12 volt, this may affect set up)

1) I am assuming that we connect to a spike relay again (please correct if I am wrong)

2) Where do I connect the PWMs?
-Digital Sidecar with PWMs for motors?
-special place on the CRIO modules?

If anyone could help that would be amazing! I just remember how to do it with the old controls.


Thanks so much!

[rahilm]

Solenoids, starting last year, connect directly to the Solenoid breakout for the cRIO, which supplies both 12v and 24v.

[RedHeadRobotics]

Is that an adapter for one of the modules such as the analog break out board for CRIO?

[RedHeadRobotics]

or can I just connect the solenoids to the relay ports on the digital sidecar as we did with the old controller?

[pschre]

My team is also interested in the answer to this question.

We are using 6 double solenoids so after using all the ports on the Solenoid Breakout we have 2 un-wired.

Is it legal to power them the pre-cRIO way, Spikes off the power distribution board?

[Jason Law]

Originally Posted by RedHeadRobotics

Our team did not use pneumatics last year, so I am unsure how to connect solenoids with the new controls system.
(We are not using the 24 volt solenoids in the kit, we are using 12 volt, this may affect set up)

1) I am assuming that we connect to a spike relay again (please correct if I am wrong)

2) Where do I connect the PWMs?
-Digital Sidecar with PWMs for motors?
-special place on the CRIO modules?

If anyone could help that would be amazing! I just remember how to do it with the old controls.


Thanks so much!

1. The compressor is attached to the spike relay for turning on and off. You will need the electronic pressure switch to have the automatic shut off once the pneumatic zone reaches 115/120 psi.

The solenoids (ex. FRESCO, SMC) connector (two pin female) should be connected to the solenoid breakout on the cRIO (slot 7 or 8).

2. Are you talking about regular PWM cables? They go to the Digital Sidecar. The ones for the motor controllers go the the PWM side. Spike relays go to the Relay "zone". Some sensors go to the Digital I/O "zone". The cRIO modules, (ex. Analog Breakout) takes a PWM cable for certain things, such as the potentiometer (I believe).

Originally Posted by pschre

My team is also interested in the answer to this question.

We are using 6 double solenoids so after using all the ports on the Solenoid Breakout we have 2 un-wired.

Is it legal to power them the pre-cRIO way, Spikes off the power distribution board?

I believe that you can put another cRIO module in slot 7, and then have another solenoid breakout there. You might want to check the rules on that though...


Hope this helps.

[Mark McLeod]

Choices, choices, choices...
For solenoids:

• Solenoid Breakout (s) on cRIO Solenoid Module(s) in slots 7 and/or 8. Only one of these can be wired as 24v. Both can be wired as 12v. Each Solenoid Breakout is either all 12v or all 24v.
• Spikes connected via PWM to the Relay output(s) of a Digital Sidecar.

Mix and match as you need for a potential total of (8) 24v coils-a single solenoid or one side of a double solenoid. You can potentially have up to (48) 12v coils.

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by Mark McLeod

You can potentially have up to (48) 12v coils.

I count 32 (8 for slot 8, 8 for slot 7, 8 for each of two digital sidecars) What did I miss?

Not that I'm planning on using even 32 coils...

[Mark McLeod]

Originally Posted by Don Rotolo

I count 32 (8 for slot 8, 8 for slot 7, 8 for each of two digital sidecars) What did I miss?

Not that I'm planning on using even 32 coils...

So soon we forget.
One relay can support two coils each, so 8 relays...16 coils.

I suppose we need to leave one for the compressor, but I didn't want to sound the purist.

[DonRotolo]

Oh poop, that's absolutely correct.

yes, how soon. Must be old age or something...

[Mark McLeod]

Now if I were a purist I'd have to admit solenoids are fairly unlimited too.

<R49> Each power-regulating device (speed controller or relay module) shall control one and only one electrical load (motor, actuator or compressor).

A. Exception: Multiple low-load, pneumatic solenoid valves may be connected to a single relay module. This would allow one relay module to drive multiple pneumatic actions.