Hi, I am the mechanical and design lead on my team and I just bought a solenoid actuator for one of the components on out bot. McMaster #69905K22. I just wanted to test it out so I just touched the wires to a battery and it didn’t do anything. We normally use pneumatic cylinders and I am not familiar with these, but I don’t see how it is not working. Could I have plugged the wires the wrong way and instantly broke it?
Also, assuming that I do figure out how to work this thing, I can just power it with a spike relay right?
I would ask someone on my team who knows electronics, but no one on my team really knows electronics besides how to setup the robot.
Thanks
With that solenoid actuator, the rod is extended normally. When you connect 12 volts DC to it, it should pull in about 3/4" with about 4 oz of force.
As you have discovered, when that doesn’t happen, there’s something wrong.
First thing I would try is make sure you really have 12 volts. Verify it somehow. Then I would try the wires the other way around. Normally a solenoid is not polarity-sensitive, but it is worth a try.
Last, measure the resistance of the solenoid. I am guessing that a 3.5 Watt 12 V solenoid would have a resistance of maybe 4 Ohms or so. If it is not even close to that, it may be faulty.
If you have 12 volts and it doesn’t move with the wires connected one way or the other, call McMaster and see about getting a replacement.