How do we power the solenoid breakout. I know that we connect it to the positive and negative inputs and outputs on the breakout, but where and how do we connect it to the PD?
Are you using 12v or 24v solenoids?
12v it gets plugged into a 20 amp breaker on any of the slots.
24v it gets plugged into the cRIO power port.
I am little confuse who to connect to control solenoids, the 3 double 12 V to control solenoids, we use C++ Crio II , NI 9472 module, I connect 12 V solenoids by The spike each which should be connected to a PWM output of the Digital Sidecar and powered from the Power Distribution Board. So I need 6 Spikes. Is it right. May be there is anther way??
I read his http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112088
Solenoids can be powered via a Spike, or the breakout. Only 24volt solenoids have to be powered via the breakout as you cannot supply 24 volts to a Spike.
http://team358.org/files/programming/ControlSystem2009-/setup/2011DataDiagram.pdf
And
http://wpilib.screenstepslive.com/s/3120/m/8559/l/90113-2013-frc-control-system-hardware-overview
The Solenoid Breakout Board takes the Digital Outputs of the NI 9472 module and converts them into a form more readily usable by FRC teams. The Solenoid breakout board accepts 12V or 24V input power and provides a signal and ground output for each of the 8 output channels. The Solenoid Breakout Board should be plugged into the NI 9472 module and plugged into the Power Distribution Board.
In that case you could use spikes, but you can also use the breakout board. I personally would use the breakout board since it doesn’t take up the space of 6 spikes.
I was just reading through this thread and wanted to mention it in case anyone happens upon it in the future - if you do need to use spikes as you described, you wouldn’t need 6 spikes for 3 double solenoids. For solenoids spikes can operate 2 solenoids each, that’s why the relay object has off/forward/reverse/on the on mode does both solenoids… check wiring diagram in figure 2 of the spike user guide for details: http://content.vexrobotics.com/docs/spike-blue-guide-sep05.pdf
so in your case you could get by with 3 spikes.
hope that helps 