Hey I have an Arduino Uno and I am trying to control a pwm solenoid in a transmission. The solenoid draws 1.1 amps at max duty cycle. How can I achieve this? Thanks!
1.1 amps at what voltage? 5V?
You'll want some kind of buffer or driver circuit.
This may be as easy as a transistor, or as hard as specialized driver chips with cooling fins and stuff, depending on voltage, duty cycle, requirements for PWM vs analog conversion, etc.
Why not use phototransistor optocouplers like the 4N25? It is a bundle of an infrared transmitter led and a phototransistor in an IC.
Datasheet: Cytron.io - Simplifying Digital Making
Why not use phototransistor optocouplers like the 4N25?
Because they're not rated for the sort of loads the OP specified, by quite some margin
Look in Playground :
http://arduino.cc/playground/Learning/SolenoidTutorial
Oh wow, lol, I have been searching around for how to amplify a pwm output; I should have just been searching exactly what I was doing, controlling a solenoid. Thanks a bunch!
Hi, Here's a board that can handle that voltage and current, and is optically isiolated.
http://arduino-direct.com/sunshop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=60
Make sure you understand about absorbing back voltage from the inductance of the solenoid.
There's so How-To for using this Here:
http://arduino-info.wikispaces.com/Brick-4ChannelPowerFetSwitch
And general Arduino Power stuff here:
http://arduino-info.wikispaces.com/ArduinoPower
DISCLAIMER: Mentioned stuff from my own shop...!