TomGeorge:
Hi,The Cathode end of the diode, the end with the white band goes to the positive side of the solenoid, and the other end of the diode to the negative end of the solenoid.
Tom...
Ahh alright yeah that makes sense, since it's some kind of one way vavle as far as I understood. So the grey little band should be connected like this. The black wire is ground wire.
I'm guessing I might have burned my diode, since it emitted some smoke? Should I fetch a new one?