Question about Arduino Uno + Solenoid

Hello.
I have a question about Arduino Uno + Solenoid system.

I made the system, but the solenoid is not working at all.
I would like to write more information in the next post (response).

I really appreciate your help.

I am trying to control a solenoid with Arduino Uno referencing this.

The electronic parts shop I went to did not have the exact same things. But they gave me the things which might work.
So, now, I have the following:

I followed the schematic and build the circuit.
However, it is not working at all.
It does not make any sounds and it does not heat up.

Did I get something wrong?
Should I get other parts?

I am a ME student and I am not familiar with this kind of things.
I really appreciate your help.

Thank you very much.

Well the first link doesn't seem to work, at least for me. The first question I would have you answer is about the 9vdc battery you are trying to use with the solenoid. Is this a standard small transistor radio 9 volt battery? If so it will never have the current capacity to pull in a solenoid in my opinion.

Lefty

The data sheet for the solenoid seems to indicate the solenoid might work with a 9v battery (appears to be an outline of a 9v battery in the upper right). I agree the 9v battery will not adequately power normal solenoids. A test would be to connect the solenoid to the 9v battery and see if it works, and also measure the resulting voltage drop across the battery.

retrolefty, Richard Crowley

Thank you very much for your response.

I am using a standard small rectangular battery.

246 — 9 Volt Carbon Zinc Battery - NEDA 1602, IEC-6F50-2

URL:http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/246.pdf

If this does not work, what kind of battery do I need to use?
Could you give me an example?

And, sorry for the first URL.
Please use the following.

Wiring Diagram:http://www.arduino.cc/playground/uploads/Learning/solenoid_driver.pdf

If this does not work, what kind of battery do I need to use?
Could you give me an example?

That really depends on how you will be using the solenoid. First you have to power the solenoid from a voltage source strong enough to operate the solenoid and still maintain it's rated voltage. You then should measure the actual current the solenoid to consuming at that voltage. Knowing the current consumption you next need to determine how long you want to be able to power the solenoid. That will give you the amp/hours (or milliamp/hours) required for your application. Only then can you properly size the battery. You may end up needing AA, C or even D size cells wired in series to obtain your voltage. Then you have to decide if this is practical from a battery cost replacement point of view and decide to go with rechargeable batteries. Must the project be battey powered, if not then AC to DC power supplies might be more practical.

So get the basic requirement figured out first and come back.

Lefty

zoomkat

Thank you very much for your response.

When I connected the 9V battery directly to the solenoid, the voltage dropped 9V to 4.2V.
The solenoid did not work but it heated up a little.

I connected the 9V battery directly to the solenoid, the voltage dropped 9V to 4.2V.
The solenoid did not work but it heated up a little.

That just validates that a standard transistor radio 9vdc battery does not have the current capacity to operate your specific solenoid. You must find a 9vdc voltage source with enough current capacity so that you can then measure what the actual current draw of the solenoid is.

Lefty

retrolefty

I understand that the battery does not have enough current.

But, here, I have a question.
On the schematic, they are using a transistor.
I thought that the transistor made current bigger.

Do I still need to use something with bigger current?

But, here, I have a question.
On the schematic, they are using a transistor.
I thought that the transistor made current bigger.

Do I still need to use something with bigger current?

A transistor can just control the amount of current, not produce it. In your case the transistor is just acting like a switch turning the solenoid on or off. The power source is what has to provide the current. The resistance of the solenoid is what determines how much current will be required. It's basic ohms law, taught in DC electronics fundamentals.

Also I see a more fundamental problem while looking at the solenoid datasheet you linked to. It is a LATCHING solenoid which mean you have to reverse the current direction to set and reset the solenoid. That will complicate the circuitry needed a lot and most likely beyond your level of experience at this time. Most solenoids are non latching, they pull in with voltage applied and release when the voltage is removed. Yours latches with voltage applied at one polarity and requires the voltage polarity to be reversed to unlatch the solenoid. See the little drawing in the datasheet near the bottom labeled coil polarity.

You might consider returning that solenoid for a more normal non latching type. But again you haven't told us what your project is doing and how the solenoid will be utilized.

Lefty

Richard Crowley, retrolefty

Thank you for teaching me about the transistor.
I misunderstood about it.

My project is to insert a solenoid pin to a disk to lock the disk in place for a while.
I thought that my solenoid was a push type solenoid, but I made a mistake and bought a pulling type.
I need to demonstrate this system for few minutes so I thought that my solenoid was still ok.
But, if this is too complicated to use for me, I do not mind to replace this at all.

So, I looked at other solenoids and found one.
Do you think that this works?

thank you for your help. I'll be back tomorrow.

You need to review the specs of the solenoid you end up with.

For instance, the one you started with
Ledex C5-L-272-B-1
has a coil resistance of 11.52 ohms - so 9V/11.52ohm = 0.78A (780mA) make the solenoid do something. If you had the 271-B-1 the coil resistance is 25.77 ohm, which lowers the current needed some - 9V/25.77ohm = 349mA. Still a lot.
The Grainger part is listed as needed 12V to activate it.

Suggest you register at Ledex
http://www.ledex.com/battery-operated-solenoids/battery-solenoid-selection.html
and browse around to see if anything here can do what you need.
If not, there is at least one other miniature solenoid maker also, I was looking at them recently but don't recall their name.

Might a small radio control servo be used to move a pin into and out of a hole in your disk?

http://www.hobby-lobby.com/erc_4_gram_precision_micro_servo_1033983_prd1.htm

Lefty

Richard Crowley

I need a locking mechanism to insert its pin into a disk and to lock the position of the disk.
Any micro solenoid should be ok for my project.
I just need something to move back and forward (mostly back, then forward when I need to lock the position) and to be able to be controlled with my arduino.
My group member wanted to use a solenoid for this, so I am using a solenoid now.

Also, I am using the battery since I already had couple of them and they were used in the examples.
Since the battery said 9V, I thought that the battery was appropriate.
But it seems like not appropriate.

Current is much more important than what I expected.

CrossRoads

Thank you very much for your response and for your explanation.
I could understand solenoids more.

I am from country side and there are not many stores here that are selling solenoids.
And I need finish this part of the project as soon as possible.
So, I was looking at the Grainger.

I will look for some stores which have the Ledex solenoid and which are close to my town.

retrolefty

Actually, I thought so, too.
However, my group member wanted to use a solenoid.

Since my solenoid might be too much for me, I do not have much time left to buy a new appropriate one and to find how to use it, and fortunately I have a servo motor, I will use the servo and to try to convince my group members that it will work with a servo.

But still I have a solenoid here, even if I can not control this, I would like to reach the level which can move a solenoid.
I learned that the 9V battery current is not enough to my solenoid and there are several kinds of solenoid, such as latching and non-latching.
After this semester is done, I would like to try my solenoid again.

Thank you very much all of you.
I should have put the question earlier instead of trying this problem by myself for 1 week.

Thank you very much again.

Richard Crowley

Yes. I understand that the current is not enough and I need to use a different type battery.

However, as Lefty told me, my solenoid is a latching solenoid.
He said that the solenoid would complicate my wiring because I need to reverse the polarity to retract/extend the solenoid.

Since I need to finish this soon, if non-latching solenoid is easier to use, I would like to get another solenoid.

One person suggested that I use a servo motor for my project.
Fortunately, I have one and I can move and control it.
So, first, I would like try with the servo motor and if it does not work for my project, then, I would like to purchase another solenoid and appropriate battery.

Thank you very much for your time and your consideration.

The pull-in current requirement is likely much higher than the hold current. You might consider using a big-ass capacitor to give you the pull-in current. 22,000 microfarads charging through a 200 ohm resistor should not overly tax your power supply, but will provide plenty of oomph to pull the solenoid in.