Which Arduino?

Projects General Guidance
1

New to arduino and looking to start learning. My goal is to make a pneumatic shifting system in the future so I figured I should start learning now. My main question is, if my project is going to be controlling 4 solenoids which arduino is best to start off with? Should i explore one that would be more expandable later or is a beginner kit a good starting point?

Thanks for anyone's help. Just another novice trying to learn something new! :grin:

2

or is a beginner kit a good starting point?

If you are serious about staying with Arduino and intend on performing broad range of example experiments, then buy the kit.

If you are anxious to complete this one project, write it up, and move on with life then buy part by part. An UNO will manage 4 solenoids (drivers required) but if your project needs to manage set points and handle I/O with numerous sensors, you may wish to consider the Mega2560.

If, the above makes no sense, just buy Uno (inexpensive) secure 1 representative solenoid, a driver FET, etc. After you work out how to handle 1, revisit the Arduino board question. A spare UNO is a most useful device: ArduinoISP, logic and analog analyzer/logger
String numeric output with V-USB HID - Exhibition / Gallery - Arduino Forum, etc.

Ray

3

Thank you Ray! I'm very eager to learn arduino in general but it just so happened that a lot of other people are using arduino for the same project as to why I picked it. It is for a FSAE racecar. I will have to have some type of feedback for recording which gear the car is in as well as to shift between gears or "half shift" between 1st and 2nd gear as this is a motorcycle engine and Neutral is located between 1st and 2nd. I was looking at the UNO earlier and I believe i might buy that for my own learning and move up to the mega like you were saying. They are both not very expensive so i might just do that.

4

Start with the beginners kit. The Uno should cope with your ultimate goal.

Mark

5

holmes4:
Start with the beginners kit. The Uno should cope with your ultimate goal.

Mark

Thanks mark appreciate the feedback!