Electronic timer circuit help/design
Pifester
Posts: 2
Morning everyone, fairly new to the forum, and fairly new to building something from scratch. Usually I find something in the "hav'nt used it in years/junk pile" and modify it to fit my needs. But this time I need something purpose built.
If this is not the place to ask, I apologize in advance.
Circuit scope: act as a timer on a pneumatic air chamber (small).
assembly plan?: 3 switches: on/off, increase time, activate circuit
10 led's: as the increase time switch is pressed, another led lights up giving you a visual indication of how many seconds delay you have.
solenoid: once timer has completed, solenoid activates a dump valve.
If anyone has any ideas, or better places to look, please feel free to let me know.
If this is not the place to ask, I apologize in advance.
Circuit scope: act as a timer on a pneumatic air chamber (small).
assembly plan?: 3 switches: on/off, increase time, activate circuit
10 led's: as the increase time switch is pressed, another led lights up giving you a visual indication of how many seconds delay you have.
solenoid: once timer has completed, solenoid activates a dump valve.
If anyone has any ideas, or better places to look, please feel free to let me know.
Comments
This sounds like a good project for the Basic Stamp.or Propeller.
Could you provide some more detail?
1) What are the power requirements of the solenoid, AC/DC, volts, amps?
2) Could you provide more detail on how it should work?
Here is what I gatehered from your description, please expand and correct anything that isn't correct:
a) On power up, solenoid is NOT energized, and default time out is "X".
b) User can increase timeout in one second intervals using "Increase" pushbutton. 1 to 10 LED's will be illuminated indicating 1 to 10 second delay.
c) When the user activates the count down by pressing the "Activate" button the LED's will be extinguished in reverse order from total timeout to zero.
d) Solenoid will be energized when countdown reaches zero.
3) Here are some questions I have based on my assumptions:
a) Should there be a "Decrease" button as well as "Increase"?
b) Is "Increase" (also "Decrease" if added) locked out once a user starts a count down cycle?
c) How long does the solenoid stay energized after the countdown completes? Does it stay energized until the next countdown?
Thanks,
C.W.
I have finished making a co2 powered smoke grenade - not necessarily "smoke" but its a really decent cloud of baby powder when it goes off. Only problem is timing the release. Current design is a small micro line that is attached to a small dump valve. When the dump valve is activated it drops the pressure in another chamber, which then activates a piston valve where the real air pressure is stored.
Biggest benefit is its reuseable, and rechargeable in seconds.
The power requirements: 9volt.
I was planning on stealing a paintball electronic trigger solenoid for that part (designed to be small and work with 9v already)
There is no real need to have it be able to decrease the time, I figured turn it off & back on if you needed to reset it. The solenoid only needs to "pop" the dump valve, no need to stay energized. Once the dump valve opens, the whole assembly activates. Size might be the only issue, the smaller the better. I been looking at this, http://www.electronickits.com/kit/complete/timers/canck002.htm and thinking I can work this in somehow, but I still prefer lights as a display indicator.
Here is what I gathered from your description, please expand and correct anything that isn't correct:
a) On power up, solenoid is NOT energized, and default time out is "X".
Correct
b) User can increase timeout in one second intervals using "Increase" pushbutton. 1 to 10 LED's will be illuminated indicating 1 to 10 second delay.
Correct
c) When the user activates the count down by pressing the "Activate" button the LED's will be extinguished in reverse order from total timeout to zero.
No real need, once its activated - no one will be worrying about the lights
d) Solenoid will be energized when countdown reaches zero.
correct
3) Here are some questions I have based on my assumptions:
a) Should there be a "Decrease" button as well as "Increase"?
no need imo.
b) Is "Increase" (also "Decrease" if added) locked out once a user starts a count down cycle?
yep, no changing it
c) How long does the solenoid stay energized after the countdown completes? Does it stay energized until the next countdown?
Should activate longe enough to trip a valve, then once the valve is open, no need.
So basically you turn it on, set the delay and toss it.
At this point I'm thinking a PIC or AVR might be a good solution, I'll give it some thought while we wait for others to chime in.
C.W.