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Solenoids and Thermocouples — Parallax Forums

Solenoids and Thermocouples

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2003-12-17 14:59 in General Discussion
I am brand new to this and just purchased my first BS2 board. I am
trying to control two solenoid valves, one from a thermocouple and
one from a potentiometer. Can anyone advise me on any literature
that could assist me in trying to achieve this project?

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-12-16 19:37
    You basically have two issues....input and output.

    For the input side you may need an ADC so you can read different analog values
    on the pot and the thermocouple...maybe RCTime will do what you need. If you
    decided to get clever I guess you could make a voltage to frequency counter and
    read that instead..but it's not exactly fun....

    Then on the output side I'd say a MOSFET with internal diode would fill the bill
    nicely. It can take the Amps you will need to run the Solenoid valves. Sure
    you could use transistors and such....it's your call.

    If you can give us a bit more on what your final project will do we might have
    other ways of doing it. Electronics has many ways to do the same task....[noparse]:)[/noparse]

    Tim


    >>> hughgoodbody@y... 12/16/03 11:36AM >>>
    I am brand new to this and just purchased my first BS2 board. I am
    trying to control two solenoid valves, one from a thermocouple and
    one from a potentiometer. Can anyone advise me on any literature
    that could assist me in trying to achieve this project?



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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-12-16 19:38
    --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, hughgoodbody@y... wrote:
    > I am brand new to this and just purchased my first BS2 board. I am
    > trying to control two solenoid valves, one from a thermocouple and
    > one from a potentiometer. Can anyone advise me on any literature
    > that could assist me in trying to achieve this project?

    I have been using a transistor to control a 6V DC 5 Watt oxygen
    solenoid using a 'ZTX689B'. The Parallax document that will help you
    is:-

    Stamp Application no. 6 (August '95)
    Silicon Steroids for the Stamp.
    Help Your Projects Heft Big Loads
    Using Switching Transistors, by Scott Edwards
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-12-16 20:05
    --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "Tim Hart" <tim.hart@h...> wrote:
    > You basically have two issues....input and output.
    >
    > For the input side you may need an ADC so you can read different
    analog values on the pot and the thermocouple...maybe RCTime will do
    what you need. If you decided to get clever I guess you could make a
    voltage to frequency counter and read that instead..but it's not
    exactly fun....
    >
    > Then on the output side I'd say a MOSFET with internal diode would
    fill the bill nicely. It can take the Amps you will need to run the
    Solenoid valves. Sure you could use transistors and such....it's
    your call.
    >
    > If you can give us a bit more on what your final project will do we
    might have other ways of doing it. Electronics has many ways to do
    the same task....[noparse]:)[/noparse]
    >
    > Tim

    That pretty much details it.

    there is a section on Analogue to digital chips in the manual. so
    that part is simple.

    if you want to control the solenoid as a switch, ie: if the temp is
    over x degrees, turn the solenoid on, under, turn it off, the just
    review the stuff on lighting LEDs.

    if you want to control near a setpoint, check the PID stuff in the
    industrial section of the parallax site.

    You can't 'ramp' a solenoid, but the PID stuff will detail how to
    pulse near your setpoint so as not to overhshoot.

    Dave




    >
    >
    > >>> hughgoodbody@y... 12/16/03 11:36AM >>>
    > I am brand new to this and just purchased my first BS2 board. I am
    > trying to control two solenoid valves, one from a thermocouple and
    > one from a potentiometer. Can anyone advise me on any literature
    > that could assist me in trying to achieve this project?
    >
    >
    >
    > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
    Subject and Body of the message will be ignored.
    >
    >
    > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-12-16 20:11
    There is a wealth of information (tutorials with code examples) at:
    www.parallax.com

    ken
    I am brand new to this and just purchased my first BS2 board. I am
    trying to control two solenoid valves, one from a thermocouple and
    one from a potentiometer. Can anyone advise me on any literature
    that could assist me in trying to achieve this project?


    [noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-12-17 10:01
    --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "Tim Hart" <tim.hart@h...> wrote:
    > You basically have two issues....input and output.
    >
    > For the input side you may need an ADC so you can read different
    analog values on the pot and the thermocouple...maybe RCTime will do
    what you need. If you decided to get clever I guess you could make
    a voltage to frequency counter and read that instead..but it's not
    exactly fun....
    >
    > Then on the output side I'd say a MOSFET with internal diode would
    fill the bill nicely. It can take the Amps you will need to run the
    Solenoid valves. Sure you could use transistors and such....it's
    your call.
    >
    > If you can give us a bit more on what your final project will do
    we might have other ways of doing it. Electronics has many ways to
    do the same task....[noparse]:)[/noparse]
    >
    > Tim
    >
    >



    Thanks for the info. What I am attempting to do is make a control
    system. I am using two proportional control solenoid valves to
    control the flow of two different fluids. One solenoid is controlled
    via the potentiometer and the solenoid opens in proportional to the
    pot. The other solenoid is controlled via a thermocouple and
    controls the flow of the fluid in relation to the temperature of the
    fluid.
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-12-17 14:59
    >
    > Thanks for the info. What I am attempting to do is make a control
    > system. I am using two proportional control solenoid valves to
    > control the flow of two different fluids. One solenoid is
    controlled
    > via the potentiometer and the solenoid opens in proportional to the
    > pot. The other solenoid is controlled via a thermocouple and
    > controls the flow of the fluid in relation to the temperature of
    the
    > fluid.

    I tend to think of solenoids as On/OFF devices.

    if you are trying to use them as proportional devices, the term
    actuator comes to mind as a device name.

    If it does open about 50% with a 2.5 volt signal and 100% with a 5V
    signal, then read up on PWM.

    That will output a linear signal, 0 to 5V for control. needs an R/C
    and an op-amp to take the pulses into a smooth output.

    Not sure how it would work directly into an L/C (the coil is an
    inductor ) device without the op-amp.

    Dave
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