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Member's Forum Bistable/latching solenoid valve control circuit. Please help!
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  • change polarity
  • solenoid valve
Related

Bistable/latching solenoid valve control circuit. Please help!

sim.parkin
sim.parkin over 7 years ago

Hi there.

 

This is my first time posting and it's about my first electronics project since school image. So no need to say that i apologise if what I am asking is very simple but still I hope some one can help me.

 

So here's the situ... I want to be able to remotely switch a hose pipe on, but the thing is, the system is fixed into my vehicle so the whole thing has to be portable and run off batteries. I have a remote switch that at the press of a button (on the remote) can momentarily (or it can be set to self lock also) connect the battery to the solenoid valve and switch it on but the valve needs the polarity to be reversed and pulsed to switch it off again. For love nor money can I figure out a way of doing this? My head is in a whirl from all the h-bridge... dpdt relays... flipflops... etc.... every time I research something it seems I need something else to make it work. (if that makes sense) I am lost.

 

In short what I want to do is: Press the button on the remote control once and it turn the water flow on, and press it again and the water turn off. Basically its a momentary push button input that alternates between a +6v output and a -6v output. If that is possible.

 

I want to use this latching type relay because you can get low power ones of this type, but they also save battery power by only requiring a pulse of electricity to change state, rather than energising a coil for longer periods of time. Oh and I also want to avoid using microcontrollers if possible because I can't code.

 

Really hope someone out there can help. I also hope I remembered everything, if I missed something just let me know.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

 

Simon.

 

p.s. I found one other post like this with a guy with my exact problem but he gave up and used a non-latching type. image

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Top Replies

  • jw0752
    jw0752 over 7 years ago in reply to sim.parkin +4 suggested
    Hi Simon, The additional information was helpful and from this information in the data sheet: I have a little more confidence that my circuit can be made to work. Keep in mind you may have to experiment…
  • sim.parkin
    sim.parkin over 7 years ago +3 suggested
    Hi there Guys. Wowsers!! That was both quick and excellent!! Thanks so much for your help with this! Sorry for not being able to reply until now... life . I knew it was possible but couldn't get there…
  • jw0752
    jw0752 over 7 years ago +2 suggested
    Hi Simon, I may have a possible solution for you. This is a bistable or Flip flop that I was playing with the other day. This one is triggered by sound but it could just as easily be triggered with a momentary…
Parents
  • dougw
    0 dougw over 7 years ago

    It sounds like you need 3 states in succession:

    1. OFF
    2. Solenoid Closed
    3. Solenoid Open

    where the 3 state transitions are clocked by your button push.

    This can be done with relays, but relay logic gets tricky when dealing with state timing - you need to create predictable delays to avoid race conditions.

    It may require about 4 DPDT latching relays and a non-latching relay plus some capacitors and resistors.

    It is possible to get toggling relays and time-delay relays, but they are expensive and some require power.

    It might be possible to reduce the number of relays a bit if the relays have dual coils.

    Either way it starts to get expensive.

    You could imagine a 3-position rotary switch stepped by a ratcheting solenoid action, but it probably needs to be custom designed.

    You can do it with flip-flops and logic gates as John suggests or use logic chips like Johnson counters, or even an EPROM, but it is quite a bit of work to build such a circuit, power it properly, drive latching relays and make it survive the environment.

    Would it be possible to simply use 2 of your remote switches, one to open the solenoid and one to close it? If they were activated by a 3-position switch (momentary / center-off) they couldn't be turned on simultaneously. You might need some diodes, depending on output configuration.

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  • jw0752
    0 jw0752 over 7 years ago in reply to dougw

    Hi Doug,

    Simon will have to confirm but solenoid closed is probably Off too. Many of these fluid solenoids have to be energized to be open and they are normally closed.

    John

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  • jw0752
    0 jw0752 over 7 years ago in reply to dougw

    Hi Doug,

    Simon will have to confirm but solenoid closed is probably Off too. Many of these fluid solenoids have to be energized to be open and they are normally closed.

    John

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  • dougw
    0 dougw over 7 years ago in reply to jw0752

    You are correct - many are normally open or normally closed, but it sounds like this one needs a pulse with reverse polarity to close it.

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  • jw0752
    0 jw0752 over 7 years ago in reply to dougw

    There was some confusion in his post whether he was talking about a latching solenoid (I have never heard of one) or a small latching relay that is being used to activate the fluid solenoid. We will have to wait to see if he gives us some more information.

    John

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  • dougw
    0 dougw over 7 years ago in reply to jw0752

    Good point. I have seen multi-port control valves with two coils that are stable in multiple positions back when I was doing more hydraulics. Vickers or Eaton ring some bells.

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  • mcb1
    0 mcb1 over 7 years ago in reply to dougw

    Some of the water valves are latching, and use the water pressure to hold the valve open.

     

    The small electronic controlled water timers are a good example, while others use a cam arrangement to operate the necessary water flow.

    I suspect this is one of those given the need to reverse it.

     

    I would think a H bridge (either discrete or IC) might be the easist way to control the valve portion.

    It just needs a flip flop to drive the bridge for short time.

     

    Hopefully the OP can confirm the valve.

     

    Mark

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