Can someone please recommend a handheld battery pack that can trigger 2 of these 12v Solenoids with a single jack plug.
Or please show me how to connect batteries to do the job.
The small round 12v shown does not trigger a single solenoid and my attempt to join 3 of these to run 2 solenoids have failed.
The 9v battery does trigger the solenoid but when i combined 2 together it worked a couple of times and then stopped.

 

How much current does a solenoid need to operate reliably, with sufficient pull/push power for your needs? The greater the current the quicker you will flatten any battery.
PP3 and key fob batteries won't last long or work well, as you've discovered. You may well need a small sealed lead-acid battery.
Do you have any specifications supplied with the solenoids?

 

If a PP3 only operates them a couple of times, I would guesstimate the total current is more than about 1A, or 500mA each.

The way to determine it is to measure the current. That is best done by using a battery or power supply that is more than sufficient. Then we can come up with a good battery recommendation. Also we would need to know how long the solenoid is held on and how often it is used to estimate battery life.

I am puzzled by your use scenario. Opening a lock by supplying power through a jack is not very secure.

 

Following the link, the specified current is 350MA which presumably means 350mA

 

Thanks.
In my application I could install manually operated latches but was hoping solenoids would be a lot snazzier.
As it would cost a lot to hardwire multiple rooms with power i was hoping the operator could carry the power supply to each lock, which would only be energised for a few seconds at a time.

 

A 9V battery will not prove 350mA for very long.
Suggest you use nine 1.5V AA or C alkaline batteries in series, for energizing the solenoid.
If you want rechargeable, then use 10 AA NiMH batteries in series.

 

Thank you crutschow, will that energize 2 solenoids at the same time ?

 

Thank you crutschow, will that energize 2 solenoids at the same time ?

It should if it needs just a momentary pulse.
New AA alkalines will deliver 2-4A for a short period.

How long will you need to energize the solenoids?

 

I`d say around 5-8 secs each time.

 

I`d say around 5-8 secs each time.

For maximum life use 10 batteries in series.
AA alkalines should then work for several hundred operations of the solenoid before needing replacement.

 

Thanks very much, I will try this out.

 

Thanks.
In my application I could install manually operated latches but was hoping solenoids would be a lot snazzier.
As it would cost a lot to hardwire multiple rooms with power i was hoping the operator could carry the power supply to each lock, which would only be energised for a few seconds at a time.

So... instead of simply activating a latch by hand, they have to carry around a power supply with them? I'm guessing that your operators are going to tire of your snazzy solution pretty quickly.

 

I would look into radio control actuators, you even have the opion of radio remote control, I have used these in the past and do a pretty good job .

 

Thanks to everyone that commented.
The power pack worked but as WBahn pointed out it turned out to be too big to lug around.
I built a prototype that has the battery attached to the frame and 2 tactile switches which open either solenoid.
Cheers guys.