Im looking for some help on this circuit design. I'm pretty new to this so please bare with me. The idea involves about 15 capacitive switches and 12+ solenoids. I want to make it so that a different combination of solenoids extend while a capacitive switch is being touched and then retract when not. Sometimes one or more of the solenoids reacting may be the same Example: capacitive switch #2 is touched solenoids # 3,7, and 10 extend remove finger from switch all retract. Then capacitive switch #14 is touched solenoids 2,8, and 10 extend. What am I missing between the switches and solenoids to make this happen? Thank you for any help in advance.

 

There may be a solution you could cobble together with logic chips but I’m thinking you’d be better off going straight to a microprocessor. If you have no experience, you might look into Arduino. It’s a very popular choice of hobbyists and there’s tons of stuff on it online. You’ll be able to program in any logic you can think up.

To actually power the solenoids you’ll need a MOSFET switch for each combination (as much as one for each solenoid). No microprocessor will output enough power to operate the solenoids directly but it can control the MOSFETs, which in turn can switch the power to the solenoids.

 

Are the capacitive touch switches something you have with the electronics to handle them, or do you need to do that as well? If the latter, you need a microcontroller.

If these were just normal switches, you could do it all with diodes. Each switch would have one diode going to each solenoid it should activate.

Bob

 

If the solenoids are DC powered, then diodes can be used to make up the combination per switch, as long as the switches will take the current of the solenoids.

 

Can you post a link to the datasheet/spec of the capacitive switches?
Welcome to AAC!