Hello All,

I am new to this and I am looking to create a simple circuit to control a dual acting solenoid which has this kind of connection:



I have a first draft, I looking to turn on a switch one at a time to drive the solenoid to push in different directions, do you think this would work functionally?



Just a few questions:
Will the fly back diode prevent the solenoid from being damaged if it has appropriate rating in this case?
Are there better alternative circuits to perform this job?

Please if you can give improvements/suggestion to my circuit

Thank you for your time

 

That will work.
The diodes protect the switches not the solenoids.

 

Please if you can give improvements/suggestion to my circuit

The only change I would make is unless it is OK to have both coils energized at the same time rather than two individual switches (SPST) you may want to consider using a SPDT switch with a center OFF so you have ON-OFF-ON. This way you can't energize both coils at once.

Ron

 

That will work.
The diodes protect the switches not the solenoids.

Right! So will the solenoid be fine as it is for long term use?

 

The only change I would make is unless it is OK to have both coils energized at the same time rather than two individual switches (SPST) you may want to consider using a SPDT switch with a center OFF so you have ON-OFF-ON. This way you can't energize both coils at once.

Ron

Thanks for the tip, it nice to not have both buttons accidentally switched on together. Just wondering, is there a way to use two push buttons but not have them energize both the coils at once?

 

While I don't know of a push button switch which is SPDT there are likely some out there. Using two pushbuttons each SPST (momentary) a relay latching circuit could be put together but involves more parts. When the solenoid you have in mind is activated will it be held on or just a momentary thing as in pushing one button or the other briefly and only active while the button is held? Got a link to the solenoid?

Ron

 

Thanks for the tip, it nice to not have both buttons accidentally switched on together. Just wondering, is there a way to use two push buttons but not have them energize both the coils at once?

Two ways. One is with a mechanical interlock called a bail, so that pressing either switch releases the other. The other is to use two separate DPDT pushbutton switches that are interlocked *electrically*. For each switch, one set of contacts powers its solenoid, and the other set powers the other switch.

ak

 

Use 2 push buttons that have changeover contacts (SPDT)....

 

Beat me. I knew there was a SPDT solution, got half way there, had to run off.

ak