about electricity. I have an invention that requires some actuations that I believe can best be controlled by several electric circuits. Here are the baseline requirements:

Must be low voltage, DC 12V max (if the power needs can be met with lower voltage to do the work all the better) at the lowest amperage possible. This is to energise a normally closed solenoid and a controlling/timing circuit to actuate said solenoid (at as yet an unknown frequency and duration).

I am entirely new here.

R/Mark

 

It would be useful to post a block diagram of what you want to do.
Then come and solutions.

 

What does the solenoid have to move? How much force and over what distance?

 

Then, why did you reply?

Ok, I will take it down.

 

What does the solenoid have to move? How much force and over what distance?

What does the solenoid have to move? How much force and over what distance?

Thank you for the reply, my apologies for not being more complete in the description. The solenoid is to control the flow of gas in order to move a piston at a incremental and regulated (slow) rate. Because of the many variables regarding what is being moved by the piston and the results I wish to achieve, I do not know what the rates, interval and duration, need to be. I do know that I want the device to 'work' for up to four days. For a start, I'll select that the normally closed solenoid will open for one second every hour, 24/7. For a proof-of-concept prototype, something adjustable will be required because of the fore mentioned environmental variables. At this point I have not found a solenoid that fits my hoped for criteria but I have found a suitable valve for testing purposes: 12VDC 1.2W. I would like to find one with lower voltage and less draw but the ones I find are unsuitable for other reasons i.e., PSI rating.

I cannot, in a forum, tell exactly what I'm up to because of our wonderful new America Invents Act; which is more likely called - corporate America invents a new way to screw the little guy.

R/Mark

 

Certainly the solenoids can be readily controlled by a power transistor. What other circuitry do you need? What determines when the solenoid opens and closes?

 

What other circuitry do you need? What determines when the solenoid opens and closes?

If everything was known, lets say I need a timer that opens the valve for X length of time every 60 mins. - two distinct timing functions.

BUT!

Though I want the timer to be solid state eventually, for now it must be controllable because, as stated previous, I do not know how everything is going to react in the operating environment. So, controllable both for the length of time the valve stays open and the frequency of it opening.

 

You could perhaps use two of these timers. The first for the 60 minute time and the second, triggered by the first, to give you x time for the valve to be open. The second would control the driver for the solenoid valve.