Hi all - I'm thinking of getting my feet wet with electronics by getting into solar engines.

I've been reading a bit about the different types and would like to use a charge curve differentiated circuit to drive a 12 VDC solonoid valve;

http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/SOL-108/SOLENOID-GUARDIAN-A420-067074/1.html

I think I can accomplish this by using a voltage divider with a 1381 trigger -

Does this seem plausable? and if so waht type of capacitor should I use to drive the solonoid?

Thanks,
Chris

 

Have you put together a rough schematic of what you have in mind? If so, post it so that we can have look at it.

hgmjr

 

Electrolytic capacitors make the most sense for energy storage. They should have a voltage rating higher than the solar cell. The capacitance depends on how long you need the solenoid to be energized. You'll need at least 22,000uF to energize it for roughly a second. It'll be most economical to parallel smaller caps to get the total capacitance you need.