Sorry that is wrong way around, feeding AC solenoid with DC will result in a burn out (using the same rated voltage).
The (DC) resistance of AC solenoids are very low compared to their DC counterparts of the same voltage rating.
There was no mention of DC required anywhere in the posts?
Max.

When you consider that an un-laminated core is basically a massive shorted turn - all bets are off if you feed it AC.

 

I had actually done an empirical test on this using large DC relays, the result was that feeding a DC relay with the same voltage AC resulted in the relay simply refusing to pick up and the current drawn was equal to or slightly lower what one would expect using the coil resistance value.

This was a little like the thread that claimed that feeding a DC relay with unfiltered DC would cause chatter where again empirical testing on a wide sample of DC relays did not exhibit any chatter, even when the voltage was taken through the pick up and drop out hysteresis points, where one would expect to see it.
In any case the point is moot as it does not solve the OP's dilemma.
Max..

 

I had actually done an empirical test on this using large DC relays, the result was that feeding a DC relay with the same voltage AC resulted in the relay simply refusing to pick up and the current drawn was equal to or slightly lower what one would expect using the coil resistance value.

This was a little like the thread that claimed that feeding a DC relay with unfiltered DC would cause chatter where again empirical testing on a wide sample of DC relays did not exhibit any chatter, even when the voltage was taken through the pick up and drop out hysteresis points, where one would expect to see it.
In any case the point is moot as it does not solve the OP's dilemma.
Max..

Un-filtered DC will eventually magnetise a cheapo relay with poorly chosen materials.

 

50V is also the the somewhat arbitrary boundry between "low voltage" and supposedly safe circuits and higher voltage and potentially unsafe circuits. If you were a company would you want to push the envelope like that?

 

50vAC is the upper limit under IEC for considered safe AC , this is another reason I suspect the solenoids are AC type.
Max.