Thread: Pneumatics help!!

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Hi - I have 3 double action cylinders hooked to an air compressor through a 5 way solenoid valve - I have a pico boo plus controller programmed for the movement...the problem is the solenoids/valves are clicking but the cylinders are not activating....why would this be and what can I do to make them fire?

Not the biggest expert here but when that happens to me, there's no air being supplied or there isn't enough air. What psi do you have it set at?

I had it set at 20psi to begin and went in increments of 5 up to 50psi

Do you have the solenoid hooked up correct? A and B are for the 1/4 hose P is your male compressor fitting and R and S are your exhausts. Work with one before you start teeing off to muliple cylinders. Plug the back of the cylinder into B and the front into A.

You have to split the hose to each cylinder if working with more then one after the solenoid. Do not link them together it will not work.

I'll look again...I do have the hoses split to each cylinder -

An easier way would be to use a manifold block, but if you use tees you would have to do this:

Hah! That might as well be in Greek! Thanks for the diagram but I am hopeless in this area I think -

The compressor fitting goes into P your exhaust mufflers are R and S(You do not need them, they just reduce the noise). A and B are your 1/4 hose. One pulls the cylinder the other pushes it. You need 4 Tees so you can send each cylinder air to the 3 cylinders. Since they are double acting you need a 5 way solenoid which you have.

Start with one and go from there you will understand the diagram. Just follow the hose until you hit a tee.

Oh good, Industen is helping you. He's really, really good at this!

I too use a manifold to split off from the compressor to all the props. Here's mine: http://www.frightprops.com/pneumatic...0739-0108.html

The only drag is you have to convert the outlets to 1/4" from the 1/8" because I use 1/4" airlines. But, if you use 1/8" airlines then you are good to go.

Do this first before going on to multiple cylinders to see if it is your setup then fire it with the picoboo. The picoboo has 2 inputs so you can you 2 cylinders on the controller and only split one of the two. 2 will actuate at the same time unless they are different strokes, bores, or flow controls on them