Thread: 4-way Pneumatic Solenoid Cheap

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I bought eight of these from this seller last time around. the service was great and the customer service even better. This is a $250 solenoid, yes that's right two hundred fifty dollar solenoids. They work beautifully and are rock solid and all brass. No it's not me selling them but I was very excited when I got mine at good they were.

The eBay auction

Grainger Specs

I would say that if there is a down side to these, it would be that they are slightly larger and somewhat heavier that typically used, but not enough to warrant passing on the deal.

not a bad price to bad they are 120vac I need 24vdc

Thats an amazing price on those solenoids!

This style of valve is typically used for higher volumes, where large amounts of a gas or liquid flow are to be controlled. As you can see from the specs on the ebay auction, you can use these valves as well to control water and inert gases. Before using any sort of gas or dangerious liquids be sure to check the exact specifications and have the valve thoroughly cleaned if using second hand products!!


As much as i'd like a few , they'll probably cost me more in shipping then its worth though....

Just because I'm curious, what will you use it for?

I have three or four pneumatics props planned for this year including the revamp of one that didn't work as well as I would have liked because the cylinder bore was to small. I'm also planning a pop-up built into a tombstone and am considering using one solenoid to trigger two cylinders but that's still in the planning stages. While everyone that comes seems to enjoy my haunt, it lacks the element of surprise that the pneumatics give. As for the voltage being 120v, I prefer working with this current just because it elimates having to deal with transformers or wallwarts, just a preference I guess.

I think you were reading my mind !!!
I was just hunting around for a soenoid ! Are these 5 port ? It doesnt say.

What size bore did your cylinder have that you are replacing on the prop that didnt perform like you would like ?
I have a 3/4" bore cylinder that I want to use in a pop up.... its will be very light but, I'm not sure that the cylinder will push it. I think it will only be about 10lbs max.

I'll echo Unpleasants comments I bought one from the same seller.

These are 4-way (four ports) 120v solenoids that accept 1/4" npt pipe or fitting. The four ports are:

1 - Intake
2 - Operating ports
1 - Exhaust port

What that means essentially is that these can be used to extend and retract a cylinder arm pneumatically or by blocking the correct operating port, (I used a brass plug available at HomeDepot $1.25) you can use this to operate a pop-up with a gravity or bungee cord(or whatever) to returnthe shaft.

The prop I was trying to operate was a heavy welded frame type prop which because I procrastinated didn't have the proper cylinder. I had the right stroke but the bore was to small. It did work about 60% of the time but that was embarassing if you know what I mean men. Couldn't get it up! That was a 1-1/16" bore cylinder, I have since acquired a 8" stroke with a 2-1/2" bore Bimba and a new larger compressor...that should do the trick.

Lynn I think your cylinder will be fine if you're keeping it light and this solenoid will work for you if you're using 1/4 air lines or plan to use an adapter to accomodate any difference.

Thanks for the + reinforcement scareisburg, I was beginning to think I was alone on this one.

Heres one of MANY great sites that offer a pneumatic calculator for figuring out such problems as, how much will this lift (force), how big should it be (bore size), what valves are good for me (valve size), etc etc


http://www.evilusions.com/calculator.php

I do not endorse the accuracy of these calculations or this website But they work! There are a whole wack of pnuematic calculators online similar to these. Give them a try!

Another thing that works well is building your props and using a fish scale, digital or mechanical and pulling the prop or hanging it to get a weight..

I recently built something that i wanted to look a certain way and had no clue what the required force would be needed, so i built it, hooked up the scale to it pull it and that told me the force required, with that i went backwards, using the force (i believe was 9.5lbs) and of 60psi, which i like to run all my props at. This told me that i need a bore size of .44" and i went from there!

Works like a charm !