Thread: Help with air cylinder

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hi guys i have a problem!! i have an air cylinder and all the supplies that go with it, but i dont know how to make it work. The cylinder goes out but how do i make it go back in? please reply there is a hole on the bottom and on the upper side as shown in picture
THANKSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!

what type of valve are you using and how are you going to use the cylinder?

To close you need to apply air pressure to the top port (the one on the side) and exhaust air from the bottom port. Or it you are using it to raise a lid or something the weight will close it so there is no need for air to the top port but you will still need to exhaust the bottom.

I think what you need is a 4 or 5 way solenoid valve

check out this link

Pneumatic Cylinders

Wolfstone has all the info you need, great point of reference for so many projects.

if you still have questions, I can give you the details you need.

if you're using a 2 way valve, you need to hook up the airline to the bottom port, and use a spring or something to bring the cylinder down.(you also need a air bleeder valve in between the valve and cylinder)
if using a 3 way valve, same thing but the valve had an exhaust so no need for a bleeder valve.
if using a 4 way, you need 2 airlines. one for the bottom port and one for the top. that leaves one port open on the 4 way valve which is the exhaust. only thing is, is that you have to have the compressor running the whole time you want to use the prop, because 1 port activates the cylinder going up, and port 2 makes it go down.
do I make any sense? I hope so......

Just to expand on what jrzmac posted - if you have a 4 way valve, you can also cap off one of the ports and essentially turn it into a 3 way valve as well.

If the prop can be reset using its' own weight (ie gravity), I find the best option to use is a 3 way solenoid. I have several of them in use. 4 way valves are really useful if you want to drop something from above, and have it retract back into the ceiling.

ou could probably get more specific help if we knew what type of prop you were planning on building with the cylinder.