LiquidOrb24
New Member
I I'm sort of an idiot when it comes to electromagnetics (then again who does understand that stuff) and I'm planning on making a automated drink mixer with 10 programmable drinks where I will be using a microcontroller to open up any of the 10 valves for each drink for a certain amount of time to get the drink ratio just right...
The valve itself I was thinking of having a solenoid around an iron rod with at rubber stopper at bottom and a spring on top of it to press it down. When a current flows through it the magnetic field it produces pushes the rod up agaist the spring allowing the drink to pour into the glass for the given time I assign in the microcontroller. However I have no idea how many turns I would need and how much current will be needed to lift an iron rod of about 2 inches enough against a spring to open up the valve, and if that much current can flow through the IC's I will have.
If anyone has any ideas of the power/lift ratio for a solenoid is or how I might be able to accomplish this task that would be greatly appreciated.
The valve itself I was thinking of having a solenoid around an iron rod with at rubber stopper at bottom and a spring on top of it to press it down. When a current flows through it the magnetic field it produces pushes the rod up agaist the spring allowing the drink to pour into the glass for the given time I assign in the microcontroller. However I have no idea how many turns I would need and how much current will be needed to lift an iron rod of about 2 inches enough against a spring to open up the valve, and if that much current can flow through the IC's I will have.
If anyone has any ideas of the power/lift ratio for a solenoid is or how I might be able to accomplish this task that would be greatly appreciated.