SpudFiles

i want to put a valve on a cannon like this one: http://www.spudtech.com/detail.asp?id=55 im not trying to copy this cannon i just want to get a valve like the one on it

how could i get a valve with the long wire and button triggering? do you have to buy em like that or do you have to mod it somehow?

Go to homedepot and get a sprinkler valve. Now you figure the rest out.

i know its a sprinkler valve, and if i could figure it out for myself i wouldnt be asking how to, ever think about that? if youre not going to help then dont post

You get a long wire, and a button switch... and if you have any electronics experience, you get this to activate a relay which switches the main power through the solenoid valve.

But you OBVIOUSLY DON'T... so what you do is you... find the resistance of the solenoid, and the resistance of your long wire, and multiplying the applied voltage by (Rwire+Rcoil)/Rcoil. This current is simply run through you the long wire and back to the coil;
battery -> wire -> button -> back through second strand of wire -> coil -> other terminal of battery

ok thanks i dont know of any places around here that has switches, unless lowes has em, so do you know a good site i could order one from?

The resistance of this wire is negligable. It will be less than one tenth of an ohm which wont do a damn thing.

Wire 3 nine volt batteries in series with a switch to the solenoid. It isn't that hard buddy.

Radio Shack has everything you need.

ok thanks for your help gort and boilingleadbath

This link might help if you learn better by looking at pictures.
http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=123&