Electric solenoid valve as main air valve for airgun?

[Ianbuckwell]

Has anyone tried something like this? Surely someone must have? Did you have any sucess?

If the figures are to be believed it flows 20cuFt/min and takes less than 20ms to open, I don't understand CV but it is 0.23, is rthat good or bad, thought it sounded OK as my 3/4" QEV was 0.7? And this is only 1/8", I see it says orrifice 2.5mm which is only 1/10" in diameter so quite a lot smaller than 1/8".

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-8-Inch-Plasti ... 1146805630

There may be better flowing ones, its just an example of the type of valve I am talking about. I imagine they work almost as fast as a solenoid just a bit slower due to plunger drag?

Its not that I am disappointed in my QEV gun just after something slightly less ugly, 220psi and the QEV gun easily blows 12mm ball bearings through an old enamelled steel plate that is pretty thick from 12ft, haven't tried from further as have no aiming system at the moment, by the way the magnet works a treat for the magazine feed allowing only one ball at a time to be fired and also stops them rolling into the QEV!!

[matti]

That one is "direct acting", you should try to find indirectly solenoid actuated valve (aka differential pressure model) .. Those indirect ones use solenoid to pilot the valve, not for opening it "directly", they are normally much faster opening and have larger orifice diameters

*Something like this: http://www.buschjost.com/pdf/E82470.pdf

Or for high pressures (320bar) indirect acting solenoid piston valve http://www.buschjost.com/pdf/E8590371.pdf

Oh, and yes I have used those many times, I did use a 1/2" stainless steel ones with 24vdc solenoid

[Ianbuckwell]

So you are saying they could be used as a trigger for a QEV, but aren't suitable for use as the main valve. Any idea on costs of the indirect Norgrens, they don't look cheap!

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

A direct acting valve will invariably be more expensive and need more power, what you want is a solenoid actuated diaphragm valve that works like sprinkler valves. Here's a good example for a half inch barrel: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2-Inch-Brass- ... 1c329da3a0

edit: what matti said, should have read the rest of the thread first

[matti]

So you are saying they could be used as a trigger for a QEV, but aren't suitable for use as the main valve. Any idea on costs of the indirect Norgrens, they don't look cheap!

I would not use direct acting on airgun, well mayde some airsoft thing.. Indirect acting is suitable for main valve and has pretty good power. Try to look those from ebay, "buschjost" and other brands make those. Used ones are between 15 and 40usd, new 1/4" is something like 70usd or so.

[Ianbuckwell]

Are the indirect acting solenoid valves the same as poppet valves or not?

Looking at a Norgren valve, some of the range use electric solenoids, whilst the other one is air actuated, is it similar to a QEV (sorry for questions, but I am a new at all this, I wouldn't use this one (price) but it seems to have a hammer that operates the valve.

http://store.norgren.com/us/en/detail/a ... pet-valves

The PDF data sheet shows a cut away of the valve. Do thee Chinese make these kind of valves and are they suitable as a main valve? How would it be activated, releasing air as with a QEV or supplying positive air pressure to correct port?x

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Are the indirect acting solenoid valves the same as poppet valves or not?

In simple terms, a direct acting valve is like a blowgun valve where instead of pushing it with your finger, it's pushed by a solenoid directly. An indirect valve is like a QEV where the solenoid simply opens the pilot valve. This means that for a given solenoid strength, an indirect valve can provide much higher flow.

[Ianbuckwell]

Will an indirect valve open fast enough for a airgun main valve? I have been looking into the Burkert 5404, it seems to be used a!of in flipper fighting robots, tech specs can be seen here -
http://www.valinonline.com/products/00456938

The thing is they aren't cheap and I don't want to get one and find it to be less effective than a QEV, I just think it may be better than a QEV and slide valve as my QEV is coping with 350psi but the slide valve is struggling and the o rings sometimes blow out their channels partially and it jams up. I think a 3/4" would be needed to get a CV of 5.83 quick is a bit lower than the 7 something my current QEV is. Only worry is it says opening time 20ms - 400ms, would this be too slow? Not sure why there is such a variation in opening time unless the smaller ones are faster. Does anyone have any info on how the opening times compare to qevs? I guess a long barrel would help.

Any help/advise appreciated, thanks

[Technician1002]

The wide variation in opening times is mostly due to the material the valve handles in the spec. it lists air as well as water. This alone is the bulk of the variance. Pressure will have some influence, but I'm not sure how much.