Another Solenoid Engine

[cfellows]

Hi Chuck,  I am another following keenly.  A great model, running well.  Thanks for posting the Arduino programme, your background really shows in the annotations and showing me how to do it.  I have done more with Picaxe, but my lack of annotations make the programmes very hard to read after a long gap.  But the presentation for both has many similarities.  I have also tried to help my grandson with Arduino.  Really fascinating capabilities.

Looking forward to seeing how you modify the program to get that variable timing.  Will it scale with engine speed, or are you thinking fixed timing?

MJM460

The timing adjustment will control when the solenoid gets energized, the range being from TDC to probaby 90 degees past TDC.  The dwell setting will independently determine how many milliseconds the solenoid will stay on from the point it gets energized.   As long as the dwell or duration setting isn't changed, it will remain constant regardless of the timing.  However, the solenoid will always be turned off at bottom dead center, regardless of the timing and dwell settings.  Of course,  I can adjust the timing disk manually so that the magnet TDC is a little before the actual solenoid TDC if I want to energize it slightly before TDC.

Chuck

[Tennessee Whiskey]

Chuck, now that’s what we would call “high tech redneck” around here and I love it. Great job. I think it deserves one of those Round Rock doughnuts 

Cletus

[cfellows]

Chuck, now that’s what we would call “high tech redneck” around here and I love it. Great job. I think it deserves one of those Round Rock doughnuts 

Cletus

Thanks Cletus.  Some folks might call it a $20 solution to a $1 problem... 

[cfellows]

Here's a wiring diagram...



Looks a little cleaner than the actual wiring.

[b.lindsey]

Fantastic Chuck, it sounds and looks as good as it runs. Nicely done!!

Bill

[cfellows]

Taking a break for a few days while I weather the affects of chemo.  Attached is a spreadsheet which I've updated to show how solenoid or coil properties change with dimensions, wire size, etc.   Numbers might be a little off since everything is calculated based on bare copper wire and doesn't account for the insulation thickness on magnet wire.  If anybody finds any errors, I'd appreciate some feedback.

Numbers in Blue at the top of the worksheet are meant to be input by the user.  Pretty much everything else is calculated.

Chuck

[JC54]

Really enjoying this thread . I have been tinkering with Arduinos for a couple of years, DRO, Tachometers, etc in the workshop and lots of other projects . Amazed by this concept but will give it a try in time. Keep up the good work Chuck, hope all goes well with the chemo.  John

[Ian S C]

I like that motor Chuck, I might just have too build another solenoid engine, it's about thirty years since I built the last one.
Ian S C

[Zephyrin]

A great success with this solenoid engine, congratulations.
I'm out of touch with the electronics, but I can follow your explanations about the controls, pulse width modulations etc, thanks for taking time to write them !