How to control a solenoid using LabView w/ a NI PCI-MIO-16XE-10 DAQ?

[drew33]

Hi, I'm hoping to control a solenoid valve (rated for 5,12or 24V... is there one that is more suitable than the others?) using LabView 7.0 for a company I just started working for. They have already purchased an NI PCI-MIO-16XE-10 DAQ as well as an SCB-68 shielded I/O connector block. I have experience with LabView from a while back, but have almost no experience with DAQ and instrument control. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[srm@viewpointusa.com]

With the equipment that you have, a good choice would be Opto-22 series for the G4 series of the Opto-22. Select the screw terminal base and an ODC module appropriate to your power/voltage requirements. this will use the TTL digital output to control a power solid state relay. If you look to the other signal conditioning products from NI, they will allow you to do the same thing as well.

[Ames]

Drew33,

National Instruments offers many different signal conditioning options (SSR Series, SCXI, SCC...) that work very well with the PCI-MIO-16xe-10 to control a solenoid valve. I recommend you contact our internal sales department at 1-800-433-3488. They specialize in specifying systems and will be able to help you choose the best hardware for your application.

Ames
Applications Engineering
National Instruments

[drew33]

Sorry, I have limited experience with solenoids and SSRs. Could you please provide a little more detail? My understanding so far is that I would use a digital output on my DAQ to control the switching of a SSR which in turn would be rigged up to a voltage source to control the solenoid. In terms of choosing the right SSR, I only need to control a small solenoid rated for 12V/1.5W/96ohms... would this SSR be sufficient?:

http://www.jameco.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prmenbr=91&prrfnbr=95546&cgrfnbr=501&ctgys=

Thanks a lot for your help!

[srm@viewpointusa.com]

Yes this will work fine. Please add a flyback diode to your solenoid current. That is a diode to flow current from the negative terminal to the positive when you cut current to the solenoid. The back EMF spike can be quite high when the coil field collapses.