Recommend a solenoid

[DocsMachine]

I'm in need of a solenoid for an upcoming ground-up E-gun build. I have a few solenoids on hand I could use, including a couple of antiques from an old Shocker, but I'd prefer something newer, and hopefully more common and replaceable. I keep seeing how this older marker or that one can't be used anymore because the solenoid went bad and no parts or replacements that fit are available.

What would be a good recommendation for one today? I need something that's fairly fast, pretty high flow (rammer setup, not just a cocking ram) can run on a 9V and of course is fairly compact. I'd prefer manifold mount, but can work with a hose/nipple setup too.

Doc.

[superman]

lv2 noid is rebuildable. That is a big selling point for that marker. Worth checking out.

[imped4now]

Same solenoid as the 1.6. There are *plenty* of other solenoids available that fit his criteria and are rebuildable.

[Roger7pball]

Does your board output 9 volts? Most boards I’ve dealt with put out 5 or 6 volts. But on a related note you can over drive most solenoids rated for 5 volts with 9 if need-be. The duty cycle is so low it won’t burn up the coil, as proven by the thousands of shoebox shockers running 9 volt batteries for years.

This chart gives a lot of options threaded for m3 barbs.

Ive ran many SMC solenoids past 30 cycles per second with no issue. (And many of the SMC’s can still be purchased new from the manufacturer)

http://www.zdspb.com/tech/misc/solenoids_models.html

[DocsMachine]

Well, it's going to have a Morlock III, so I can run it on either the suggested Li-Po or a 9V. For a measure of futureproofing, I'd prefer the 9V.

Doc.

[Roger7pball]

With the MK3 you can adjust the output voltage, so with that board you can run nearly any solenoid.

Also I do recommend the 9 volt over the LiPo. The board has an easier time supplying proper current to a power-hungry solenoid like the rainmaker’s when using a 9 volt.

[dano_____]

Humphrey solenoids from Bob long guns have always been very rock solid for me and you can easily find both barbed or manifold mounted varieties. What's the psi you need to run at? Most are rated toa round 100psi max. If you need higher you can get their CRCB line which goes up to 225 psi.

Zdspb has a good reference chart here;

http://www.zdspb.com/tech/misc/solenoids_models.html

[imped4now]

Also a fan of Humphrey/Koganei solenoids.

[latches109]

I need something that's fairly fast, pretty high flow (rammer setup, not just a cocking ram) can run on a 9V and of course is fairly compact. I'd prefer manifold mount, but can work with a hose/nipple setup too.

Doc.

what cfm / cv do you need @ what pressure and temperature? Alaska gets a little chilly

[DocsMachine]

what cfm / cv do you need @ what pressure and temperature? Alaska gets a little chilly

-Good question(s).

The marker I'm designing (just for fun, not, like, as a production thing) will either use an Angel ram, or possibly an Intimidator/Ego style rammer. I'm shooting, should you pardon the pun, for a fairly high cyclic rate, though nothing absurd- call it 18-20 bps.

If I use a ram/rammer design, I'll run it at whatever the factory LP pressure was- generally anything from about 80 psi to 120 or so.

For an op pressure, I can make it whatever I want. With a poppet valve, it'll probably wind up in the 400 psi ballpark, which will be a good match for reg recharge and reasonable gas efficiency.

As it's really little more than a "just 'cause I can" design, again, I could use almost any 'noid out there. I just like the idea of the gun still being workable years down the road.

Doc.

[latches109]

mac24 are fairly slim, I have one in box that should work - has the low watt coil @5vdc iirc

https://www.macvalves.com/product/24-series/

[Lotus]

This is less about the specific nature of the solenoid itself and more about cost/availability, but MAC 43 solenoids (assuming you need to direct air to both sides of the rammer and not just the rear, otherwise the 33) have been around for a while, can be easily found in 5VDC (suitable for 9v), operate at most paintball cycling pressures, and have good flow rates. The main benefits though are availability/cost since you can order them from any MAC distributor and they can be made at any time. I bought some MAC33s for some Ion projects that I wanted to use different solenoids in and it was super easy to order and very cheap. I think I paid like $110 shipped for 3 solenoids. That being said, I haven't ordered a 43 series before, just the 33.

The Empire Vanquish used a version of this, the 43A-AAA-RDUA-0BA modification 8338 (yes, that modif is necessary to place the order), but I'm not knowledgeable enough to fully decode what that means. I do know you can get them with threaded ports or ones that are meant to be direct mounted with orings as gaskets, so double check to ensure you know what you're getting.

[latches109]

It’s an internal number to link it back to the project and engineer that worked on it. Only way to know what was actually shipped.

[DocsMachine]

And that's another part of it: Hosed or manifolded.

Hose connections, too, have a measure of futureproofing- as long as you can fit LP hoses to it, you could use any 'noid that can be jammed into the grip.

But a manifolded setup can be more compact, and maybe a little easier to fit things into or around.

I'm still very much designing this thing, but I of course need some of the components to design around.

Doc.

[Redragoon]

Are the Dangerous Power solenoids rebuildable? I'd have to open up my Rev-i to check, but I think the Fusion and G series ones were made in house out of aluminum stock.
But any 5V solenoid could work if it fits in the grip.

One the discussion of manifold/hoses, I do prefer the Bob Long hoses and barbs. Manifold mounts mean you are locked into a specific size/solenoid.
Intimidators will take any Humphrey/etc. with the same threaded ports and voltage.

[DocsMachine]

One the discussion of manifold/hoses, I do prefer the Bob Long hoses and barbs. Manifold mounts mean you are locked into a specific size/solenoid.
Intimidators will take any Humphrey/etc. with the same threaded ports and voltage.

-That's basically what I had in mind. I've been at this biz long enough I've seen any number of markers basically junked (Equalizers, Epics, etc.) because some proprietary seal or part goes bad, and no new ones are available.

Now, if this custom comes off like I hope, really, it's not gonna be much more than a wall-hanger, but I'd like to see it still usable five, ten or even twenty years down the road- or at least, easily repairable back into usability.

Doc.

[Redragoon]

It might bee worth looking into adapting some of the design elements from the Lurker/Paragon core activation. Ryan gives a good explanation of it, but if that system really does just use a "pilot" solenoid for activation, that would be cheaper than a full solenoid. It could even be just a coil with a sealing piston, Ion-esque system. I don't know if that is fully compatible with poppet styles.

Might need a lever/cam activation on the ram or valve to get enough momentum.

[Roger7pball]

I was under the impression that the DLS was still using a full solenoid but a 3 way rather than a standard 4 way. Since it doesn’t vent any air. If Doc is going to use an Angel like ram, venting would be required. But I’m not 100% on the DLS details.

[Cunha]

I would get an understanding of a common paintball noid spec and then shop Humphrey on the shelf catalog and find something that suits and is used by a major industry that will demand it’s availability for time to come.

or a rebuildable one as mentioned above.