Main > Main Forum
Randy T.: Can an LED-Wiz be used to drive pinball solenoids ???
mark shaker:
I'm guessing that with the addition of an external power supply and relays or transistors, the LED-Wiz can drive pinball solenoids.
I would be grateful for any advice.
- Mark
KevSteele:
--- Quote from: mark shaker on September 28, 2008, 06:57:36 am ---
I'm guessing that with the addition of an external power supply and relays or transistors, the LED-Wiz can drive pinball solenoids.
I would be grateful for any advice.
- Mark
--- End quote ---
Definitely need some relays, as solenoids need about 50v to trigger. Sounds like you've got something interesting in mind!
mark shaker:
--- Quote from: KevSteele on September 28, 2008, 10:43:24 am ---Definitely need some relays, as solenoids need about 50v to trigger. Sounds like you've got something interesting in mind!
--- End quote ---
I'm just *thinking* about building my own pinball machine.
Are you sure that transistors won't do the job?
My simplistic understanding is that a transistor does the same job as a relay, but without moving parts.
I have several solid state pins, they don't have any relays, but they have some hella-big transistors.
- Mark
KevSteele:
--- Quote from: mark shaker on September 28, 2008, 12:46:04 pm ---
--- Quote from: KevSteele on September 28, 2008, 10:43:24 am ---Definitely need some relays, as solenoids need about 50v to trigger. Sounds like you've got something interesting in mind!
--- End quote ---
I'm just *thinking* about building my own pinball machine.
Are you sure that transistors won't do the job?
My simplistic understanding is that a transistor does the same job as a relay, but without moving parts.
I have several solid state pins, they don't have any relays, but they have some hella-big transistors.
- Mark
--- End quote ---
The hella-big things you see are probably capacitors. That, or bridge rectifiers. The transistors on a power-driver board in a pin are actually pretty small...
I think you'd need to isolate the current from the solenoids from the LED-Wiz, since the solenoids would probably be using 50v AC and the LED-Wiz is most likely 12v DC. You could do it with some dedicated circuits, but it wouldn't be simple.
I'm not an expert on electronics, but I'd lean toward the theory that it's more trouble than it's worth unless you're knowledgeable in the field.
whammoed:
If the transistor is rated for the load, you can use one. Look here:
http://www.johnsretroarcade.com/hardware_knocker.asp#overview
He's using an IPAC but same idea as the led wiz.
Using a relay may offer a little more protection for your led wiz in case of a transistor failing. Not sure if one would perform better than the other or if it matters. I believe a transistor would be able to fire a little faster than a relay since a relay is mechanical (of course there are solid state relays too).