Directional Control Valves (3way valves and stuff like that)

[irisher]

I would be more inclined to believe the higher current figure because my significantly smaller 3-way takes 25 watts so 1.5 seems a little low. It could be that the internals are dramatically different but it might be good idea to double check before building a power source. Other than that it seems like a nice valve especially for the money.

[POLAND_SPUD]

As you can see in the diagram on it, it is a indirect acting, normally open valve, with 3/8 female ports, rated to 10bar and 2500 l/min flow-rate.

nice find... you should be able to use it as the main valve for a 6mm gun

- How much above 10bar can I go safely, without destroying the valve?

Probably up to 20bar

printed on the adapter is a diagram of the circuit build in to it,
which is a bit confusing:
I recognize a LED (which is located on the top of the adapter),

The adapter is probably just a plug (yeah I know it has inbuilt diodes)...
it wouldn't be economical to produce separate adapters/plugs for each type of valve.

It's probably just a typical plug they use for all valves that are within the plug/adapter ratings

I recognize a LED (which is located on the top of the adapter),
2 (or 3??) diodes, one ground-line and other lines (sw1 and sw2),
a resistor

If the adapter/plug can be used with AC (and DC too) then it needs a rectifier (I hope it's the correct word) to power the LED.
If you want to power it with a battery then you need sw1 and sw2.



ohhh BTW nice find...
people - as you can see you can get some pretty cool valves for just a couple of $

@irisher
1.5 - 3 W is quite typical.....
of course always check the power of the solenoid before you buy it/use it as some of them require more power to operate

[nature-boy]

Thanks for the quick reply guys!

my significantly smaller 3-way takes 25 watts so 1.5 seems a little low

That might be the case because it is a indirect acting one, I assume yours is a direct acting one, because of that high power input.

you should be able to use it as the main valve for a 6mm gun

Actually I want to use it with a 3/8 QEV, but that seems to be a bit overkill (which has not to be a bad thing...), for 6mm it should have plenty of flow.
Maybe even enough for 9mm. I'm planing to test that, the difference in velocity between dcv+qev and dcv only with 9mm steel-balls.

Probably up to 20bar

That would be really great! Though I hoped it was machined out of one solid block of aluminium, but it turned out to be a cast piece...mhhhmmm...

If you want to power it with a battery then you need sw1 and sw2.

So you think I would have to apply a potential of 48 volt to the two black wires???? (sw1 and sw2)
the rhombus-shaped thing with a diode in the center seems to be a bridge rectifier, only there to power the LED (with a series resister). Because it doesn't rectifier anything more than the LED-circuit.

Couldn't it be that way, that the "48VAC/DC 4A" is just the maximum voltage and power the adapter/solenoid could tolerate?

And I can run it on minimum 24 and maximum 48 volt ac or dc ?
(because there doesn't seem to be any step-down-voltage-controller (don't know if this is the proper engl. expression), like 48->24V built into the circuit)
But that would interfere with the printing on the solenoid saying: 20,4-26,4V DC...
mhhmmm...

[POLAND_SPUD]

Couldn't it be that way, that the "48VAC/DC 4A" is just the maximum voltage and power the adapter/solenoid could tolerate?

The plug is just a seperate part. It is rated higher than the solenoid - so you could use the adaptor/plug with a valve that requires 48DC or AC at 4A.

But if you want to power this particular valve then you need 24V.


Power it with 24DC, the plug is just a separate part (that happens to be rated higher)

[palanit]

I was wondering what type of air cylinder I should use. Would a single acting cylinder return after each fire, or would a spring return cylinder or dual action cylinder work better

[POLAND_SPUD]

use for what?? you need to give more details

[palanit]

it would be used to load the gun before each fire, on a semi auto gun that uses the dcv and qev valves that you described. I think a spring return cylinder is the one I'm looking for.
my barrel will shoot 4.5 mm bb's, what size qev and dcv should i get and what size air cylinder should i get

[palanit]

would this qev work
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Deltrol-Pneu-tr ... 460335ef53

this is really the only mechanical 3 way valve i could find on ebay could you help me find a better one
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pneumatic-2-Pos ... 2a1e571bff

[sgort87]

You won't need a QEV, since the cylinder you'd need for that loader would be pretty small.

That valve should do, and you can't beat the price.

As for the cylinder, your best bet would be to start here: http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-air-cylinders/=i7fqm6

[palanit]

Why wouldn't I use a qev? I am trying to make a portable semi auto like http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/i-too-h ... t21039.htm

[POLAND_SPUD]

1/8" size would be ok (both the QEV and the DCV)

what size air cylinder should I get

one that's ideal for your design

serioulsly though you need one that can extend fast enough and with enough force to feed the next round - if the air cylinder you've chosen isn't good enough then you need something else.... just caluculate shit and that's all

[sgort87]

Oh, sorry, I thought the QEV was for use inline with the cylinder. That is, after all, its actual design purpose.

If you are looking for a QEV for your main valve, don't use that one. It's a diaphragm QEV, and opens slower than piston QEVs, which can also be found on McMaster. I recommend part #6646K34.

[palanit]

That one looks good, but it says it is only rated for 125 psi

[sgort87]

All the Detrol QEVs I've seen are only rated to 125. (That's the brand of both McMaster's QEVs and the one on eBay.)

The piston ones can take a good amount of abuse though. I've taken them past 200 with no problems. Unless you are going much further than that, I wouldn't worry.

[MrCrowley]

I've had the Detrol QEV up to over 400PSI. I think others may have exceeded 500PSI with them. If you go much higher than that, you will probably increase the risk of the diaphragm failing spontaneously.