24v lighting????

[mhein68]

Hi all,
    I am back after a several year "hiatis" and I'm still have alot of questions!! ...  I am going to use a prop-1 to fire a 24v solenoid and wanting to light my prop.. What are my options for using the 24v from the prop-1 to light with leds or what?? Thanks..

[JackMan]

Your question is a little confusing. You can use a relay and a separate 24v power supply if you need to energize a 24v solenoid. Most LED's can be powered directly from the Prop-1 using an appropriate resistor. More info on exactly what you are trying to do would be helpful.

[mhein68]

I told you I've been out of it for a while... I guess what I had in mind was powering the prop-1 with a 24v power supply and firing the (24v) solenoid and light it as well.. somehow together??? My understanding is that the prop-1 can powered up to 30vdc???
     I just got back into all this after about a 3 yr break from the prop-1 and I've probably forgot alot.. I will try to study a little more ....Thanks...

[gadget-evilusions]

Yes, a prop-1 can be used with a 24v power supply. Led's would be your best option as incandecent bulbs draw lots of power. You can make led light arrays with most 5mm leds in arrangements of 6 with a resistor.

[JackMan]

OK, now I got ya. I just assumed you were powering the Prop-1 with 12v which is what most people do. You would need to know the amperage draw of your solenoid before powering it directly from the Prop-1, if it's more than the ULN can handle then you would still need a relay.

[bsnut]

As Brian states, LED's would be an better option for you since they don't draw a lot of current. I would suggest you too look at the datasheet that Jon has posted on the forums for the ULN that is on the Prop-1.

[JonnyMac]

What are my options for using the 24v from the prop-1 to light with leds or what??

LEDs don't care about the source voltage, as long as it's higher than the forward voltage.  If you're using 24V with LEDs, you need to calculate the series resistor for the LED(s) on the circuit so that the LEDs get the proper current through them for maximum brightness.

Have a look at this for a simple, series LED circuit:
-- http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz

Note that the input box is for one LED;  if you're using multiples (in series), then multiply the forward voltage (typically 1.5 - 2.0v, but you need to check with the manufacturer) by the number of LEDs in your circuit.

[gadget-evilusions]

-- http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz

That's the same site I use to calculate led resistors for my arrays. http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz is helpful when doing multiple led arrays.

[JackMan]

Here's another good LED resistor calc. Singles, series, and parallel.
http://www.tomsha.com/RC/LED-calc.htm
You can save the page as "Webpage complete" and it works without having to go online.