# Does anyone know how to hook up an Industrial Valve Terminal Block



## niblique71 (Dec 2, 2009)

Last halloween I had an industrial salesman visit my haunt. He was so impressed that he "Gifted" me several cylinders and regulators and this Industrial selenoid block. There are 6 selenoids included in this thing and no apparent way to use them individually. There is a computer hookup point (Looks like an old printer cable type input with 25 pins). I looked for more documentation and found out that the valves work on 24 volts. I assume that the blcok must be hooked up to some kind of computer setup, but since it's 24V, I'm assuming that a standard PC won't cut it.

Does anyone know how I could inexpensivly get this to work?? Can I take it apart and use the selenoids individually with a 24 power supply?? Someone who works regularly with industrial stuff would surely have some info. Otherwise I'm thinking it might be cheaper to just buy some new (and familiar) selenoids to operate my free cylinders. I definately want to make use of as many of the cylinders as I can since I KNOW this guy is comming back this year. I want to remain in his good graces, and give him a good show for his extremely generous contribution to my haunt. Here's what this guy brought me for free... Free pneumatic stuff.

ANY help would be greatly appreciated since I'm really trying to keep the costs down this year. I'm already familiar with using other selenoids for other projects, but I'm totally in the dark about this one.


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## Darkmaster (May 9, 2009)

By the looks of it, the valves are mounted to the block, air is ported to the block and supplies to all the valves. If the valves were removed, the air would leak, unless there were cover blanks. Now with the valve off the block, the problem would be supplying air to the valve. That is the purpose of the block, it supplies air to all the vlaves at the same time.


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## niblique71 (Dec 2, 2009)

IT seems to me that the selenoids are integrally mounted as well and dedicated to that kind of arrangement making individual use Impossible. I just didn't want to take it apart to find out. My guess is that there is a dedicated intermediate puter console or periphal that can proved 24V for this unit but is still driven by a normal computer. I wish I could find that guys business card so I could ask him. It would be SO Aeseome to use this as it was designed, only to drive 6 different cylinders in an Uber prop.


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## joshua17ss2 (Jan 10, 2008)

The DB-25 pin header is not ment to be plugged in to your normal computer, they are designed for I/O moduels and PLC's, I have serveral air blocks that are similar to this, there is nothing special between those pins and the valves. it will be 1 pin for ground, and one for +24 for each valve, you should be able to find the ground with a multi meter it should be connected to several pins in a row, then you just connect it to the ground, and connect the +24, to each of the addition pins and you should be able to map out which one goes to each valves, you will need some type of controller, i used a Custom DMX board with a ULN drivers, Mine were able to be powered with the uln with the exception that the led wouldnt light.

Check out page 5 of http://www.mead-usa.com/products/media/mod3.pdf to see a picture of what im talking about, (this is the PDF for a mead isonic 3) i couldnt not find the same information for your specific valve block.

Hope this helps


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## niblique71 (Dec 2, 2009)

joshua17ss2 said:


> The DB-25 pin header is not ment to be plugged in to your normal computer, they are designed for I/O moduels and PLC's, I have serveral air blocks that are similar to this, there is nothing special between those pins and the valves. it will be 1 pin for ground, and one for +24 for each valve, you should be able to find the ground with a multi meter it should be connected to several pins in a row, then you just connect it to the ground, and connect the +24, to each of the addition pins and you should be able to map out which one goes to each valves, you will need some type of controller, i used a Custom DMX board with a ULN drivers, Mine were able to be powered with the uln with the exception that the led wouldnt light.
> 
> Check out page 5 of http://www.mead-usa.com/products/media/mod3.pdf to see a picture of what im talking about, (this is the PDF for a mead isonic 3) i couldnt not find the same information for your specific valve block.
> 
> Hope this helps


BRILLIANT INFO!!! Thank YOU!!

With a Multi-meter, I found 3 adjacent pins that have no resistance and are located in one corner of the pin arrangement. So, by your theory those 3 pins are the ground (-24), and I can attach +24V to the other pins to discover what selenoid each might operate? There are WAY more pins than selenoids.

There are 6 selenoids in this block. They all have these blue switches on them. 4 of them have one switch, and the last 2 have two switches (double). What do these switches do?? Apparently the last two two are double selenoids within??? Perhaps to give two different air pressures from the same selenoid? I'm curious about that. If I am correct, would there be two pins dedicated to that particular selenoid??

Also, I don't have a 24V power supply on hand. What is the cheapest way to achieve 24V?? Even if it's just for testing purposes.

I LOVE THIS FORUM!!


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## bfjou812 (Aug 15, 2008)

The "Blue Switches " are manual overides . with air applied you should be able to turn them and that will manually operate the valve. As for the 24 volt dc power supply try this http://www.mpja.com/prodinfo.asp?number=17829+PS

Another option would be to change the coils to a 12 volt or 110 volt coil.


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## BTH (Jul 2, 2006)

I run 18 volts to my solenoid for a popup I put in my truck. The solenoid is rated for 24 vdc.I use the battery from my dewalt cordless drill. Portable and rechargable. Maybe you have a wallwart around that voltage?


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