5 Way 2 Position Solenoid Spring valve

Size 1/8" to 1/2" BSP
Function 5 way 2 position solenoid/spring with manual override
Valve Operation Servo Assisted
Body Aluminium
Seat NBR
Pressure Range 1.5 to 8 BAR
Media Air

• What is a Five Way Two Position Solenoid Valve?

  A Five Way Two Position Solenoid Valve is a solenoid operated valve that has five ways and two positions. The easiest way to explain this is that it has one supply port (pressure in), two advance ports (outlet ports that go from the valve to the actuator or ram) and two exhaust ports (ports that exhaust air from the ram or cylinder). It then has two positions or states which are opposite of each other; for instance in one state air will flow from one outlet port while air is exhausted back through the other port while it is reversed in its other state. The valve is changed position through a Solenoid Coil at one end and a spring at the other which returns it to its resting position once the power is removed. This is commonly called a monostable valve.

• How does a 5 way 2 position Solenoid Valve work?

  These valves are commonly referred to in the industry as a 5/2 Solenoid Valve. This is because they have 5 ways and 2 positions and are operated by a Solenoid at one end. This solenoid coil has copper windings around it that when energised create a magnetic field and lift an armature in the valve. This allows the spool to move over within the valve (a minimum pressure differential is used to assist this) and move the valve to its other position. When the valve is de-energised (power taken away from the valve) a spring at the other end of the valve returns the spool to its resting position. These can't really be referred to as Normally Closed or Normally Open like two way or three way valves as they are effectively always open, it just varies which of the two outlet ports it is coming out. The middle port on the bottom of the valve is the inlet or pressure supply port, from here it will go out one of the outlet ports on top of the valve to the ram or actuator while the other outlet port will be taking the exhaust air from the other side of the ram/actuator piston and directing that through the body of the valve to one of the exhaust ports on the bottom of the valve (next to the inlet pressure port). When the valve is operated this sequence is just reversed. There is also a manual override button between the two outlet ports and the coil. This button can be pressed to operate the valve without power.

• How do I know that a 5 way 2 position Solenoid Valve is the right valve for me?

  The first thing to check is what you want your air ram or pneumatic actuator to do. If this is just an open/close (full stroke) cyle and you want it to run off an electric signal (we would call this set up an electric over air), then a 5/2 solenoid valve will be well suited. If you want an inching or creeping function where you can lock the cylinder mid stroke then a 5/2 is not suited and you would need to move to a 5/3 solenoid valve which would allow this. The next thing to check is whether you want a single solenoid operation (the vast majority are just single solenoid like this model) or a double solenoid which we call bi-stable (these are less common but are still used). One other thing is to determine whether you require a stand alone 5/2 solenoid valve like this model or a namur mount solenoid valve which are quite widely used as they interface directly onto the side of pneumatic actuators using an o'ring seal. If you are looking to manifold multiple 5/2 solenoid valves together then a stand alone 5/2 like this model would be suited (unlike a namur which can't be manifolded). Once you have worked this out you can size your 5/2 valve and choose the correct voltage.

• How long will my 5/2 Solenoid Valve last?

  Like any valve this depends upon the usage case, duty cycle and external environment of the valve. The pressure, temperature and characteristics of the media (eg. is it clean filtered air) will have a large bearing on how long your valve lasts. If your valve is cycling every second, 24 hours a day (ours are 100% duty rated which means they can do this as long as the heat can be dissipated) then its life will be shorter than one which is used once a day. Your valve also will take in a small amount of air from the atmosphere through the exhaust ports in the bottom of the valve as the spool moves over within the valve. We recommend using silencers or speed controllers to protect against ingress of foreign materials here. The electrical supply to your coil can also determine the valve's life as voltage spikes can short the coils (the same as any electrical equipment). 

• What are typical uses of a 5 way 2 position Solenoid Valve ?

  These 5/2 solenoid valves are really used to operate pneumatic actuators or air rams. This is because they control which side of the piston the air is given too and which side is exhausted. Outside of this there are a few niche use cases but they are very small.

• How do I install my 5/2 Solenoid Valve?

  This depends if the 5/2 solenoid valve is to be manifolded or stand alone. If it is stand alone the inlet pressure port is the middle port on the bottom (the bottom will have three ports with the middle been the pressure port and the port either side been an exhaust port) so this is where the air pressure is connected (if it is manifolded it will be the shared pressure supply port). From here the two outlet ports on the top of the 5/2 valve will be connected to the two ports on the pneumatic actuator or ram (even if the actuator is a spring return model it is best to connect both ports to the valve as you will ensure clean filtered air is used in the actuator not the surrounding environmental air). The two exhaust ports on the bottom of the valve can be left open however we do recommend a silencer or exhaust speed controller is used to protect it from the surround environment. The DIN plug on the coil can be connected to the power and ensure the entrance to the coil is facing down with a sufficient drip loop to avoid condensation running down the lead and into the plug.

• How long will my product take to get to me? 

  This depends upon where you are based and the freight method chosen. If the express freight option is selected it is usually next day delivery to metropolitan areas in Australia for under 5kg. If free freight has been selected it will go by road freight which can be anywhere from 1 to 10 days depending upon your location. It usually averages 3 days. You can rely on us to do everything to despatch your order the same day we receive it, this is what we do.

• What warranty do I get?

  We have been manufacturing Solenoid Valves for over 30 years so we have a lot of experience at making a great valve. All of our products come standard with a 12 month warranty. The good news is we have very strict quality controls and all solenoid valves leave our warehouse tested (full material and testing certificates are available) and inspected so there are rarely any issues. Also once your valve is in and operating it will most likely continue to do so for a very long time barring any debris getting caught in the valve or power spikes causing the coil to fail.