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Solenoids

Q: How do solenoids work?
A: They are electromagnetic actuators to turn electricity into a magnetic field to move a ferromagnetic core (ie a block of ferrous metal)

Solenoids - How do they work?
http://www.societyofrobots.com/actuators_solenoids.shtml

Solenoids and Sound:
Artwork by the talented Nick Yulman - http://nysoundworks.org/7/, http://nysoundworks.org/index-boogie-at-ps1/

Other Examples of Solenoids in Action:
Cat Tail - http://vimeo.com/20065129
Artifix Mori - http://www.jasonkrugman.com/artifixMori/

Note! Be careful whenever you use voltage greater than 5v in your breadboard with your Arduino. If you plug the power, ground wires in backwards you have a good chance of frying your Arduino! Ways around this... try prototyping the circuit first without the Arduino connected! If it works, carefully connect your Arduino. Sending a voltage to the base of the transistor (through the resistor) should activate the solenoid. +12v should be fine to make the solenoid turn on. If it does, your circuit is set up correctly.

Controlling a Solenoid with a TIP 120
Parts -

• Arduino
• Breadboard
• A few connector wires (8 should be enough)
• TIP120
• Solenoid
• Diode
• 1k ohm resistor
• 12v - 24v power supply
• a way of getting the power from the supply into the breadboard