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UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: nokmond on February 22, 2014, 10:31:12 am

Title: Solenoid/Float switch Wiring help
Post by: nokmond on February 22, 2014, 10:31:12 am: Morning all, I've just dug out an old solenoid and float switch that I had fitted a few years back. I'm going to wire it in again today but I can't remember what goes where!

It's a 12v DC solenoid so will be powered from the can battery and it's a small vertical float switch with 2 wires coming from it.

Any help greatly appreciated!
Title: Re: Solenoid/Float switch Wiring help
Post by: Spruce on February 22, 2014, 03:39:26 pm: Quote from: nokmond on February 22, 2014, 10:31:12 am
Morning all, I've just dug out an old solenoid and float switch that I had fitted a few years back. I'm going to wire it in again today but I can't remember what goes where!

It's a 12v DC solenoid so will be powered from the can battery and it's a small vertical float switch with 2 wires coming from it.

Any help greatly appreciated!

I can't see there is a problem which way around the float switch is wired up TBH.
Title: Re: Solenoid/Float switch Wiring help
Post by: nokmond on February 22, 2014, 03:50:13 pm: How would you wire it? I've tried a few ways but it's not working at the minute.
Title: Re: Solenoid/Float switch Wiring help
Post by: Spruce on February 22, 2014, 04:25:54 pm: The solenoid valve will be an ordinary normally off unit I would imagine.

This means that you connect one wire up to the positive post on the battery and the other terminal up to the negative post. You should immediately hear an action from the solenoid valve which will open.

If you aren't getting that then either the valve has stuck closed or the solenoid coil has a fault so isn't working. If the solenoid valve it working, then i would run a lead from the positive battery post to the float switch and another wire from the float switch to the positive terminal on your solenoid valve. Connect the return wire as you did before.

The float switch is just a switch to stop the current going to the solenoid valve to actuate it.
Title: Re: Solenoid/Float switch Wiring help
Post by: Steve foster on February 22, 2014, 04:50:21 pm: The solenoid will take a few amps out of the battery when in use. Mine will flatten the battery overnight.
So from battery pos. Wire to switch, switch to solenoid.
Battery neg side. Wire to float, float to solenoid.
Title: Re: Solenoid/Float switch Wiring help
Post by: Spruce on February 23, 2014, 08:06:29 am: Quote from: Steve foster on February 22, 2014, 04:50:21 pm
The solenoid will take a few amps out of the battery when in use. Mine will flatten the battery overnight.
So from battery pos. Wire to switch, switch to solenoid.
Battery neg side. Wire to float, float to solenoid.

He only has 2 wires coming from his float switch
Title: Re: Solenoid/Float switch Wiring help
Post by: nokmond on February 23, 2014, 12:43:20 pm: All sorted, turned out to be a dodgy float switch >:(