-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

A 1.2V solenoid, you say?  Well, it's your lucky day!!  Just use an
LM317, which has a regulation voltage of 1.2V.  Just don't bother
putting a resistor between its common pin and ground.  Tie its common
pin to ground directly.

- --Brendan

- ----- Original Message -----
From: "A.J. Tufgar" <tufgaraj@MUSS.CIS.MCMASTER.CA>
To: <PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2002 10:59 AM
Subject: [EE]: More efficient way to drop voltage.


> I know this is a bit of a stupid question but oh well.  :)
>
> I've got a 1.2V solenoid running off a 5V supply.  Right now I just
> drop the voltage with a resistor but this is wasteful as most of
> the power does not go to the solenoid, but is lost as heat in the
> resistor.
>
> I was looking around the net and saw that a better way to do a
> voltage drop is a zener, but isn't the same power wasted through
> the zener as the resistor?  Or is less wasted?
>
> I was thinking of using a voltage regulator but this seems like
> overkill.
>
> So what's a more efficient way to power the solenoid from the 5V
> supply?
>
> Thanks,
> Aaron
>
> --
> http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three
> different ways.  See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.
>

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: PGPfreeware 6.5.8 for non-commercial use <http://www.pgp.com>

iQA/AwUBPT2bxQVk8xtQuK+BEQK1jQCfRu23T/wo7pvubVNkN52w9lyVYvYAoPDC
P1xYLVSjargS3fsPOUNLFTXv
=2T7K
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

--
http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different
ways.  See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.