solenoid replacement parts

[madnugget]

hi guys,

just wondering is it possible to purchase replacement parts for solenoid? i have a 2nd hand dymax solenoid and it doesnt works anymore. on and off the valve is still open.no "click" sound is heard during poweron.. i dismantled the parts and think is the "relay" that is spoilt..

[Shadow]

bring it to NA, they might be able to help

[felix_fx2]

madnugget bro,

I fixed mine just a few days ago only.
The click sound is made when the needle (i find this funny, why is the needle so fat, yet we call it needle?) goes in to a certain place.

Thanks for your pictures, they gave me courage to open it up.

I observed 2 things before i opened it.

1: when there is power, eletro-magnet pulls the needle inwards. and i actually felt the magnetic pulse.

2: Ours fell into the fault needle stuck in and unable to push back out. So must be string cannot push it back up or something stopping it from coming back up.

I did a extensive search online and found many funny methods,
a: Tapping the solenoid with the needle facing down.
b: using Co2 to blow dust from the needle that might be causing the obstruction.
c: plug it in and on/off ALOT of times (thats how i felt my point 1)

So in simple terms i knock it abit it never came out much, then i used ZIPPO fluid (Alcohol based so it dries fast) to wash it out abit. With a small knocking the metal ring around came out.Thus it gave me the chance to VERY LIGHTLY pull the needle out of there, surprisingly it didn't bullet out.

End of the story, I found the root cause.
Dust (and maybe a small leak) caused accumulated inside the chamber and stopped the spring from full-filling its job of pushing the needle back to place. And being stuck for a pretty long time the spring lost its tension too.I ended up ripping apart lighters (electric type) to find the spring with the correct tension.

Too hard and the eletro-magnet will not be-able to hold it during power on phase.
Too weak and the spring cannot push it back up during power off phase.

I hope my experience will be of much help to you.

[madnugget]

wow.. you really know how to fix it...it the same kind? i check with NA and they dont have any spares and it is not worth changing. so i bought a new one. comparing the new one and this dymax model, its totally different structure. this dymax model i totally dont know how it works. will give a try with your method though =) thanks

[felix_fx2]

Its a JBS brand.
It looks pretty alike to that Dymax one, But be warned finding a spring of the right tension is irritating. I actually used 2 lighter springs and trimmed abit off one of them.

The spring is the one in the part where the sparks come out, i just tore the empty lighter apart.

[madnugget]

Its a JBS brand.
It looks pretty alike to that Dymax one, But be warned finding a spring of the right tension is irritating. I actually used 2 lighter springs and trimmed abit off one of them.

The spring is the one in the part where the sparks come out, i just tore the empty lighter apart.

hey felix,

its the same one! the whole set is dymax but the AC relay part is JBS. i finally understand what you meant!..however, i dont think my case is the spring's fault. A solenoid should be energized when power on. to attract back the "needle" and off the spring will push forward the "needle". the needle holder was magnetic even without power on. or am i wrong? without power, pushing the needle back in and you can hear the "click" sound, where it was attracted inside..

[felix_fx2]

madnugget,

Yes correct, the solenoid magnetic strength will only be strong enough to attract the "needle" and hold it back when powered on.

on and off the valve is still open.no "click" sound is heard during power on..

I am only judging based on the quoted sentence, if value is left open even when there is no power your problem should be the same as mine. The "needle" might not have been pushed back during power off.

Maybe in a week or so my Co2 will be finished, i'll try take some pictures show you?

[madnugget]

yup, i understood what you meant. but is the holder of the needle magnetized for yours? without power on + not connected to the socket, you can push in the needle and it can spring out easily? or should i say in another way, without the spring, you over turn the unit, will the needle drop out?

[felix_fx2]

Yes mine also magnetized. If i not wrong eletro-magnet will be like that after some period of time. Like using a magnet to magnetize a iron nail.

Correct, exactly what i mean. By right it should do just that but mine was stuck due to grime and a old spring, i actually carefully pulled it out after i managed to extract it with a pointed head pliers.

From my best friend at work "Google" , i read that some only needed to give a slight knock with a hammer and the needle came out.

[madnugget]

yup.. thats what i meant.. so in that case i should find a spring that is strong enough to push the needle out? meaning, without power on, you can push in the needle and it springs out?

[felix_fx2]

You try turning it down so the needle faces down, give it small knocks see if it comes out.

Yup, now it springs out after i push it in till it has the click sound.
I actually had problems with getting the right spring, too strong and it stays closed after powering it up.

[madnugget]

i can get it out with a pliers.. just that it doesnt springs out.. lighter springs? those traditional ones can?

[felix_fx2]

eletric or traditional doesn't matter, It just has to do its role.

If you can't find one that just nice not too strong till can't be held down when its on, try use a small cutter to trim it abit by abit.

[SmallFish]

Time to open up my 'non-working' solenoid to have a look !!