Ever wonder how your car engine is triggered to start when you turn the key? Or, how your doorbell sounds when the button is pressed? What about how your irrigation system turns on to beautify your lawn at just the right time?

These simple everyday occurrences happen because of a small coil of wire used as an electromagnet. This device is referred to as a solenoid valve.

A solenoid valve is any component that converts electrical energy to mechanical energy and in doing so produces a magnetic reaction. This happens each time an electric current runs through the wire. The solenoid resembles a corkscrew shape and is cased around an iron piston. The device functions like a plunger, and activates a system or device when forced into motion. When the device is stimulated, a magnetic field switches on which pulls the armature, whether plunger or pivoted, against the action of a spring. When activation ceases, the plunger or pivoted armature returns back to the original position from the coil.

There are several different uses for a valve. As stated earlier in this article, a solenoid valve can power your car to start, activate a doorbell or start a sprinkler system. Typically, a solenoid valve is used to activate either a fluid or hydraulic powered system. Other uses for the valve include operating and powering central heating in your home, a dishwasher or any other gas or fluid powered appliance or system. Their main functions are to turn off, expel or mix fluids or gases to create power in these specific devices or systems.

These valves vary in size, mainly in the amount of outlet port connections they contain. Some have only 2 ports, others have multiple ports. Valves that have 2 ports are used to switch a device or system on or off. Valves that have multiple ports switch the control of current flow between outlet ports. In addition to a varying number of port connections, there are direct acting solenoid valves, as well as internally or externally piloted solenoid valves。 All types of solenoid valves perform similar functions, but on varying levels or scales.

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