I need help with understanding which how to wire a MOSFET (FDA59N30-ND). This MOSFET will be used as a switch for a solenoid and controlled with an arduino. This is the flyback diode I got 20SQ045. The solenoids will run on 41V and 10A. Based on my research I will need a resistor between the gate and arduino board to prevent a high current going into the board (220 ohm - 5V 23mA way below the 40mA of the board). The drain should connect to the solenoid and the source to the ground. Here is the link to the solenoid we bought F700F-22 (*Linear Solenoids - Push Pull Solenoids - Geeplus.com) and I’ve attached the data sheet with additional information.push_pull_solenoid_700.pdf (691.6 KB)
I am lost as how to connect the diode to prevent flyback voltage. Any help will be greatly appreciated! And recommendations for proto board that can handle this amount of current and voltage.
Some Background: This is for a mechanical engineer undergraduate senior design group and we are making an electronically controlled valve train. There will be one solenoid controlling the intake valve and one solenoid controlling the outtake valve. The valve timing will be depending on the rotation of the crankshaft which is read with a different sensor but everything will be connected to one arduino.
Not a great choice if you plan on direct-driving with an arduino; reason being that it’s threshold voltage (the gate-source voltage at which it begins to turn on) is about the same as the maximum output of your controller. Something like an IRL530NPBF that’s characterized for a 5V drive signal would be a more promising option in this case.
Are you sure about that? A glance at the dtasheet suggests a rather lower current figure to me.
There’s more than one approach, involving different tradeoffs. Figures 19-24 of this post illustrate related considerations and effects. Something more along the lines of 5KP48CA might be a more suitable diode selection.
FWIW, the time scales involved tend to be a constraining factor in such applications. Best of luck in your efforts.
Thank you for your responses. I have come into a different problem where the MOSFET is heating up so much that it is melting the MOSFET. Any fixes?
If using the components described in your original post, this would be a likely result; an insufficient gate drive voltage does not allow a FET to turn on fully, resulting in excess power dissipation and letting the magic smoke out.
A drive signal source that is too weak (cannot provide sufficient current flow) results in a FET spending excessive time between its “on” and “off” states, which can also result in heating and smoke release.
Even when everything is otherwise done properly, the power dissipation in a FET due to its on-state resistance (plus any switching losses) causes the temperature of the device to rise. If an adequate thermal path to ambient for this energy is not provided, the device temperature will continue to rise until, again, the smoke comes out.
A different FET selection may be sufficient to address the first problem, but the second may remain an issue. Devices known as “gate drivers” exist which are designed to accept logic-level control signals, such as from an arduino, and provide what is effectively an amplified form thereof which is more suitable for driving large FETs. These are modestly-priced evaluation boards for two such devices, accommodating one or two circuits for FETs used in a low-side switching configuration.
