On a hydraulic pack how can i check if a solenoid is working?

Question

I have seen people using a screwdriver , but i don't know what they do to it , to check it?

Answer 1

Unless it is in a noisy environment, you should be able to hear it click. This would tell you not only that the coil was being energized, but that the valve operated.

Feeling for magnetism can work if the solenoid is DC powered. If it is AC, perhaps you can feel vibration from the 60 cycle current.

Answer 2

Well since a solenoid is basically magnetic switch what they are checking for is the magnetism from the solenoid to the screwdriver to see if it is working correctly.

Now be aware that not every solenoid is the same and for different uses they are quite different. A good way to do it say for a car starter solenoid is to get a multimeter and test the leades for resistance between them. You should get a resistance of near zero between those leads. You can also hook it up to a battery and a good starter and if you hear the telltale "clack" of the starter you know it is working.

Now for your hydraulic pack I'm guessing this solenoid is accually a solenoid Valve. In that case the accuall electronic coil inside it is rather small and may not give off much of a magnetic field. If possible I would check to see if the valve is somehow clogged in side the solenoid by doing an inspection inside it. This can happen if you use poor quality air/oil in it's operation. I guess it really depends on how accessible this thing on your hydraulic pack is.