To reduce a solenoid’s power consumption, drive it with enough current to pull the plunger into position, then lower the current to the minimum level that reliably holds it. This peak-and-hold approach can reduce continuous coil heating, but the right settings depend on the coil, mechanism, supply, temperature, and required release behavior.
How peak-and-hold control reduces power
A solenoid often needs more current to move its plunger than it needs to keep the plunger in position. The initial pull-in current is called peak current; the lower current used afterward is hold current. Texas Instruments describes the distinction in its solenoid-driving application note: “To maintain the solenoid in this position, current must still be drawn or driven into the solenoid. This is referred to as hold current.”
A driver first supplies the pull-in current, then transitions to the lower hold current. Because coil dissipation falls when current is reduced, this can limit heat during extended energized periods. Excess heat matters: as the coil warms, its resistance rises, which can contribute to unintended release or failure to actuate, as TI explains in the same application note.
Pulse-width modulation (PWM) is one way to regulate the current in each phase. A higher effective drive can supply pull-in current; a lower PWM duty cycle can maintain the hold current. Duty cycle alone is not a universal setting: design for the actual coil current and mechanism rather than assuming that a particular voltage reduction or PWM percentage will work across operating conditions.
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Determine the pull-in and hold requirements
There are no universal peak-current, hold-current, or transition-time values. They depend on the coil’s electrical characteristics and the mechanism’s force requirements, as well as supply variation, temperature, desired actuation time, and how long the solenoid must remain engaged.
- Establish reliable pull-in. Determine the current and time needed to move the plunger under the intended operating conditions.
- Find the minimum reliable hold current. Verify that the mechanism stays in position throughout the required supply and temperature range. Do not assume any reduced current will hold every solenoid.
- Choose how to transition. A timed transition is straightforward. Movement detection can instead trigger the change once the plunger has completed its travel.
- Check thermal and electrical limits. Assess coil and switch heating over the operating range, along with the driver’s current and voltage ratings.
- Validate release behavior. Confirm that the solenoid releases within the required time when power is removed and that the switching and clamp components tolerate the resulting voltage.
Texas Instruments’ DRV120 provides configurable peak and hold current levels, peak duration, and PWM frequency; those settings still need to be selected for the particular design. See the DRV120 product page and TI’s application note.
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Choose a control and transition architecture
The right architecture depends on whether the design needs only current control or also needs to detect plunger movement and monitor performance.
| Approach | What it does | Design consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated current-control IC | A controller such as TI’s DRV120 manages solenoid current through configurable peak-and-hold phases. | It is a circuit component, not a complete plug-and-play driver module; integrate it with a suitable power stage and application circuit. |
| MCU with PWM and current measurement | A microcontroller can generate PWM, drive a switching FET, and measure current for control or monitoring. | Current sensing and control logic are part of the system design. TI’s TIDA-01250 reference design combines MSP430 PWM and FET drive with current-signature sampling and diagnostic features. |
| Timed transition | The driver changes from peak to hold after a set interval. | Set the interval to suit the actual solenoid’s movement under expected conditions. |
| Movement-detected transition | A sensor or electrical signature detects plunger travel and triggers the change. | Detection hardware and implementation depend on the design. TI’s TIDA-00289 supports back-EMF or Hall-sensor movement detection for a 24-V DC solenoid; TIDA-00284 uses Hall sensing in a 230-V AC reference design. |
Those two reference designs address different supply contexts and are not interchangeable circuit or safety recommendations. TI states that the TIDA-00289 assembled board was developed for testing and performance validation and is not available for sale. TIDA-00284 is a high-voltage engineering reference, not an unqualified DIY design. TI also reports “up to 70% reduced power consumption” for its TIDA-00289 and TIDA-00284 reference designs; that is a vendor claim for those specific designs, not a result established for solenoid drivers generally.
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Plan the turn-off path as well as the hold phase
When a coil is switched off, its current cannot stop instantly. A recirculation path gives that current a route to decay, but a low-voltage path may let it decay slowly and delay plunger release. A faster release generally requires a larger opposing voltage across the solenoid, which makes the current fall more quickly.
TI’s application note discusses H-bridges, Zener diodes, transient-voltage-suppression (TVS) diodes, and varistors as possible discharge approaches. A slower, lower-voltage recirculation path may suit an application that tolerates a longer release; a higher-voltage clamp can speed release but increases voltage stress. Select and rate the switching and clamp components for the actual coil and circuit—there is no generally appropriate clamp voltage for an unspecified solenoid.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Use reference designs as examples, not universal settings
- DRV120: A physical solenoid-driver IC with configurable peak-and-hold current, peak duration, and PWM frequency. It requires integration into a circuit.
- TIDA-00289: A 24-V DC current-controlled solenoid reference design with plunger-fault detection and back-EMF or Hall-based movement detection. Its assembled validation board is not for sale, according to TI.
- TIDA-00284: A current-controlled reference design for 230-V AC solenoids with PWM and Hall-based plunger detection. Treat it as a high-voltage engineering reference.
- TIDA-01250: A smart solenoid reference design that combines PWM current control with monitoring and diagnostic functions.
Reference designs can illustrate control choices, but their supply context, sensing method, and circuit implementation should not be assumed to suit a different coil. For AC and high-voltage applications in particular, use an appropriately engineered design rather than transferring a DC circuit unchanged.
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