Hey everyone. Ive been playing around with an electric door lock actuator I got off of ebay and ive got a question: In order to maintain a position (up/down ->locked/unlockd), there has to be a constant supply of power to the lock in a direction ie + --> - locks, - --> + unlocks. Is this normal? Wouldn't such a constant power requirement drain the battery? I have a couple uses for these locks, first of all changing out the old vacuum elements and also using them to lock down my sub box so it wont slide around (ill post schematics later, im really excited about this design) but I need to know how to implement them without draining my batter. Thanks!

Solenoids needed a voltage to hold them, the new motors are motors with a gear train and are supplied voltage for a moment causing a resultant movement, reversing the voltage causes the motor to do the opposite.

Makes no sense that it needs constant power. After the solenoid moves the rod to the lock or unlock position, the rod should stay in place. The solenoid will not influence the rod one way or the other with current going through it.

I don't understand how or why you intend to use a solenoid to retain a sub box. But if you're set on it, use the solenoid to slide a pin into or out of a hole the box. The pin will be loose when the solenoid is not powered but if you design it correctly, there won't be anything to move the pin other than the solenoid. I dunno... a bungee cord seems much simpler.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

LOL. Bungee cords look ghetto. The idea is to secure the box from the inside without having to make room to pass a socket wrench in. My current sub box is held in by bolts, but I want to be able to flip a switch, automatically disconnect all the bindings, pop out the power/audio signal plug and take the whole thing out. I think it will look really cool when its all done...