7I76ED - output trigger solenoid valve?

I've got a 7i76ED (sinking) and have a bunch of 24vdc air valves I'm currently triggering through relays.

I need to add a couple more valves and am out of free relays - but I've got some free outputs on the 7i76.

Mesa manual indicates outputs can sink 350ma, and my valves are "2.5w @24vdc"... so around 100ma.

Some reason I shouldn't trigger the new solenoids directly?  If I need to add some sort of flyback diode or other hardware, I'd rather just plug in a couple more relays (w/built-in diodes).  But doing the valves directly with no other hardware would make wiring this thing much less hassle.

100 mA is a bit too high without a flyback.

Thx.  I'll cram some more relays in there somewhere.

Andy,

I've already got 6/ea solenoid valves triggered by relays, which are controlled via 7i76e outputs.  And my one sserial output is running my 7i73.

Just needed one more solenoid valve (ATC project scope creep) and not a "bunch" more. I was looking for a no-relay, no new mesa board solution, but without risk of popping an output on my 7i76.

I just got out the crowbar and wedged the DIN rail components over enough to jam in a few more slim card relays 

Upside is that the 7i76 is protected, and all the solenoids are controlled the same way with the same brand/type of relay.

If I were starting over I'd likely have gone a completely different Mesa route... a 'base' FPGA card and using the more purpose-built sserial & DB25 cards for IO and realtime functions rather than the 'sort-of-does-it-all' 7i76ed.
Thx,
R

I don't think there would be much benefit to using a different card. The 7i76E/D give you 2 x DB25 connectors and 1 x Smart serial as well as a lot of I/O.

The 7i76E only needs 1 power supply so going another way might need a bigger crowbar to fit seperate power supplies for logic and field power!
Plus you reduce the number of failure points that you inherit connecting multiple cards..
All in all, its still a very cabable card and I can run my plasma cutter relayless with it and a couple of THCADS by using the inbuilt spindle relay.
If you do need to trigger a relay or higher current device, these days you only need 6mm on the DIN rail for a SSR which does away with the need for a flyback

Rod - No complaints on the 7i76ed.  None whatsoever.

My thought was simply about packaging.  The 7i76e is a fairly large card, and there's NEVER enough room in an electrical enclosure.  My thought was to stack smaller cards for S&D, spindle, and encoders...and distribute the field IO closer to the components.

I've got lots of solenoids & sensors, most of which are high up on the back of my mill.  It'd be nice to run all the IO cables about 3 feet to a 7i84 in a box (or 7i64) instead of 12 feet through conduit down to my main enclosure.  Same idea as putting a 7i73 inside a pendant or operator panel.

Certainly not a show stopper now unless I run out of IO before this thing is finished.

I just run a DB9 cable from the 7i76e using a DB9 panel mount breakout to another breakout at the gantry. Thi sgives 7 signals + 24V power. The gantry end I made a custom breakout on vero board cos I have some diodes etc up there.