Naah - been an EE for almost 40 years now. I'm pretty daft in my older age, but this is back-of-my-hand stuff. In a few years, God willing I live that long, I'll likely be sitting in a nursing home rattling this stuff off mindlessly to the nurse changing my diaper, not even remembering what I had for breakfast. For now, you all will be the target of the rambling
A 5 watt 12VDC bulb draws .42A and a 5 watt 24VDC volt bulb draws .21A. It doesn't matter if it's a light bulb or a subspace communicator. If it runs at 12 volts DC and consumes 5 watts of electrical power, it's drawing .42 amps.
Let's throw that next monkey wrench in the ointment and deal with AC power. With everything other than DC, there is a negligible but measurable effect caused by circuit impedance on every single load. So, that 5 watt 12VAC bulb might actually draw .42000005A because of the effect the length of the conductors inside the bulb has at AC frequencies. In fact, just applying the DC power to the circuit will have some finite affect outside straight up DC theory that can be measured since it's changing the circuit from one voltage level to another. Once the circuit voltage reaches steady-state, then it's back to easy street figuring out these things.
Sorry for the thread derail! I hope the OP susses out whether it's the pilot or the main solenoid.
