Homopolar Motor Variation

[AntoMelta]

I am very happy to see the vidoe after you give this This is a unique variation of the worlds simplest motor, the homopolar motor.

[willamricard]

I Love The Video This is a unique variation of the worlds simplest motor, the homopolar motor It Can Increase My Knowledge

[imegatrone]

Steady I Really Like This Video the homopolar motor. The difference here is that both the AA battery and neodymium magnet are the rotating motor parts.

[Melehete]

Good, I like that you share this video The difference here is that both the AA battery and neodymium magnet are the rotating motor parts, I wish success always

[NganaJHone]

Nice Video The difference here is that both the AA battery and neodymium magnet are the rotating motor parts That You Share , So Very Nice Thanks You

[Ondelendo]

I Really Like The Video From Your The difference here is that both the AA battery and neodymium magnet are the rotating motor parts

[bundawartini]

Your Video Is Very Useful Sharing Homopolar Motor Variation

[AadriianVLoogs]

DURACELL: "THE BEST HOMOPOLAR MOTOR BATTERY EVER" commercial voice xD hahaha

[joepipe101]

How much torque does this produce?  Thinking of making a high amperage thermo-coupler to replace the battery and connect the neo. mag. to the copper + junction?

[MrfixitRick]

@joepipe101

Haha, I was just looking at your video of the joepipe, before seeing your comment and was thinking the same thing!

Your drawing is like a homopolar motor. The pipe is the battery. The electric and magnetic fields are there. The plasma is like the copper conductor connecting the battery plus and minus. (The plasma, or else the tube, should rotate in that case.)

[MadeInOregon27]

@MrfixitRick

Does this go forever? And where do u get neodymium magnets? Could you explain the different kinds there are? Thanks for this vid! I'm interested in learning more about this stuff!

[MrfixitRick]

@MadeInOregon27

No, this motor will not run more than a few minutes, or up to perhaps a half-hour if one is lucky. I use NiMH rechargeable batteries.

A good site to get and learn about magnets is K&J Magnetics. The link is in the "Show more..." box. You can also get a decent neo magnet from a shake-type recharging flashlight.

Neo magnets come in various sizes and strengths. A N38 strength neodymium magnet is weaker than a N52, which is about the strongest. Check above site for details.

[MrfixitRick]

@MadeInOregon27

see above!

[MrfixitRick]

@joepipe101

The torque in my device is perhaps an inch-oz or so. The torque is directly related to the strength of the magnetic field, and the current in the conductor.

Note that for the homopolar motor, the magnet does not have to be directly attached to the battery, nor does the magnet have to rotate. It's the magnetic field strength that is important.

Note too, if you generate resonating magnetic fields with the joepipe, then you can use coils of copper wire to collect power from it.

[168cosmin]

burn the witch!!!!

[rainbowoctopus420]

Fuckin magnets. How do they work?

[MrfixitRick]

@rainbowoctopus420

Hehe, I was naive and used to be offended by that statement....Insane Clown Posse, Miracles (2009)

[MrHukaspukas]

So I guess this is why our planet spins?

[MrfixitRick]

@MrHukaspukas

There may be more truth to that than meets the eye, literally. It turns out that the universe is composed of 99.999 percent plasma. The plasma has strong electrical and electrostatic currents running through that may act like the battery of a homopolar motor when interacting with the magnetic and gravitational fields of planets.

[MrHukaspukas]

@MrfixitRick I never did like the old theory of "why our panet spins",yes,I believe with our planet, the magnetic field supplies the current and the Earths core supplies the power,"by using the north and south poles",therefore maintaining a steady spin on the Earth for a rotation of exactly 365.249 rotations a year.Works just like the Homopolar,is this what your tryng to prove,it makes sense to me. We figured out one great mystery in life,what else shall we figure out next..

[TheBFMVOWNS]

well.... how did it work without a magnet ? O.o

[MrfixitRick]

@TheBFMVOWNS

The magnet is stuck to the bottom of the battery. It's the same diameter, so it's hard to see.

[TheBFMVOWNS]

@MrfixitRick oooooooooh got it

[Knombretngo]

:O

[Deejay41097]

Haha thats so cool

[Pyanapple]

Or.... Is everything turning around the battery !!! o.O!

[MARV361theSTAR]

how long could it spin if its a fully charged battery? a day? 2? or depends on the longitude and diameter of the copper wire?

[MrfixitRick]

@MARV361theSTAR It will spin for a few minutes up to maybe 1/2 hour. The wire size and length don't make much difference here.

[joedajoester]

Please please help me i did it with just normal copper neodymium magnets i am very sure of but my copper is not magnetic at all, i mean the magnets dont stick to it or even effect the copper

[MrfixitRick]

@joedajoester

Copper is not magnetic. The hanger you see is not copper, but steel. It is a copper-plated steel welding rod.

There is a short length of copper wire wound around the welding rod stand and also touches the magnet and makes electrical contact.

[LiquidChem]

im a tiny bit confused, why is the copper magnetic? am i missing something obvious?

[MrfixitRick]

@LiquidChem

The battery hanger appears to be copper, but is instead copper-plated steel welding rod, which is magnetic. The battery extends the magnetic field of the magnet just enough to stick to the rod.

The copper wire is not magnetic, but has current flowing through it. Current in a wire creates a magnetic field, which interacts with the magnet's field to produce torque.

[LiquidChem]

@MrfixitRick ah i see.. i already knew what you explained, i just thought it was pure copper..

[0mgWtfBbq718]

hey guys, two questions. I have a few rare earth magnest, those might be the same thing im not sure but will those work? And also, could one use a coathanger IN PLACE of copper wire?

[MrfixitRick]

@0mgWtfBbq718

Rare earth magnets are usually neodymium, like I used in this experiment. The magnet must have a metal plating such as nickel.

The coat-hanger in place of the copper wire will not work. It sticks to the magnet too much.

[FilmsGreenStar]

You spin me right round :D

[billysgeo]

Maybe you could use a small resistor in the circuit thus controlling the speed and making it run for longer

[poeli1]

#OMG

[martinz1001]

Dude- can you do a helicopter out of it with some extra helium lift up maybe - if the weight is too much.

[MrfixitRick]

@martinz1001

That would likely work. I think you should try it.

[monstermiataman]

@martinz1001 i dont think so these are not very stable

[Drumplayer3111]

magnets are amusing:D

[toddmorrow1]

Can you check how much charge is in the battery by the rpm?

If so, you could use this as a battery tester. :)

[Meleeman07]

Where can I buy a neodymium magnet?

[MrfixitRick]

@Meleeman07

You can get neodymium magnets online at K&J Magnetics. The link is in the "more info" details.

[graah2]

i appreciate it...

beep!beep!beep!beep!beep!beep!­beep!beep!beep!beep!beep!beep!­beep!beep!

to mr fixit rick

[graah2]

beep

[graah2]

so u use a shakeable flashlight from Wal-mart?

any brand work or just one?

[MrfixitRick]

@graah2

Any brand shake-light should work. There is one package with a large and small shake-light together, and they both work fine for the magnets.

[FabioCorreiaDelta]

como que funciona o motor, oq faz ele girar???

[MrfixitRick]

O motor exige a energia da bateria, e a força de Lorentz faz-lhe a volta.

The motor requires energy from the battery, and the Lorentz force makes it turn.

[thebagers1]

how do u do this

[MrfixitRick]

I used a 9/16 inch neodymium magnet out of a shake-type flashlight. (Or a magnet can be ordered from K&J Magnetics). And a strong Duracell rechargeable battery. The stand is out of 1/8 welding rod(copper-coated steel). The contact wire is 20 gage copper wire, wrapped around the stand.

Oh, and several hours of trial and error...

[mrsouthcentral42021]

and do i have to use a noenized magnet or can i use a ny magnet that has a little power to it

[MrfixitRick]

@mrsouthcentral42021

You must use a neodymium magnet.

[chimichangascroll]

Casio keyboard? D:

[nurbek95]

cool

[Odood19]

i love it

[blackToston]

where i can find a magnet

[MrfixitRick]

I just bought 5 shake-flashlights from Wal-Mart because I needed some neodymium magnets fast.

Normally I buy magnets from K&G Magnetics...use the link to the right in the "more info". >>>

[shootinstar2396]

home depot

[zosoyoung]

Ace hardware and Harbor Frieght Tools

[afdhalatifftan92]

Can I make it spin by charging??

Thanks!!

[MrfixitRick]

If you mean using a battery charger, then yes that could work. It will be tricky setting up the wires, but it can be done.

It interesting to note that if you could manually spin the homopolar motor fast enough, it will actually generate power.

[afdhalatifftan92]

Thanks for the fast reply...

[psycopyro001]

ok, imma thinking two drill gearboxes daisy chained?

[MrfixitRick]

hehe, that should do it...

[sheeshye]

is there a certain kind on metal to use or what

im having some trouble..(can u use metal from a coat hanger?)

and how big should the megnets be? cause i think mine are to small

[MrfixitRick]

A metal coat-hanger will work, but keep in mind that there is a lacquer coating that can interfere with electrical contact with your copper wire or the battery. Use some sandpaper to remove any coating on the coat-hanger where it touches the conducting parts.

If the magnet is too small, the battery will not hang from the coat-hanger. Use a more powerful or bigger magnet, or try a small ball magnet between the battery and the hanger. Also, some batteries just don't act as magnets very well.

[sheeshye]

im gonna trade in my magnets and get bigger ones... also im getting some copper wire

[MrfixitRick]

It's well worth it for the fun factor!

I use decent batteries too, like the Duracell rechargeable NiMH with the heavier rating of 2650 MaH.

[sheeshye]

cool i got my stuff and it works!! its really fun but im having some trouble with other types of homopolar motors

[MrfixitRick]

Congrats on following through!

Some configurations require different magnets or a more powerful battery. The homopolar motors can be real finicky, and it often takes me quite some time to set up a simple video shot.

By trial and error you will find out what works. If you have a specific problem with a type of motor shown in my videos, just drop in a comment and I will troubleshoot it for you.

[weetnietgeen]

so how much would neodymium magnets cost for me? =O

[MrfixitRick]

It's about $5 for a decent-sized neodymium magnet. Plus shipping. I shop online at K&J Magnetics. Click the K&J Magnetics link to the right in the "more info " box.

The neo magnet seen in this movie came out of a broken shake-to-charge flashlight and worked fine for this purpose, and was cheap at the dollar store for $5, and I saved on the shipping!

[MrfixitRick]

I just realized you were from the Netherlands...you might want to find a local supplier in that case. I believe K&J Magnetics do ship all over the world, though.

[weetnietgeen]

awesomeness! thank you^^

[imfrigginspecial]

would normal office magnets the same size as those work?

[MrfixitRick]

No, it takes a strong neodymium-type magnet for this experiment. The magnetism has to pass through the battery to stick to the hanger.

It's a fine line between strength of magnet and weight of the apparatus, and it took me a long time to get everything just right.

[buennavegador]

gracias

chido video

[hurley566]

what kind of magnet specifically are you using? like size blah blah blah. i have to build this for tommorrow, damn physics teacher gave us the weekend .

[MrfixitRick]

The magnet is a 9/16 inch neodymium supermagnet that came from a shake-flashlight. Find a dollar store that sells shake-type flashlights and haggle to get the burnt-out ones cheap.

It will likely be hard to find that size magnet without ordering on-line at a place like K&J Magnetics,(link in the "more info" box >>>) but you might try a craft store for 1/2 inch x 1/8 inch neodymium disc magnets and stack them. Don't try the brown crap magnets, they won't work.

[einstienear]

I made one JUST like this

Vid will go up soon

[lauroune]

does it absolutly need to be coper wire or it can be just metal wire?

[MrfixitRick]

Copper or silver wire will work. Steel wire will not work, because it sticks to the magnet.

[colonelcambell]

does anyone know what gauge copper too use?

[MrfixitRick]

The main stand looks like copper, but is a welding rod (steel with a copper coating). The copper wire that makes the connection to the magnet is a 20 gauge hard copper wire that's the kind found in plumbing dept of Home Depot. Any copper wire will work, but this one keeps the connection best.

[Morahman7vnNo2]

Have You Tried Using Two C Batteries With One Magnet In Between The Two Batteries And One Under It?

[MrfixitRick]

Nope...but I bet you will!!

[Morahman7vnNo2]

I Probably Would Have Used 3 D Batteries & 3 Magnets. lol Why Don't You Post Your Hand Playing The Keyboard Of Yours?

[roxybaby1947]

I have a similar setup to video but I notice the aaa cells get very hot after a few minutes. Is there any way of overcoming this? Maybe if I can eliminate some of the friction may help.

[MrfixitRick]

Yes batteries can get hot, because the homopolar motor uses a lot of current. It's best to run for short periods only, and be aware that some batteries can burst when overheated. I use AA batteries, NiMH Duracel 2650 mah. I have found they give the best power.

[MrfixitRick]

As far as friction, try polishing the friction surfaces with a scour pad. I sometimes use silicone spray lubricant. Try a small magnetic ball as a bearing, (gold-plated is best, until the plating burns off!) Good luck, I'm glad to hear that you built one!

[MrfixitRick]

One more detail I forgot to mention...I use copper-coated welding rod for my "hanger", so it is more conductive than a steel coat-hanger, for example.

[roxybaby1947]

Thanks for replies MrfixitRick. Yes, I have been using CCMS welding rod myself and was thinking of changing to just copper rod to see if the motor ran better. I must try some AA rechargeables with my next attempt as these AAA Duracells don't seem to be the answer.

[MrfixitRick]

The pure copper won't support the battery magnetically, so you would need to perhaps suspend a ball magnet with a loop of the copper rod.

Be aware that there are 3 different amp rating for the green rechargeable Duracells...The ones that come with the charger aren't as powerful as the 2650 mah ones I use.

[roxybaby1947]

Is it best to scrape away the copper coating on the welding rod where the positive terminal of the cell makes contact magnetically. Surely there would be a stronger 'bond' magnetically if the copper coating was removed from this contact point?

[MrfixitRick]

I think it's better to leave the copper on for electrical contact, as long as the battery hangs ok. I've even used copper paint. The battery should be barely attached. The least magnetic attraction will equal less rotating friction.

[parhatsathid]

Yes. I imagine earth as homopolar motor. There is more to it than that. The earth's magnetic fields as the earth rotates creates the Van Allen Belts which protects the earth against harmful gamma radiation, x ray radiation. The magnetic fields are created, from the electrical discharge of the sun causing the earth to turn around in turn creating earth's own Van Allen Belts that protects us from the dangerous gamma radiation.

[parhatsathid]

In case the Apollo missions haven't figure out, is if the rockets (working like batteries of this homopolar analogue) were to turn around creating its own magnetic fields (yes homopolar when it turns do have a magnetic fields) it may help deep space travel that protects the inhabitants of the rocket ship against gamma radiation too.

[parhatsathid]

In fact heating technology depends on homopolar technology such as a closely spaced tank spining in oil makes for heating in houses at a significant electricity savings. That's because if a reverse, in which the disc were to spin, heat is given off from the high amperage creating heat for the tanks. Homopolar technology, offers huge potentials beyond this comment.

[MrfixitRick]

Great post...thanks for input. As an aside, it's interesting to note that the actual solar particles never reach the earth...they are repelled and blocked by the magnetic field of the earth. However, man, in his wisdom, has decided to collect these solar particles in a solar probe. It crash-landed in the desert last year, dumping it's never-before-on-earth payload like a mushroom spewing spores... Hmmmmm.. Ra-Sun-God makes it to earth...2nd coming??? ha?

[parhatsathid]

This explains why the Earth turns around. The Earth is well known to have magnetic fields and electricity comes from the Sun in form of cosmic radiation. The Earth itself is a homopolar generator.

Ted

[MrfixitRick]

Really interesting comment. I hadn't thought of it that way but it does make sense. Do you see the Earth as homopolar generator or perhaps motor? Earth=Magnet, Radiation=Electricity then Earth rotates as the magnet/motor in video above, requiring energy touching it's edges to turn. On the other hand, a rotating Earth could also act as a generator, as any rotating magnet can be...hmmmm,,,,,Thanks for input. Rick

[TheHolyMane]

I've always thought of earth as a magnet. I also agree with Ted, that was what i thought when i saw this. Mykolas

[AutogenicMotor]

Interesting variation!