Simple generator: electric generator for science fair

Full information at http://amasci.com/coilgen/ main project website,
also see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) at http://bit.ly/oYU1RM
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Build this DIY ultra-simple AC electric generator from magnets, wire, and cardboard. (And a big nail!) Light a small lightbulb, or flash a red LED.

This simple project demonstrates how electric generators work. All you need is a stack of strong ceramic magnets and a coil of very thin wire. See the website for complete parts list. Also see the section about debugging, and the FAQ at http://amasci.com/coilgen/generator_3.html#faq

Now if you want a more useful device, instead get a small DC motor. Use it as a generator, since it has much better magnetics design. All motors are generators. Figure out how to spin a motor's shaft, and you can make a small powerful generator.

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See my links page for many generator projects on other websites, at http://amasci.com/coilgen/generator_4.html Also... figure out how to convert the cardboard generator into a motor!

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Lots more stuff at SCIENCE HOBBYIST http://amasci.com/unew.html

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Note: trolls/spammers blocked immediately, zero tolerance

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• electric
• generator
• dynamo
• physics
• magnet
• magnets
• coil
• wire
• bulb
• science-hobbyist
• maker
• amasci
• electricity
• science-fair
• science
• fair
• science-project
• kids
• education
• educational
• project
• experiment
• experiments
• tutorial
• diy
• instruction
• how-to
• wind
• turbine

[joysareencool]

Sir, from the wire that u wound over the cardboard, is there only one bare end ?? and later when u connect the LED to the wire !! do u divide the bare end into two !!??

[wbeaty]

@joysareencool Didn't look at the main project website? This video is not the project, it's just some extras.  Follow instructions and drawings on amasci website coilgen.

[wbeaty]

@joysareencool every piece of wire always has two ends. The electricity inside all wires can only flow if the wire is connected in a circle. The small light bulb is part of the circle.

The electricity was inside the metal wire and inside the light bulb filament. When the magnets move, all this electricity begins flowing at once. It's like a rubber drive belt: the magnets push on one part of this belt, and the entire belt starts to move.

[Absol2819]

is the 200ft wire the red one?

('^')

[wbeaty]

@Absol2819 The really thin one.

[mohe3439]

Would the generator work more efficiently if the wires are more orderly when wrapping them around the box or not?

[wbeaty]

@mohe3439 wires have to be as close as possible to magnets, but a disordered coil works fine.

Better is to wind lots more wire, like 600 or 800 turns. Get cheap wire: mail-order surplus companies sell solenoids, the open-frame kind. Pry apart to get the wire spool. Way cheapr than Radio Shack. Or see lots of wire-spool sellers on the project website.

[Absol2819]

How does this work were is the electricity coming from?

[wbeaty]

@thehomeslice101 this video is incomplete. It's just an extra on the main website. Need to read the project instructions. Follow the parts list on page 2, don't use substitute parts.

If you use an LED instead of the special Radio Shack bulb, you'll need to add 2X or 3X more wire.

[Bastiest]

Funnily enough, I am actually intrested in this kind of stuff.

For various reasons and one of them is survival.

Who knows when simple information like this might come in handy.

[wbeaty]

@Absol2819 You used very thin radio shack enamel-insulated wire? Size #30 gauge? Notice on main project page: don't use different wire, don't use different bulb, don't use different magnets. Use #30 varnished wire from radio shack, or take apart a 24V solenoid to get out the spool of thin wire.

[Absol2819]

Who wouldn't like this video.