- #1
Skatterbrain
- 5
- 0
I need advice on assembling a pulsed dc electromagnet.
I'd like to experiment with eddy current levitation. I've seen educational videos where a pulsed DC electromagnet will generate eddy currents in a plate of aluminum, which creates is own magnetic field, and causes the plate to levitate due to magnetic repulsion with the electromagnet.
My idea is to use a pulse width modulator (PWM) as the pulsed power source at 12V and 30 amps, and feed it into a step-up transformer to increase the voltage which is necessary to create eddy currents, then have it go to the electromagnet, and back through a step-down transformer to return the voltage to 12V which then returns to the PWM. I don't know the exact voltage needed, but it appears to be higher than what comes out of the house mains.
I thought of using microwave oven transformers (MOTs) as the step-up and step-down transformers, but after reading some of your treads that seems dangerous. I have a basic understanding of electricity, but don't have the hands-on experience. I'd like to put together something that is "plug and play", rather than solder breadboards with rectifiers, etc.
This isn't an original idea, it's been done before, but it's been difficult for me to get advice on the nuts and bolts of how to put it together. Any help would be much appreciated.
I'd like to experiment with eddy current levitation. I've seen educational videos where a pulsed DC electromagnet will generate eddy currents in a plate of aluminum, which creates is own magnetic field, and causes the plate to levitate due to magnetic repulsion with the electromagnet.
My idea is to use a pulse width modulator (PWM) as the pulsed power source at 12V and 30 amps, and feed it into a step-up transformer to increase the voltage which is necessary to create eddy currents, then have it go to the electromagnet, and back through a step-down transformer to return the voltage to 12V which then returns to the PWM. I don't know the exact voltage needed, but it appears to be higher than what comes out of the house mains.
I thought of using microwave oven transformers (MOTs) as the step-up and step-down transformers, but after reading some of your treads that seems dangerous. I have a basic understanding of electricity, but don't have the hands-on experience. I'd like to put together something that is "plug and play", rather than solder breadboards with rectifiers, etc.
This isn't an original idea, it's been done before, but it's been difficult for me to get advice on the nuts and bolts of how to put it together. Any help would be much appreciated.