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Hi all
I have been fascinated by the Voltage amplification that can be achieved by running your current through a Magnet or better a magnetic field.
I confirmed that arcing onto a Magnet will give you a Gain which is reflected through a higher output voltage on the secondary of a Transformer in this case an Automotive ignition Coil.
For the following experiments I used a half moon Shaped Neo Magnet out of an old HDD which came mounted on a fastening Plate of what I assume is MU Metal as it has no mag. attraction on its opposite side.
The greatest gain comes off the Ends and the center of the lower (shorter) Arch.
One of the Magnets was damaged at the end (Nickel Plating peeled off) and exposed the Neo Material.
Although it is off the End where you should have the highest Gain there was no Gain at all when arcing to the native mag. Material.
By arcing to the Magnet with the Mu Metal Plate fastened to the pos. end of the Coil I tried the following:
Placing a Canadian Dime, Nickel or Toonie right onto the center ,across the flat Magnet and using a tungsten rod as the electrode I was getting a good Spark but somewhat weaker.
Using Aluminum,Silver,Carbon,Graphite as the electrode there was no gain.
Using a thin piece of copper foil that I had peeled off the Carbon Welding Rods I was able to make the thin copper strip vibrate on the coin center which displayed longer and wider arcs. Off to the sides or the Top of the coin I got reduced arcing.
If I held a Carbon Rod onto the + of the coil and struck it with a Tungsten Electrode there was no Gain. Still holding the Carbon Rod onto thatTerminal but now arcing the Electrode against the Copper Coating of these Welding
Rods (Gauging Rods)I got a bit of Gain ,but not as much as I would by using a Magnet.
It became apparent that the Magnetic Flux was responsible for the Gain and I thought of a way to do that by subjecting a Reed Switch to the Magnetic flux,thus I would have no electrical connection to the magnet at all.
I got a pleasant surprise!, not only was I able to draw a 5 mm arc from a 12Vdc automotive coil at 3 volt but there was no need to use a timer or other electronic device to achieve alternating contact closure within the reed switch Glass envelope.
Arcing and rapid switching of course raises a havoc with the Switch contacts so I tried to bypass the Switch with a .33uf cap.
Although the arcing was lessened the contact now just welded together within a second.
I then paralleled the switch with a 27VDC Zener which reduced the Arcing but it reduced the output by more than a half.
The same happens if you are using the south pole of the rod type Neo Magnet. You must use the north approaching the end of the switch.
I have 50 of these switches so I kept destroying them by trying different approaches. At full 12.6 VDC I drew arcs about 8 mm but the switches would'nt last.Current Limiting and running them at 3 to 6 VDC kind of makes them last a little longer.I have made a video of this but it seems that there is not sufficient Bandwidth on this forum to post it.
Professor
I have been fascinated by the Voltage amplification that can be achieved by running your current through a Magnet or better a magnetic field.
I confirmed that arcing onto a Magnet will give you a Gain which is reflected through a higher output voltage on the secondary of a Transformer in this case an Automotive ignition Coil.
For the following experiments I used a half moon Shaped Neo Magnet out of an old HDD which came mounted on a fastening Plate of what I assume is MU Metal as it has no mag. attraction on its opposite side.
The greatest gain comes off the Ends and the center of the lower (shorter) Arch.
One of the Magnets was damaged at the end (Nickel Plating peeled off) and exposed the Neo Material.
Although it is off the End where you should have the highest Gain there was no Gain at all when arcing to the native mag. Material.
By arcing to the Magnet with the Mu Metal Plate fastened to the pos. end of the Coil I tried the following:
Placing a Canadian Dime, Nickel or Toonie right onto the center ,across the flat Magnet and using a tungsten rod as the electrode I was getting a good Spark but somewhat weaker.
Using Aluminum,Silver,Carbon,Graphite as the electrode there was no gain.
Using a thin piece of copper foil that I had peeled off the Carbon Welding Rods I was able to make the thin copper strip vibrate on the coin center which displayed longer and wider arcs. Off to the sides or the Top of the coin I got reduced arcing.
If I held a Carbon Rod onto the + of the coil and struck it with a Tungsten Electrode there was no Gain. Still holding the Carbon Rod onto thatTerminal but now arcing the Electrode against the Copper Coating of these Welding
Rods (Gauging Rods)I got a bit of Gain ,but not as much as I would by using a Magnet.
It became apparent that the Magnetic Flux was responsible for the Gain and I thought of a way to do that by subjecting a Reed Switch to the Magnetic flux,thus I would have no electrical connection to the magnet at all.
I got a pleasant surprise!, not only was I able to draw a 5 mm arc from a 12Vdc automotive coil at 3 volt but there was no need to use a timer or other electronic device to achieve alternating contact closure within the reed switch Glass envelope.
Arcing and rapid switching of course raises a havoc with the Switch contacts so I tried to bypass the Switch with a .33uf cap.
Although the arcing was lessened the contact now just welded together within a second.
I then paralleled the switch with a 27VDC Zener which reduced the Arcing but it reduced the output by more than a half.
The same happens if you are using the south pole of the rod type Neo Magnet. You must use the north approaching the end of the switch.
I have 50 of these switches so I kept destroying them by trying different approaches. At full 12.6 VDC I drew arcs about 8 mm but the switches would'nt last.Current Limiting and running them at 3 to 6 VDC kind of makes them last a little longer.I have made a video of this but it seems that there is not sufficient Bandwidth on this forum to post it.
Professor
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