Shield speaker magnet from activating reed

[Harvey Sherma]

My question pertains to model trains. I use a magnet under my last car to activate computer commands via a reed switch. One locomotive has a speaker placed near the bottom and the magnet of the speaker activates the reed switch - which I don't want it to do. One thought to correct this is to place a thin substance under the locomotive, between the speaker and the reed, this substance would block/distort/weaken the magnetic strength. It would need to be thin. Is there such a material. I tried aluminum paper but that did not work.

Thanks,

Harvey

 

[berkeman]

My question pertains to model trains. I use a magnet under my last car to activate computer commands via a reed switch. One locomotive has a speaker placed near the bottom and the magnet of the speaker activates the reed switch - which I don't want it to do. One thought to correct this is to place a thin substance under the locomotive, between the speaker and the reed, this substance would block/distort/weaken the magnetic strength. It would need to be thin. Is there such a material. I tried aluminum paper but that did not work.

Thanks,

Harvey

It needs to be ferrous (like iron) in order to deflect/route the magnetic field.

Try bending a flat piece of iron so that it forms a 4-sided box around your speaker. Drill holes in the diaphram side of the iron strip before you bend it around the speaker. This will divert the external magnetic field lines closer to the speaker, instead of letting them spray out farther where they can affect your reed switch. Try to use the thickest iron strip you can, to avoid having it saturate from the magnetic field so close to the speaker magnet.

 

[Harvey Sherma]

KI6EGL

Thanks for the quick reply. One question I have regarding iron is whether this would eventually become magnetized?

Harvey

 

[jim hardy]

i used a peach can to shield a subwoofer that was making my TV screen purple.
It was just right diameter to go around the speaker magnet. I cut it tall enough to cover the exposed part of the speaker magnet's bottom and sides.



Ordinary iron won't become strongly magnetized. But i think you want sides on your shield ,as Berkeman suggested.

Many cans are aluminum these days- check with a refrigerator magnet.

 

[sardar]

There are a few options you could consider to shield the speaker magnet from activating the reed switch. One possibility is to use a non-magnetic material, such as plastic or wood, to create a barrier between the magnet and the reed switch. This would prevent the magnet from directly interacting with the reed switch.

Another option is to use a magnetic shielding material, such as mu-metal or high-permeability alloys, which can block or redirect magnetic fields. These materials are commonly used in electronic devices to prevent interference between components.

You could also try using a weaker magnet for the speaker, if possible, or adjusting the placement of the magnet so that it is not in close proximity to the reed switch.

It is important to test any solution thoroughly before implementing it permanently, as the effectiveness of different materials and methods may vary. I hope this helps and good luck with your model train project!