Can a homemade electromagnet with aluminum strips withstand 120 volts?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the construction of a homemade electromagnet using aluminum strips and the implications of using 120 volts from a household current. Participants explore safety concerns, technical challenges, and the feasibility of the proposed design.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires whether plugging the electromagnet into an outlet would automatically send current through the coil or if a switch is needed to trigger it.
  • Another participant expresses concern about the safety of working with AC mains power, highlighting the dangers of electrocution and fire hazards.
  • Some participants question the use of aluminum strips for the coil, noting potential issues with soldering and resistance stability.
  • There are suggestions that electromagnets typically require high current rather than high voltage, and that using low voltage alternatives may be safer.
  • One participant recommends experimenting with low-power magnets powered by batteries before attempting to work with mains voltage.
  • Several participants emphasize the importance of understanding safety standards and regulations when constructing electrical devices.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the safety concerns associated with using mains power for the proposed electromagnet. However, there is no consensus on the feasibility of using aluminum strips or the best approach to constructing the electromagnet.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various technical challenges, including the need for proper insulation, grounding, and the potential for overheating or short circuits. There is also uncertainty regarding the appropriate resistance calculations for the aluminum strips based on the intended voltage.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to individuals exploring electromagnet construction, electrical safety, and alternative low-voltage magnet experiments.

Mindstormed
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I'm not too knowledgeable on electricity, but I'm constructing an electromagnet with aluminum strips as the coil and using a 120 volt household current. Proposing to solder an extension cord to the strip coil.

1. When it is plugged into the outlet, will it automatically send juice through the coil? or does it have to be triggered someway like an appliance's on & off switch? If it DOES have to be triggered, how do I do that?

2. I'm ordering some aluminum strips that are advertised to withstand up to 500 volts d.c.. The seller says he needs the minimum & maximum resistance (ohms) since the strip thickness depends on it. How would I determine the resistance based on 120 house hold volts? (I'd really like it to have a capability of withstanding up to 450 volts) Thanks.
 
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Please be careful with whatever you are doing. I don't understand what you are trying to make (with aluminum strips?), and it doesn't sound like you've worked with AC mains power before. AC mains power is very dangerous, and you can start a fire or electrocute somebody pretty easily.

What are you going to use the electromagnet for? Are you familiar at all with UL standards for safety in electrical appliances? Do you know how to fuse an appliance that is going to be plugged into an AC mains outlet? What are the UL regulations for insulation, grounding, etc., that apply to the electromagnet that you want to build?
 
Just be careful when dealing with mains power with your lack of experience.

(1) That depends on how you build your circuit. If there is a closed path i.e. no switch\closed switch; then current will flow through the coil.

I hesitate to tell you more though as the mentors may get angry.

edit: berkedude covered the safety issues pretty good. Listen to him; its in your best interest :)
 
I don't know too much about what you're trying to do, but please take every precaution as the others mentioned. You really should get familiar with low-power magnets run from batteries before you even think about plugging into the mains. What on Earth do you want this thing for, anyhow?
I've never heard of aluminum strips being used. How are they insulated?
 
You're asking for all kinds of trouble experimenting with
direct AC mains powered electromagnets and
especially using aluminium strips for the coil!

You can't easily (at all) solder to aluminium.
The resistance will likely be very unstable due to
temperature as well as possible short circuits that may
be introduced in winding the thing.
You'll very likely either blow the circuit breaker or fuse
or will generate so much heat that the wires / strips will
start to melt which probably *will* cause the thing to short
out if it hadn't done so already.

Electromagnets work best on high current, and usually
don't require any kind of high voltage unless you have
large lengths (hundreds of feet) of very thin wire.

I'd suggest you get something like a 3V or 6V DC operated
motor or relay or 12V solenoid,
electromagnetic doorbell, or something like that
that's already got an efficient low voltage electromagnet
in it and tinker with that powered by a couple
of rechargable batteries or maybe a 2 amp 6 Volt isolated
DC power supply or so on. It'd be relatively a lot safer.

You can only get something like 20 Amps out of a
basic household AC circuit, so unless you had a 120V
circuit and something like 600 feet of 20 gauge wire
there'd be just no point whatsoever in using anywhere
near mains level voltage.

Even a common PC's power supply in the 500-600Watt
range would give you around 20 to 30 amps at 5V
which would be better suited to something like a
200 foot or so long coil of 12 gague copper wire.

That on an stout iron core would certainly be a fine
modestly strong electromagnet using a much safer
much lower voltage.

Of course there are relatively inexpensive permanent
magnets made from rare Earth materials out there for
just a few dollars each, and they're probably stronger
than almost any electromagnet one could hope to build
without a lot of engineering effort, and they don't need
power at all, though one must be respectful of their
strength and not get injured by their intense forces
of attraction!

Don't build any electromagnets that take more than
a few watts of power or more than 12 Volts of voltage
unless you've gotten solid information on how to be safe
with the voltages, currents, and heat levels that will be
produced by such a device!
 

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