Could Strong Neodymium Magnets Affect St. Louis Motor Functionality?

[curly_ebhc]

I am building a St. Louis Motor for a project in my AP physics class. I followed the directions the best i could and my physics teacher said it looked good but it does not seem to work. I tested it for continuity and it looks good. My math teacher thought that maybe the neodymium magnets i am using are tooo strong and realign the domains in the nails inside the wire coils. What do you make of this . Should i use weaker magnets?

Thank you

 

[DaveC426913]

I am building a St. Louis Motor for a project in my AP physics class. I followed the directions the best i could and my physics teacher said it looked good but it does not seem to work. I tested it for continuity and it looks good. My math teacher thought that maybe the neodymium magnets i am using are tooo strong and realign the domains in the nails inside the wire coils. What do you make of this . Should i use weaker magnets?

Thank you

How does it not work? Is there strong pull? Or is it just limp? Is the problem that it's there's no activity (i.e. magnetic pull), or is it that there's plenty of activity but that it's not flipping to repulsion once the armature is aligned?

 

[curly_ebhc]

It alligns with the magnets but then does not spin. It seems like it would just spin fliping the polarity of the electrical current but it behaves exactly the same.

 

[DaveC426913]

It alligns with the magnets but then does not spin. It seems like it would just spin fliping the polarity of the electrical current but it behaves exactly the same.

If you give it a push, will it flip 180 degrees on its own? Is it possible your brushes are misaligned? That's often the problem with these things - the polarity must switch at just the right moment - too soon or too late and you don't get the "follow-through".