Electromagnets and contactor relays

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the construction of an electromagnet for a project, specifically focusing on determining the appropriate wire gauge and number of turns needed to achieve a current of 100mA from a 24V DC source. The application is related to creating a contactor relay, with considerations for operational duration.

Discussion Character

  • Homework-related
  • Technical explanation
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the wire gauge and number of turns needed for an electromagnet to draw 100mA from a 24V source.
  • Another participant suggests using Ohm's Law to calculate the required resistance and to research resistance values for different wire gauges.
  • A participant reports calculations indicating that 500m of 31 AWG wire and 670m of 33 AWG wire are needed, but expresses uncertainty about the number of turns around the steel core.
  • Concerns are raised about the initial wire gauge calculations, noting that 33 AWG is thinner than 31 AWG, implying a higher resistance and thus a shorter length should be required.
  • There is a suggestion that all of the wire should be wrapped around the core, except for the leads to the power supply, and that time is not a concern for the small current being drawn.
  • Participants express gratitude for assistance and share progress updates, including a completed electromagnetic contactor with images.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the need to calculate wire gauge and turns for the electromagnet, but there is a disagreement regarding the initial wire length calculations based on gauge. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the exact number of turns needed.

Contextual Notes

Participants rely on assumptions about wire resistance and the properties of magnet wire, which may not be fully detailed. The calculations presented depend on specific definitions of wire gauge and resistance per meter.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for individuals interested in electromagnet design, electrical engineering students, or hobbyists working on related projects involving contactor relays and electromagnets.

raymond621
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I am supposed to make an electromagnet for a project.
how will i know what gauge of wire to use and how many turns do i need so that my electromagnet will only get 100mA of current from a 24V dc source?
Thank you!
 
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Hi Raymond
welcome to PF :smile:

do you know Ohms Law ?

if I said Resistance in Ohms = volts / current

can you plug in the values and come up with a value of resistance

then you will need to do some searching on values of resistance per metre (foot) of different gauges of wire
and determine how much wire you need

lets see how you go with the first part for a start :smile:Dave
 
Thank you sir! Well I have solved it already. I got 2 different gauges of wire to be sure. I need to get less than 100mA of current so,
For the 31 awg wire, I need to have 500 m of wire.
For the 33 awg wire, I need to have 670 m of wire approximately.
My problem is now how many turns or how many times do i need to coil it around my steel core?
Actually I need this electromagnet to make a contactor relay. Is there any more things I need to consider in order to make the relay work for at least 10 minutes?
 
raymond621 said:
For the 31 awg wire, I need to have 500 m of wire.
For the 33 awg wire, I need to have 670 m of wire approximately.

That sounds the wrong way around

33awg is thinner than 31 awg so it's resistance would be higher and therefore a shorter length needed :smile:
just check your thoughts there

I hope it is enamel insulated wire ? ( sometimes called magnet wire)

raymond621 said:
My problem is now how many turns or how many times do i need to coil it around my steel core?

you need ALL of it wrapped around the core, except the fly leads off the end to go to the power supply

raymond621 said:
Actually I need this electromagnet to make a contactor relay. Is there any more things I need to consider in order to make the relay work for at least 10 minutes?

time isn't an issue with the small current you are drawing from the power supplyDave
 
Yup, a magnetic wire! Thank you very much for your help Mr. Dave!
 
you are welcome

post back in the thread at some stage a pic of your electromagnet
and keep us informed on how your experiment is going :smile:
 
Allright! Thanks again sir!
 
looking good, have fun with your continued experiments :smile:
 

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