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Shadowmonk710
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[SOLVED] Electromagnets and switching polarity?
Hi people,
I am relatively new to the forums and am experimenting with a new toy I want to try to make. I am stuck on the subject of changing polarity quickly in an electromagnetic coil and automatically. Let me explain.
I have two rubber balls, hand made and with an electromagnetic coil in the centre of the ball. They are approximately the size of a golf ball and weigh just under 200g each so should roll easily. My aim is to use a small powering circuit that will allow me to set one ball at a constant polarity at the same time as being able to charge the other ball will the same voltage but as a swappable voltage, so that it changes the coil from polarity to polarity so that it will attract and then repel the other ball that has the constant polarity. I want to make the balls bounce toward each other and then away from each other.
I plan to limit the voltage so as to make the impact of the balls safe to be around adults fingers, so that they cannot be bruised but that they will feel the balls impact. The balls will only be able to travel a maximum of 4 cm apart due to walls and so I am hoping I can limit the voltage to achieve the minimum impact.
The part I am having trouble on is this! What is the easiest way to swap voltages to the ball with the varying polarity? Is there an IC that will do this or a basic circuit I should study to understand how to do what I need? Would it be easier to create two coils inside the second rubber ball that are wired in reverse and simply run 4 leads into the ball and swap which leads get power to them or was I thinking right the first time, is there an easier way.
I would also like to control the speed at which they attract and repel and so I am envisioning my solution as being a circuit as opposed to a component?
Any help, advice or ideas would be a great help.
Thanks in Advance
Hi people,
I am relatively new to the forums and am experimenting with a new toy I want to try to make. I am stuck on the subject of changing polarity quickly in an electromagnetic coil and automatically. Let me explain.
I have two rubber balls, hand made and with an electromagnetic coil in the centre of the ball. They are approximately the size of a golf ball and weigh just under 200g each so should roll easily. My aim is to use a small powering circuit that will allow me to set one ball at a constant polarity at the same time as being able to charge the other ball will the same voltage but as a swappable voltage, so that it changes the coil from polarity to polarity so that it will attract and then repel the other ball that has the constant polarity. I want to make the balls bounce toward each other and then away from each other.
I plan to limit the voltage so as to make the impact of the balls safe to be around adults fingers, so that they cannot be bruised but that they will feel the balls impact. The balls will only be able to travel a maximum of 4 cm apart due to walls and so I am hoping I can limit the voltage to achieve the minimum impact.
The part I am having trouble on is this! What is the easiest way to swap voltages to the ball with the varying polarity? Is there an IC that will do this or a basic circuit I should study to understand how to do what I need? Would it be easier to create two coils inside the second rubber ball that are wired in reverse and simply run 4 leads into the ball and swap which leads get power to them or was I thinking right the first time, is there an easier way.
I would also like to control the speed at which they attract and repel and so I am envisioning my solution as being a circuit as opposed to a component?
Any help, advice or ideas would be a great help.
Thanks in Advance