Solving Electromagnet Problem with 24V 24A DC Power Supply

[StephenDoty]

Hello All!

I have a 24V 24A DC power supply that I am trying to hook a 50 loop electromagnet using 22 gauge non insulated copper wire and a small steel nail. Every time I hook the electromagnet to the power supply it sparks and Humms. So I put a 220 ohm resistor inline and it did not spark but there was almost no magnetic field strength. When I hooked my electromagnet to two D batteries that I tapped together using electrical tape the magnetic field was SOOO much stronger than when I hooked it up to the power supply. What?!? That shouldn't happen. It should be the opposite. What am I doing wrong? Is there something else I can put inline besides the resistor so that the magnetic field will be strong? I really want to use the power supply to power the electromagnet. How can I make this work?


Thanks everyone.
Stephen

 

[StephenDoty]

bump...

I would really like to know how I can get my electromagnet to work with my 24V 24A DC power supply. Any Ideas?

 

[MATLABdude]

bump...

I would really like to know how I can get my electromagnet to work with my 24V 24A DC power supply. Any Ideas?

Easy, you don't have very much current (24V / 220 Ohm is about 0.1 A) Since the field is proportional (roughly) to the current, you don't have a very high magnetic field.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnet#Magnetic_field_created_by_a_current