What's the trick to this "perpetual" marble device?

[DaveC426913]

Please dispose of if this violates the PMM rule.

This device looks like it is perpetual. It isn't of course, but I don't know what the trick could be. (Unless it's just straight up video fakery).

It comes with this disclaimer: "This product is a Perpetual Machine Simulator, it is not a Perpetual Machine. It NEEDS battery to power up (battery NOT included)."Let me frame the question here. I see three possibilities:

1. It is a faked video. The device does not do what it appears to do at all, even once (i.e. false advertizing).
2. It is a real video but the context is manipulated - maybe it needs a starter kick. We don't actually see a full cycle (would also be false advertizing).
3. It is a real video of a device that has cycles for as long as its hidden power supply lasts (this is what it claims to be).

Assuming it is what it claims to be, it's got to be some magnetic hijinx going on, right?

But I don't see how any combination of magnets could do this. Even if there's a hidden mechanism that switches on an electromagnet, I don't see how it could repel a ferrous sphere. And if the sphere were magnetic itself, it still wouldn't repel it.

The video:
https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1253569674/perpetual-motion-device-perpetual-marble

What am I missing?

 

[phinds]

Please read this description carefully.

►►►This product is a Perpetual Machine Simulator, it is not a Perpetual Machine. It NEEDS battery to power up (battery NOT included).

 

[DaveC426913]

Never mind.

It's not a magnet; it's just a tiny ball-thrower (like in a tiny batting cage)...

I was over-thinking it. Shot right past the low tech-answer.

 

[DaveC426913]

Please read this description carefully.

►►►This product is a Perpetual Machine Simulator, it is not a Perpetual Machine. It NEEDS battery to power up (battery NOT included).

See the OP where I quoted this myself.

But that wasn't my question.

 

[phinds]

See to OP where I quoted this myself.

But that wasn't my question.

Ah. Sorry, Dave, I missed that.

 

[renormalize]

But I don't see how any combination of magnets could do this. Even if there's a hidden mechanism that switches on an electromagnet, I don't see how it could repel a ferrous sphere. And if the sphere were magnetic itself, it still wouldn't repel it.View attachment 331207

Think simpler. There's a battery or USB powered vertical wheel in the hole that continuously spins and accelerates the ball when it drops through (sort of like a baseball pitching machine). Here's a video:



And you can get one much cheaper on AliExpress:

 

[Baluncore]

Maybe, the ball closes electrical contacts in the funnel, which turns on a motor, that throws the ball downwards.

 

[Filip Larsen]

A bit off topic, but for something that moves without batteries take a look at https://movaglobes.com/

 

[DaveE]

I don't see how it could repel a ferrous sphere

It's not a magnet

But it could be an electromagnet that attracts the ball along the lower horizontal path. OK, I know it isn't. But if you allowed me a big battery, this could be done without those wires connected to the guide rails. Basically, anything that adds energy to the ball to make up for losses will make this work. It's harder to do with magnetic fields because of the distance between the ball and the coils, but it could be done. You would synchronize it by measuring the coil inductance "on the fly". Maybe not easy, but doable.

Another theoretical option would be to build this like a rail gun, with current flowing through the ball.

 

[DaveC426913]

See post 3 for the solution.