Why Won't My Coilgun Charge? Troubleshooting Tips for Aspiring Physicists

[KevinMcGovern]

Hello, I am a Grade 11 student and for a Physics project I am constructing a Coilgun. I've done quite a bit of research into actually building the Coilgun, but when it came time to charge it, it refuses to charge. I've used, 1.5V, 9V, a 12V Car Battery, and none of them will charge the capacitors. I have 20 330V 120uF Capacitors from disposable camera flash circuits, and they're all connected in parallel. I've also tried just hooking the battery directly to the coil, but it won't move the projectile, which is a ball bearing. I'm using 22-Gauge Copper Wire.

I've attached a picture of it set up outside. I could really use a solution because I'm at a loss as to why the current will not flow through any part of it.

EDIT: For the record, normally the two wires coming off of the coil aren't touching, I just decided to try everything that people said not to do to see if electricity was affecting it at all.

 

[pallidin]

I'm wondering if you didn't fry the circuit somewhere by using a car battery.
Did you incorporate proper resistors to keep this from happening?

 

[KevinMcGovern]

I have 2 camera circuits. I tried them both with the 1.5V first, and eventually sacrificed one for science. It popped as soon as I connected the 12V, but I still have 1 good one.

 

[KevinMcGovern]

I discovered that my wire does not conduct electricity at all. I have no idea why, but I tried different wires hooked up to a motor and it ran, but the wire I used for the capacitors and coil didn't. So I'm trying out household wire, because I have tons and it worked. Plus it's already insulated.

 

[pallidin]

OK, sounds like your moving in the right direction with the materials you have available.
Keep us informed!

PS... while you doing all this please keep safety foremost in mind :)

 

[KevinMcGovern]

Will do!

I wear Rubber Gloves anytime I'm doing anything with the capacitors. It's clumsy, but it works.

I just recoiled the tube with the new wire and hooked 1.5V and 9V batteries to it and it is creating an electromagnet, so now it's just a matter of resoldering all of the capacitors tomorrow. *sigh* I'll post the results.

 

[Evil Genius]

hey is it possible if you can help me set up a coil gun