Introducing the flowerpot effect (rotary shaft magnet spinning out of control)

[twinbeard]

What I really like to understand is why the magnet takes off like that when raised higher above the coil as opposed to sitting directly on top?

Is it because of stronger LENZ-effect when the magnet is too close to the coil?

It would be nice to try and find the optimal distance and then try to couple your flywheel to the magnet.

I will go through your links:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/sat-gen/
http://peswiki.com/index.php/OS:Tom_Ferko%27s_Satellite_Generator

Thank you for your great work!

For these circuits to work optimally, you want a very small "on-time" for your transistor or MOSFET.  This on-time will be proportional to the length of
time the voltage induced in the trigger coil will be above the on threshold of the tranny.  By moving away with the rotor, you are decreasing the number of lines of force from the rotor cutting the coil pair, and in particular, the trigger coil.  This limits the voltage induced across the trigger coil.
When the tranny is off, there is open circuit across the drive coil, and the rotor is free-wheeling.  When the tranny is on, the moving rotor, while accepting the pulse, is also causing Lenz drag, even if for milliseconds or less.  The "sweet spot" occurs at the point where the transistor just barely kicks on, and this is, of course, also effected by the (generally variable) resistor value on the base of the transistor, but that is limiting current, not voltage.

Cheers,
Twinbeard

[twinbeard]

Wow that sphere rotor really stepped up frequency once you lifted the tube out.

Did you try and wire a pickup generator coil around the assembly as you mentioned in the end of the video?

llewgnal did.  I worked a few different directions on this device in various forms.  Take a look at his youtube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/llewgnal/

the stardrive 2.0 series is where he shows that style of build, iirc.

i have several different motors of this type, each with different pickup coil configs... generally lots of turns of small wire works well.