Using magnets instead of bearings?

[capthook]

nightlife is trying a magnetic bearing idea - see:

http://www.overunity.com/index.php?topic=6008.msg136731#msg136731

[xingu]

Yes, there is a solar rotation motor, which uses magnetic bearings in stead of ball bearings or whatever.
The rotating shaft just hangs in the air. The rotation occurs through solar cells and little coils.
It works fine, but sure isn't powerful enough to generate power through a generator.

[xingu]

Enclosed a picture, not of the best quality of the little device.
The solar cells look distorted, caused by the motion in the sunlight. The shaft is rotating.
Further it gives an excellent impression of the type of unusual magnetic bearings.
The rpm this little device handles in sunlight is app. 250.
At much higher rpm's I'm not sure the device will stay in one piece.

[nightlife]

xingu, the magnet bearing design that motor is using is not all that great and you can see where the shaft has been hitting the mirror and they should have used two sets of magnets on the ends with like polarities facing each other. There is also a much better way to use magnets for the up and down motion other then what they used. They should also have wrapped the ends and utilized all the magnetic movement to get more energy out of the design.

It does show that magnets can be used but there are better ways to use them.

[xingu]

Apparently the picture is not clear. The shaft is not hitting the mirror, the mirror is the only contact point the shaft has.
The shaft is held in midair through the two (four) underneath round magnets in front of the mirror and the ones at the other end of woodplate.
Positioning is essential for the round magnet on the shaft to hold it in its contact position with the mirror.
Otherwise the shaft would be flying off in whatever direction (forward or backward). Now the forward direction is choosen so it makes contact with the mirror.
Further there is no up and down movement, left out some imbalance in the components on the shaft.
What it does is, under light the solar cells with the coils and the underneath placed rectangular magnet, making the shaft rotate.
It is selfstarting.
The original question was about a magnet bearing doing its job with the least possible friction.
I think this is a good example of how this could be done. Nothing more nothing less.
Of course improvements can be made, depending on the use it is meant for, therefore I mentioned the rpm's.