Hi Paul,
re your video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32lBK-kAuis
Excellent! :D
However power is going in ;) Will ignore this for now...
For the benefit of the viewers, _please_ mark (white paint / correction fluid?) the N of your magnets. I can't tell where the poles are. One each end or on the flat faces?
Also worth drawing out a picture of key bits - the circuit, a detail of specific mechanical elements like the switch. On paper - best is a whiteboard (side of fridge?) with a dry-wipe marker. Do nice big pics for a few bucks.
Now for the power in. The best hope for this motor is that the magnets provide X% (where X is large - say 80% ?) so the battery then puts in the remainder giving x4 out for each x1 in. A power gain thus OU.
Next up - measuring the energy put in vs. put out. Now I don't know how that can be done without spending money - unless you can find a straight mechanical mod which involves a water flow :( the volume of which might be measurable. Impractical.
Like your approaches! Very down to earth and practical!
Do suspect that this is a known design - see pic mid-page on http://www.overunity.com/index.php/topic,2648.60.html
Double thumbs up for practicality!
Steve
..did I mention practicality enough?