Hi Scorch,

Congratulations!! you have done a great job!!! it looks super nice, I havent worked in mine anymore, but all your work has encourage me to pickup the work again soon after I done with something else I doing (iOS GameDevelopment).

I was wondering what do you think about having the motor running day and night, and the Electromagnetic radiations. ?

And with the Q3 add-on what do you think it will be the best way in use that output?

Thanks.

by the way, I have write couple of email to the Q2 team, and they always answer right a way now, so I am very happy about it.

One thing I have observed-
While the motor was running on the bench; there was a 'misfire'.
Something caused the reed switch to stick, or some such thing, which caused the motor to suddenly stop and the relay to stay on and powering the coils at full power.

I think what happened is that when the reed switch, or relay, 'misfired' this resulted in the magnetic field, from the motor coil, to go "full on" and this was a large enough magnetic field to cause the reed switch to stay closed and keep the relay energized.
If left in this condition; it could cause some damage including, but not limited to, burned wiring and coils and maybe even a fire.

So common sense applies.
If you intend to leave an experimental device running, long term and unattended, it is strongly recommended that protections be used including over-load and/or fuse protection.

I, personally, am not concerned about EMF from this device.

Not sure what all can be done with the Q3 and have not even built it yet.
But there is a really good set up using a solar charge controller as demonstrated here-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu4pzvkSkzo


}:>

Quote from: Thestone on September 18, 2013, 07:17:24 PM
Hi Scorch,

Congratulations!! you have done a great job!!! it looks super nice, I havent worked in mine anymore, but all your work has encourage me to pickup the work again soon after I done with something else I doing (iOS GameDevelopment).

I was wondering what do you think about having the motor running day and night, and the Electromagnetic radiations. ?

And with the Q3 add-on what do you think it will be the best way in use that output?

Thanks.

by the way, I have write couple of email to the Q2 team, and they always answer right a way now, so I am very happy about it.

Quote from: Scorch on September 18, 2013, 06:13:53 PM
Just a note regarding reed switch timing of the Q2.
I am not a fan of this type of system due to wear of mechanical switches including reed switches.
As well as the differences between individual magnets that can have an effect even when a hall sensor is used.

Case in point-
Every since I completed the Q2 motor section, and got it running, I observed a pulsing irregularity.
I can hear it, I can feel it, and I can see it on the amp meter which throbs up and down versus a steady vibration of six firings per revolution.

So I connected an audible continuity tester to the reed switch and simply mapped the positions, on the timing disk with a pen, where the switch opens and closes.
At which point this became very clear there are different pulse widths for every magnet.
Four of the magnets are "average" but two are pretty short.
This is why the motor has a very uneven sound when it's running and I assume this also effects performance.

And the Q3 also uses the same type of timing while also adding a second reed switch.
I am now very motivated to attempt use of optical sensor(s) and a motor controller such as an Arduino. . .
Hope I can figure that out.

Somebody here had suggested I use an Arduino Leonardo for some other thing I was working on.
But I have no experience with such things and it will take some learning, on my part, including finding and building the optical sensor to work with the Arduino.

That is all for now.

}:>

Hey Scorch

I know 'exactly' what your dealing with. Ive dealt with it also on a mag motor build.

I suppose there are mags made to specific qualities and some not. 

Try this. Remove the problematic magnets and rotate them some and reinstall. What I found is some are not magnetically centered, so rotating them 90% at first will give you a clue it it is an off centered issue or just a field strength issue.  And if it is a field strength issue, too strong, using thin iron wire or thin sheet metal, foil if can be had and apply a bit at a time to the sides of the magnet, around the circumference to shunt the field enough to lessen the field a bit or even to balance out a strong side if off center.

If the few problem mags are showing weaker then maybe get some mags for replacement and see if any 'match' the good ones you have. Or just position them out of their base closer to the sensor, be it reed or hall. And if too strong, push them in a bit, away from the sensor. If possible.

In my opinion, when someone tries to sell a 'good' kit or product, that they would have 'matched sets' when it comes to magnets, just like in a quality audio amplifier, they will use matched sets for output transistors, a some other components.  Thats is the best option and maybe a good recommendation for the company you got the kit from to think about producing matched sets for each kit. I believe Steorn has a magnet mapper for sale. Are they still around? Just a computer tracked rotating device with a hall sensor for mapping the flux densities outside the mag.

Mags

Hi everybody, a special salutation for your job Scorch, nice original Q2. In a same time I hope TheStone can finish his Q2 also ...quickly.
My view of the Q2 is now ready, I am waiting for the ultracapacitors now.
The motor run  with a hall sensor,and a small coil with rectifier and capacitor give the power for the SSR. The SSR generator works with two optosensors.I send some pictures tomorow.
I think I have to wait more than one week before work with ultracapacitor

Hi Marcx41,

Did you get the magnets from the guy I gave you the info from ? Yes I am unpacking everything and I have everything ready to start working again, Scorch work will help me a lot on somethings I did not know how to put together....

But I got new hopes now that I see Scorch work and that these people are responding to emails and willing to help.

Next month for sure, I will start working on mine again.

TheStone.