I Dabbed with a Few Different Coils for My Pulse Motor

Hook

I was just messing around with a few different coils to see how they'd react in my pulse motor setup – 12 volts, ferrite magnet, watching the jump and heat. One was almost violent.

Watch this experiment

We threw the switch on a small coil sitting on the ferrite magnet. The response was wild – the magnet jumped hard like it was scared. Then it got really hot really fast. Same test on a little double coil – less heat this time. Then I tried one with a ton of wire that had a loop sticking out. Current wouldn't flow through the whole thing until I fixed the connection. Once I got the big coil down in the hole and floating a bit, it jumped nicely and stayed cooler. Nailed it down and it still moved. With that many turns I figured we should be able to light an LED off it. Cut the power and called it a cool little experiment.

What you'll learn

You’ll see raw unfiltered coil reactions on 12 volts, how wire loops kill continuity, why floating the coil helps it jump, and why I’m excited to add the reed switch and bearings next.

From the bench

Everything was just stuff I had sitting around. No fancy meters this time – I didn’t get a clean reading on current draw. Just hand on the coil for heat and eyes on the jump. The big multi-turn coil felt like it had real potential to light something up from the magnetic action. I mentioned I’ll have to make the wire right for proper experimentation later.

How it works / what we changed

Power hits the coil, creates a magnetic field that repels or attracts the ferrite magnet – that’s the violent jump. Heat comes from resistance and current. The loop of wire on one coil broke the circuit so I had to push it down to make full contact. Floating the coil instead of jamming it in the hole let it move freely. Nailing it down after gave a more controlled test. More turns seemed to give stronger or at least usable magnetic response without as much heat once positioned right.

reed switch motor

I hope my reed switch motor works once I get the reed switches and the disc with the 5/8 hole in the center so I can use the bearings. That’s the next step after these coil tests.

reed switch

The plan is to use reed switches on a spinning disc to trigger the coil pulses at the right moment. I’m still waiting on the switches and the disc so I can finish the build and see if it runs smoothly.

hall effect sensor

I didn’t test a hall effect sensor in this session. The video is all about raw coil reaction on 12 volts while I wait for the reed switch parts. A hall effect sensor is another way to trigger pulses but I stuck with planning the reed switch version this time.

how to build a pulse motor

Start simple like I did – grab a coil, a magnet, 12 volts and a switch. Watch how it jumps and heats. Fix any wire loops that break continuity. Get the coil floating or positioned right. Then add a rotor with magnets, a trigger like a reed switch on a disc with bearings, and tune from there. My build is still in the dabbling stage but that’s how it starts.

diy pulse motor

This whole video is diy pulse motor experimenting. No kits, just stuff from the bench. Testing coils for jump and heat, fixing bad connections on the fly, planning the rotor with a 5/8 hole and bearings. It’s messy but that’s how real diy pulse motor builds go – one test at a time until it spins on its own.

pulse motor coil

I tried a small single coil that got violently hot, a little double coil that ran cooler, and a big spool with tons of turns that needed the loop fixed before it would work. The pulse motor coil with more turns seemed promising for lighting an LED and gave good magnetic response once positioned right. I’ll need to make the wire right for real experimentation.

how does a pulse motor work

Power flows through the coil at the right time, creating a magnetic field that pushes the rotor magnet past it. The trigger (reed switch in my case) times the pulses. In these tests we saw the raw push – the magnet jumping hard on 12 volts. Heat is wasted energy so fewer losses equal better running. More turns on the coil can capture or create stronger fields for the next pulse or even light an LED.

simple pulse motor

This is about as simple pulse motor testing as it gets – one coil, one magnet, battery, switch. No rotor yet, just watching the basic interaction. Once I add the reed switch, disc, and bearings it’ll become a real spinning simple pulse motor. These coil dabbles are the foundation.

Builder checklist

• Grab a few different coils from your junk box
• Strong ferrite or neodymium magnet to react against
• 12 volt source and a switch
• Check for stray wire loops that break continuity
• Position coil so it can float or jump a little
• Feel for heat after a few seconds of power
• Try lighting a small LED from the coil action
• Have reed switches and a rotor disc with 5/8 inch center hole ready for next stage
• Bearings for smooth spin
• Notebook to note which coil jumps best and stays coolest

Troubleshooting

Coil does nothing? Check for that little loop of wire stopping current – push it down or cut and reconnect. Magnet not jumping? Make sure the coil is floating, not jammed tight. Gets burning hot fast? That coil has high resistance or you’re pushing too much current – try a different winding. No LED lighting? Might need more turns or faster switching once the rotor is spinning. I didn’t get a clean reading on any of these so your mileage will vary.

Safety

These coils can get really hot – don’t leave power on long if you feel burning. Magnets jumping violently can pinch fingers. 12 volts is safe but still treat it with respect. Work on a non-conductive surface. Unplug when adjusting. Keep loose wire ends taped so they don’t short.

FAQ

Why did one coil get so hot? Lots of current through thin wire or high resistance turns – mine got burning fast on the small one.

Does more wire turns help? Seemed to give better magnetic response and less heat once fixed. I think it’ll light an LED.

What’s the loop of wire doing? It was breaking the circuit so current couldn’t flow through the whole spool.

When are you adding the reed switch? As soon as the switches and the disc with 5/8 hole arrive so I can use bearings.

Can I do this without soldering? Absolutely – my tests were just clips and switches.

Related on this site

• How to Build a Pulse Motor: Complete Beginner's Guide
• Pulse Motor vs Bedini Motor: What's the Difference?
• Using a Hall Effect Sensor in Your Pulse Motor Build
• How to Wind Coils for a Pulse Motor (Step by Step)
• I Finally Got My Pulse Motor Running (Reed Switch)
• DIY Low Cost Pulse Motor Build with 16AWG Coil

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