Made Some Minor Adjustments — Pulse Motor Rotor Magnets Run Better

Hook

I finally got the friction way down on this thing and now my pulse motor rotor magnets are turning at just 1.74 volts. Not super fast, but it runs smooth and I'm stoked about the improvement.

Watch this experiment

I grabbed the camera while I was messing with the setup. You can see the six-inch disc on top and the one underneath clamping the Murray disc. After I packed more graphite lubricant into all the halls the drag dropped big time. The pulse motor rotor magnets keep it spinning even at that low voltage.

What you'll learn

You'll see how small mechanical changes can make a pulse motor run better without rewinding anything or buying new electronics. I also ramble about Tesla coils, polarizing wire, and using similar magnet arrays for levitation on vehicles.

From the bench

Right now the motor is sitting on my workbench with the levitation discs. There's a pole in the middle and the discs are a little off balance so they grab every once in a while to stay upright. I call them levitation discs because they make the whole thing float a bit. Nothing says you couldn't put a shaft through it, but the shaft-free version is pretty cool to watch.

How it works / what we changed

I added more graphite lubricant in all the halls and on the contact points. That cut the friction so much that the pulse motor now runs at 1.74 volts. The clamp holds the discs together and the magnet arrays on the rotor keep pushing. It's not flying around the room but it's turning steadily with way less power.

Pulse motor coil winding

I didn't change the coil on this run but I have been thinking about how the pulse motor coil winding affects polarization. If you can polarize a wire north or south then you should be able to do the same with the coil. That could make the whole system more efficient when the reed switch triggers it.

Magnet wire pulse motor

The magnet wire pulse motor setup I'm using still has the original winding. I keep wondering why we aren't polarizing the coil the same way we polarize a single wire. The magnet wire is already there doing its job, but a polarized version might give us even better push on the pulse motor rotor magnets.

Diy pulse motor coil

My diy pulse motor coil is the same one I've been running. I talk about wanting to experiment with different windings that could be polarized north or south. That would let the reed switch keep the rotation going while using less energy overall. It's on the list for the next bench session.

Pulse motor optimization

This whole video is basically pulse motor optimization on the fly. I focused on mechanical tweaks instead of electrical ones. Adding graphite, adjusting the clamp pressure on the levitation discs, and just letting it find its balance dropped the voltage from whatever it was before all the way down to 1.74 V. The pulse motor rotor magnets like the new lower friction a lot.

Builder checklist

• Check all bearing surfaces and add graphite lubricant
• Make sure the levitation discs have matching magnet arrays
• Verify the reed switch is triggering cleanly
• Measure voltage while the pulse motor rotor magnets are spinning
• Note any wobble and adjust clamp pressure
• Keep a log of volts before and after each change

Troubleshooting

If your rotor keeps falling off the pole, the magnet arrays might need to be closer or the balance is off. When it grabs every once in a while that's normal with these levitation discs. If it won't turn at low voltage, double-check that the halls are lubed and there's no binding in the clamp.

Safety

These magnets are strong so keep fingers clear when the pulse motor rotor magnets are spinning. The voltage is low but always treat the coil and reed switch circuit with respect. If you're trying the Tesla coil ideas, make sure you know what you're doing around high voltage.

FAQ

How low can you run the voltage? I got it down to 1.74 V after the graphite lube. It turns slower but keeps going.

Do the levitation discs need a shaft? Not at all. The shaft-free version is what I'm having fun with right now.

Can you really polarize a Tesla coil? That's the big question I keep coming back to. If you can polarize wire then maybe the coil too.

Is this free energy? No, it's just running at very low input after reducing friction.

Related on this site

• How to Build a Pulse Motor: Complete Beginner's Guide
• Pulse Motor Rotor Design: Magnets, Materials and Balance
• How to Wind Coils for a Pulse Motor (Step by Step)
• Magnetic Levitation on a Pole – Experiment 1: Push, Pull & Balance
• I Finally Got My Pulse Motor Running (Reed Switch)

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