I Finally Got My Pulse Motor Running (Reed Switch)

Hook

I burned one up already. So this video is me going, okay… do we actually have a pulse motor now, or are we still just hoping?

Spoiler: it ran. Reed switch on wood. Levitating rotor. Real voltage numbers. Tiny current. No fairy dust.

Watch this experiment

The whole thing is on YouTube — first spins, the voltage walk, the goofy 1-3-1 magnet layout, and me talking through it live in the shop.

What you'll learn

• What a working shop pulse motor looks like when the reed finally behaves
• Why wood beats steel for a reed switch motor mount
• How a single pulse motor coil (12 V solenoid) reacts when you walk voltage up
• When a hall effect sensor would be cleaner than a reed (and what I used instead)
• A practical path if you're googling how to build a pulse motor without a fantasy parts list

From the bench

I started around 15.3 V. Amps on the meter were basically nothing — microamps. Rotor picked up. Pushed higher (toward 17–24 V in the test) and it still stayed low-current, but that's where you respect the coil rating. I let it spin for minutes to see if it would stay alive.

Magnets: 1-3-1 pattern, eight total. Not the textbook four-pole demo. Levitation plus a center bearing kept friction from eating the whole show. I thought I saw ~100 RPM by eye — no clean tach number, so take that as "felt like it," not a lab report.

How it works / what we changed

Reed closes when the magnet swings by → path punches the solenoid → magnet gets a kick → coast → repeat. I moved the switch off steel onto wood and committed to the 1-3-1 layout. Next variable is weight: can this still spin when I hang flywheel mass for the sculpture build?

Reed switch motor (what finally spun)

If you're hunting a reed switch motor build, this is the part that mattered for me: the reed on a wood stick was the quiet hero. Steel mounts had been giving me magnetic interference. Wood doesn't care. Same reed, less sticky timing, and the rotor stopped needing a wrist-flick every two seconds.

Hall effect sensor vs what I actually used

A lot of builders jump straight to a hall effect sensor for clean digital timing — no contact bounce, no reed wear. Fair. On this run I stayed with the reed because the goal was "does it spin on the bench," not "perfect long-term switch." Hall is still on the roadmap for cleaner duty; reed was enough for a simple pulse motor proof.

How to build a pulse motor (from this test)

Searching how to build a pulse motor usually dumps you into abstract diagrams. Here's the version that matched this video:

1. Center bearing + levitating rotor so the stack isn't fighting itself

2. Even-ish magnet spacing (even if the count is weird — I used eight in 1-3-1)

3. One solenoid as the kicker

4. Timing switch (reed here) on a non-magnetic mount

5. Meter on current + finger near the coil before you walk away

DIY pulse motor notes

This is a diy pulse motor in the literal shop sense: scrap wood, one solenoid, multimeter, no fancy driver board. If a part wasn't on the bench in the video, I'm not inventing a shopping list. The win was alignment and mount material more than buying new hardware.

How does a pulse motor work (in plain shop English)

How does a pulse motor work? Magnet approaches → switch closes → coil fires a short kick → magnet leaves → switch opens → coast → next magnet. You're not continuous-driving the coil. You're timing pulses. That's why current can look tiny while the rotor still moves — and why heat still sneaks up if you over-volt a 12 V solenoid.

Pulse motor coil and heat

My pulse motor coil was a single solenoid rated around 12 V. I still walked the supply up for the test — microamps on the meter, rotor moving — but heat is the boss. Short runs. Keep a finger near that coil. Back the voltage off if it starts cooking. I already learned that the hard way.

Simple pulse motor / homemade pulse motor

If you want a simple pulse motor or a homemade pulse motor without a lab budget: one coil, honest timing, non-magnetic reed mount, and stop when it gets hot. Not free energy. Just "does this setup actually work on the bench."

Builder checklist

• Reed switch on non-magnetic mount (wood works)
• Even-ish magnet spacing even if the count is weird
• Watch voltage *and* heat on the solenoid
• Multimeter on current — don't trust vibes alone
• Short runs first; then longer endurance tests
• Keep fingers and loose wires out of the rotor

Troubleshooting

• Won't start? Nudge timing — slide the reed a few millimeters.
• Feels draggy? Check for steel near the reed.
• Coil hot? Drop voltage. Now.
• Spins then dies? Alignment and magnet height before you buy more parts.

Safety

Neodymiums pinch. Rotors catch sleeves. Elevated voltage on a 12 V coil gets hot fast. Don't leave it running unattended while you "just grab coffee."

FAQ

Did it charge a battery?

Not this run. This one was "does it spin without me cheating."

More magnets = more speed?

Maybe. Eight worked. I'll test denser arrays when I stop breaking things.

Reed vs Hall?

Reed was fine for this low-parts build. A hall effect sensor is cleaner long-term (no contact bounce/wear).

Is this a free-energy motor?

No. It's a timed pulse experiment with real heat limits.

Related on this site

• How to Build a Pulse Motor
• Pulse Motors for Beginners
• Hall Effect Sensor Guide
• Low-cost 16AWG build

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