Solenoid Motor

[Nigel Taylor]

This is such a simple motor to make I had to share the design with everybody on this video:



The plans for the solenoid motor are available for a small cost.

 

[Sandyn]

Fun device. I thought at first it was a perpetual motion machine!

 

[Nigel Taylor]

Fun device. I thought at first it was a perpetual motion machine!

No perpetual motion machines here - or anywhere in fact!!!

 

[Sandyn]

No perpetual motion machines here - or anywhere in fact!!!

Apart from the laws of thermodynamics, it would be impossible to prove a perpetual motion machine! You would have to wait forever to make sure it didn't stop!!

 

[Nigel Taylor]

This is the second of my solenoid engines/motors, designed to have some elements of the Harley-Davidon V-twin


This engine makes me smile every time I run it and makes me wonder if I should scale it up, improve the power and make an electric bike that looks like an early Harley....hmmm

 

[Nigel Taylor]

Improving the solenoid motor using some basic techniques. The first one is confining or directing the magnetic field:



I think it's working, but do send me more ideas.....

 

[clogs]

Nigel.....Harley mmmmm, thats sound a good thing/project for winter nights....
or the Covid holiday at home experience.....
luv to see it.....

 

[Nigel Taylor]

Nigel.....Harley mmmmm, thats sound a good thing/project for winter nights....
or the Covid holiday at home experience.....
luv to see it.....

I think you could make any configuration you like, they are quite fun to make. I would like to increase the force of each "piston" and then make a motor of this design that will drive something like a desk fan maybe.

 

[Nigel Taylor]

Sometimes people take your design and improve it. Henk Kaan used my plans for the solenoid motor and selected different materials to produce a sharper looking model.

More details of Henk's material selection and build.

This little machine is a great desktop toy and easy to make over a weekend, especially a rainy weekend.

 

[Nigel Taylor]

I've been looking to make the solenoid motor powerful enough to drive a toy vehicle.

I've improved the stator of the solenoid by reducing gaps and wrapping the coil in a cast iron dust/swarf and epoxy mix. I increased the size of the armature magnets and overall have a 5x increase in force. More details: Solenoid Tractor - glue-it.com

Latest video of the motor running, just need to connect the crank to the wheels.

 

[Spectric]

Good stuff to play around with a learn some electrical principles but it suffers from the same issue as the steam engine and the ICE in that you need to convert linear motion to rotary motion which the electric motor has overcome and will have much higher efficiency.

To increase the power of the solenoid motor you could use two coils that are powered alternatively or for even more power two coils and switch the polarity so now each coil would push and pull.

 

[Nigel Taylor]

Good stuff to play around with a learn some electrical principles but it suffers from the same issue as the steam engine and the ICE in that you need to convert linear motion to rotary motion which the electric motor has overcome and will have much higher efficiency.

To increase the power of the solenoid motor you could use two coils that are powered alternatively or for even more power two coils and switch the polarity so now each coil would push and pull.

The coil is double acting, no need to reverse the polarity. However, I could have two coils and increase the stroke and power them separately, thanks for the idea.

It was never meant to be a replacement, more just a fun design to play with.

 

[Nigel Taylor]

and now the tractor moves...

 

[squib]

Brilliant little motors, I love the idea of a long stroke v twin bicycle or a boxer!
The single cylinder Marshall tractor is really lovely to watch and sounds right.

 

[Nigel Taylor]

Brilliant little motors, I love the idea of a long stroke v twin bicycle or a boxer!
The single cylinder Marshall tractor is really lovely to watch and sounds right.

Thanks for the feedback. It makes me smile every time I run this.

 

[Nigel Taylor]

Finally I have finished the solenoid motor powered tractor, what do you think?

 

[Nigel Taylor]

Finally with the trim painted silver

Is this close enough to a Field Marshall or a single cylinder tractor of that period?

 

[Nigel Taylor]

A comparison between the sounds of a real Field Marshall and the solenoid powered model tractor



hope you like the inspiration I found in the sound

 

[squib]

Field marshalls are lovely tractors and yours is a proper version,it should be shown to a wider tractor audience.

 

[Nigel Taylor]

Field marshalls are lovely tractors and yours is a proper version,it should be shown to a wider tractor audience.

thank you, that is very kind