2012-06-18, 07:32 AM
Having actually made electromagnets to lift paperclips I found that the material used for the core of the magnet had the most drastic effect on the strength of the magnet.
You can take 6 AA batteries and put them in a battery pack, which connects them in series. Each AA is rated for 1.5V, so all 6 gives you 9V.
So long as the batteries supply enough current for both your electromagnet and motor, and they should, you can connect the two in parallel. Objects in parallel have the same voltage.
I personally used a heavy steel rod for the core and wrapped it with 30 gauge magnet wire. I think I wrapped it a bit over 500 times, but I honestly didn't count. After a certain number of wraps you're just adding resistance to the wire without really adding any strength to the magnet. "Magnet wire" is just wire with real thin enamel on it instead of plastic or rubber.
Lots of other things can work, but of common materials iron is one of the most magnetically permeable.
Make sure that you're not putting too much current through the wire. After wrapping it around the core, measure the resistance of it with a multi-meter. You can google the expected maximum sustainable current of whatever gauge wire you're using. Voltage / resistance is amperage. If the resistance of the magnet is too low you can place a resistor in series with it to lower the amperage appropriately.
EDIT : And I just realized I'm two weeks too late. Balls. Hope you got something working.
You can take 6 AA batteries and put them in a battery pack, which connects them in series. Each AA is rated for 1.5V, so all 6 gives you 9V.
So long as the batteries supply enough current for both your electromagnet and motor, and they should, you can connect the two in parallel. Objects in parallel have the same voltage.
I personally used a heavy steel rod for the core and wrapped it with 30 gauge magnet wire. I think I wrapped it a bit over 500 times, but I honestly didn't count. After a certain number of wraps you're just adding resistance to the wire without really adding any strength to the magnet. "Magnet wire" is just wire with real thin enamel on it instead of plastic or rubber.
Lots of other things can work, but of common materials iron is one of the most magnetically permeable.
Make sure that you're not putting too much current through the wire. After wrapping it around the core, measure the resistance of it with a multi-meter. You can google the expected maximum sustainable current of whatever gauge wire you're using. Voltage / resistance is amperage. If the resistance of the magnet is too low you can place a resistor in series with it to lower the amperage appropriately.
EDIT : And I just realized I'm two weeks too late. Balls. Hope you got something working.