How do I Make an Electromagnet With Over 100 Pounds of Holding Force?
- 1). Clean the iron post. Wipe the post with a rag to remove any rust or debris that might interfere with the magnetic field.
- 2). Pull 3 feet of wire from the roll and leave loose. This end will be attached to the battery.
- 3). Tape the wire to one end of the iron post. Wrap the wire around the iron post. Make sure that each loop of wire is touching both the iron and the wire that was wound before. Wind the wire tightly the entire length of the iron pole. To generate a magnetic field strong enough to lift 100 pounds, the wire must wrap around the post at least 300 times. Leave 3 feet of wire loose and secure the wire with electrical tape.
- 4). Strip 2 inches of insulation from the ends of both wires with the wire strippers. Wrap the end of one wire around your finger to create a loop. Hook the loop to the positive pole of the battery. Usually the positive post is red, but it will be the post with the plus sign on it. Wrap the other end of the wire around your finger and attach it to the other pole of the battery. The negative pole is usually black, and is always marked with a negative sign. Do not touch the bare wires.