Introduction: Simple DC Motor

Here I created simple DC motor that can be constructed with minimal amount of stuff that needs buying. Construction takes around 45 min. You do need good Power source as it is current hungry. I am using 12V lead acid rechargeable battery 12Amp.hr (smaller amp. hr. will work too).

!!! Very important. During testing period make sure motor is spinning. Any prolonged time with coil connected to power supply and not spinning wire of your coil will heat up a lot. !!! Can cause burn injuries. !!! Please be careful and for younger audience please work under supervision. !!!

What do you need for creating this simple DC motor ?

Material:

  1. One milk bottle top (or similar with diameter of around 40-42 mm)
  2. Two push pins
  3. Double sided sticky tape (not essential but it helps)
  4. 0.32 mm^2 (22AWG) enameled wire. Approximately 2.5m length
  5. 2.5 mm^2 copper wire for two stands (approximately 30 cm)
  6. Three neodymium magnet

Tools

  1. Glue gun
  2. Pliers and snips
  3. Scalpel
  4. 12V battery
  5. Two linking wires (preferably with crock clip on both ends)

Step 1:

Apply double sided sticky tape around the bottle top. This will help to keep wire in place during winding.

Step 2:

Now lets make a small cut where we can insert a enameled wire and start winding the coil. You need to leave around 20 cm of wire that is for now coiled inside of your bottle top. Once coil is done we will use it.

Step 3:

You should be able to make around 15 to 18 turns before you run out of space on bottle top. Try to keep it tight. Direction in which you will wind is not important. But it has to be the same throughout the coil.

Step 4:

Once coil is wound its time to insert push pins to create shaft. Insert push pin as close to a center of the width of the bottle top pushing it between wires (be careful not to damage enamel on wire). Now repeat with second push pin on opposite side of the bottle top (make sure that push pins are 180 degree apart).

Step 5:

What we need to do now is to wind wire around the push pin to create contact through which we apply power to the coil. Make it as tight and as packed as possible.

Step 6:

Now lets apply some glue to keep it all together. Glue wire on the end of the push pin and then cut of remaining wire. Also glue push pins in place to stop them from rotating and un winding the wire around them.

Step 7:

Very important step now. On one side you need to clean enamel from wire through 180 degrees. On the other side you need to clean enamel all way round 360 degrees. What we need to achieve is that coil is only energized once per cycle and at point where coil is close to magnet. I used scalpel to scrape it off.

Step 8:

Nearly there. Last part is to create 2 identical stands. Shape is close to half circle. Push pins needs to fit nicely making good contact and be able to rotate freely. Some adjustment may be needed. Height of the stands must be such you have a gap between coil and magnet of around 10 mm. Glue the stands on some thick paper card or cardboard. Make sure spacing is correct to make your coil fit. Also glue the magnet in center between two stands.

Step 9:

Its time to test. Take a leads. Attach one link wire to one stand leg and connect to negative terminal of battery. Take another link wire and attach it to second stand leg and connect to positive terminal. Now make sure you give it a small flick to start rotation. Rotation should sustain and keep rotating as on video.

!!! Again be very careful here. You need to make sure that your motor is rotating. If the coil is connected to the power and not rotating coil will heat up a lot. Can cause burn injuries. Be very careful. !!!

Good luck and have fun with it. :)

Thank you.