LEGO® My Single-Phase Induction Motor

[Diato556] made a really cool single-phase induction motor with parts mounted on Duplo blocks. He has posted an Instructable where he uses these modular parts to  demonstrate the motor and the principles of induction as described after the jump.

 

Alternator

[Diato556] starts with an AC generator, a tiny alternator made with the coil from a relay and the magnet from a bicycle dynamo. He rotates the magnet on a spit in front of the relay coil, producing an induced current that lights an LED connected to the relay.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_uND_gP9rE

 

Rotating magnetic field

Next up is a rotating magnetic field demonstration. Using the same rotisserie magnet, he induces a current in a rotor made from a small aluminium cylinder. The cylinder pivots against a nail and induced current causes the rotor to spin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufWR5si5p8w

 

Induction motor

The induction motor builds from previous experiment. Instead of the magnet, the two coils induce current in the rotor. One is fed directly from 12VAC, and the other coil’s power is delayed with a 4.7μF capacitor. The alternating magnetic field causes the rotor to spin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-sMw4Wm3V0™

 

This is a neat project on so many levels. The modular Duplo-entrenched parts are just plain cool. Give demonstrations at the office, or just keep it around as a fun desk toy or conversation piece. If you don’t have a desk and must carry your conversation pieces on your person, you can’t go wrong with this induction flashlight.

 

5 thoughts on “LEGO® My Single-Phase Induction Motor

  1. There is always a dark side in everything. Lego has outlaws who drill, mill, glue and cut lego pieces. I myself have drilled TECHNIC pieces with a 6mm drill so I could insert miniature ball bearings with carbon shafts to make fast cars or other high speed experiments that ABS against ABS won’t allow.
    With the advent of abs 3D printers tough, that will be reduced, as you can print the piece exactly as you need it, in the same lego material, and probably, the same or similar color too.

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