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View Full Version : School me on my ideas


Joe Leger
3rd April 2020, 18:32
Looking to make my first 12v PMA.
Checking out different sized neo magnets and magnet wire. Will probably end up with a fairly typical 9 coil, 3 phase setup. that seems to be the sweet spot. Keeping the 3:4 ratio i may scale to 12:16 on a later iteration if i get there.

I do not have any specific measurements for rpm or exact air/water flow rate etc, i live in an apartment do itll nostly run on a bike, best i can get for a # is that my default pedal rpm when i ride an exercise bike is 90rpm i seem the land there even as resistance changes up until i cant keep going. I want to take it camping and run it on a water wheel in a creek and tinker on etc. So only parameters i have is my needed voltage of 13.6-18ish to go into a charge controller and my baseline pedal rpm of 90rpm which i can gear up easily from 1:1 to 4.1:1 or about 360rpm with common sprocket sizes and i can regear to suit a creek
That said, l need a baseline setup.
Seems like a lot of people say 18-20 gauge wire as a typical layout but the coil winding count ranges pretty wildly.

Magnets are plentiful for options. the ones i was looking at seem to balance size price and power reasonably.
Something like a n45 1.5 or 2" x .5 x .25 can be had for under $2ea or n52 1.5 x .5 x .25 barely over $2

Which brings me to my first question...
Is it more beneficial to use 24 magnets on 2 rotors, we'll say the n52 1.5x .5x .25 w/26 lb of pull which are 2.19ea or $52.56 total

Or 1 rotor with 12 considerably more powerful magnets with or without a blank steel plate on the opposing side?

Say 1.5x x.75 x .5 w/56 lbs of pull which are 3.56 a pop or $44.72 total

There is more combined power in the 12x thicker ones. But is the dual rotor still more efficient even with slightly less combined overall magnetic strength?