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• Purpose & Necessity
• Competition Rules & Scoring
• Basic Theory of Electrical Generators
• Generator Building Instructions

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The generator building competition will prepare the students for the FCAT and other STEM programs by challenging them to understand the following:
• Basic forms of energy, including electrical, mechanical, and conversions from one form to another.
• The basic magnetic theory
• The relationship between magnetic and electric fields.
• The flow of electrical circuits.
• The law of electromagnetic induction (Faraday’s Law).

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Team Entry:
• Minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 team members. One team per school.
Design:
• Construct a generator and measure the voltage output
• The voltage must be generated using electromagnetic induction
(no static electricity, photovoltaic, etc)
• The design should produce a continuous voltage, not a single spike.
Communication:
• Team will be interviewed by judges (written and oral)
• Team shall provide a drawings with a one page abstract
• Technical Report (Future Competitions)

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Generator Output: (Voltage output x 200)
• The highest voltage achieved in a 30 second duration will be recorded towards final score.
Team Interview: Max 100 points
• Application of technical principles (40pts) – Written test
• Knowledge of design (20pts)
• Demonstrate knowledge of Ohms Law (20pts)
• Creativity (20pts)
Design Drawing plus 1 page abstract: Max 100 points
Awards will be 1 st , 2 nd and 3 rd place winners.

• Maximum Dimensions: 30 cm X 30 cm X 30 cm
• No batteries, or external voltage source can be used.
• No generator kits allowed
• All items must be hand assembled
• Generator must be able to run for continuously for 30sec.
• Materials such as wood, cardboard, plastic, etc. can be used for the base of the generator. Long nails, screws, pencils, etc. can be used for the rotor.
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500' Maximum of #28AWG Magnetic Wire
• Approximate cost: $10.00 http://www.amazon.com/Magnet-Plain-Enamel-Nylon-
Insulated/dp/B00B887G6Y/ref=sr_1_10?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1382704057&sr=1-10&keywords=28+awg+magnet+wire
Magnets:
• Elementary and Middle school must use option (a)
• High school may choose either (a) or (b)
• These are strong magnets. Handle carefully to avoid pinching. They may lose their magnetism if chipped or damaged.
• Keep magnets away from sensitive electronics and credit cards.
(a) Maximum 4 : Ceramic Bar Magnets (3/8” x 7/8 x 1-7/8”)
Cost: $5.34 http://www.homedepot.com/s/ceramic%2520block%2520magnets?NCNI-5
(b) Maximum 12: Ceramic Disk Magnets (3/16” x 1/4”)
Cost: $5.64 http://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=D34-N52&cat=168

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Safety precautions must used when constructing and testing the generator . Safety glasses, gloves, etc. must be worn.
• Rotor will be turned by a standard electric drill at a set speed of approximately 200 rpm.
• Judging will be based on the maximum peak voltage output for a duration of 10 seconds.
• The rotor is to stick out at least 2cm for the judges to attach the electric drill.
• The students must have an adult help them with the drill portion; when testing their design.

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Safety precautions must used when constructing and testing the generator . Safety glasses, gloves, etc. must be worn.
• The students are to construct a generator powered by wind.
• Wind source used shall be from a shop/home vacuum.
• Students will operate the vacuum themselves.
• Judging will be based upon maximum peak voltage output for a duration of 30 seconds.

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Safety precautions must used when constructing and testing the generator . Safety glasses, gloves, etc. must be worn.
The students are to construct a generator powered by water.
• Water source used shall be from from a 1 gallon container & a funnel with a flow rate of 2 gal/min
• Students to place the funnel apparatus and pour the water themselves.
• Judging will be based upon maximum peak voltage output for a duration of 30 seconds.
• Water shall not come in contact with the generator structure.
Students shall build a sheilding device to prevent water from contacting the generator structure.

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Basic Theory
How does a Generator Work?
• It’s a machine designed to convert Mechanical Energy to Electrical Energy.
• Based on the principle of electromagnetic induction, which was introduced by Michael Faraday in 1831.
Three things are required to build a generator:
• A magnetic field
• Current carrying conductor
• Relative motion between the two.
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Basic Theory
Magnets
Material or object that produces a magnetic field.
• Permanent
• Temporary
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Magnets have a south pole and a north pole
• Like poles repel each other
• Opposite poles attract each other
• Magnetic fields are strongest near the poles

Basic Theory
Magnets
Magnets can be magnetized through length or thickness.
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Magnetized through thickness
Magnetized through length
A compass or another magnet can be used to determine the axis of magnetization.
The magnets that were provided by Broward SECME coordinators are magnetized through their thickness.

Faraday’s Law- Electromagnetic Induction
200 years ago Michael Faraday proved that a magnetic field could induce an electric current using this experiment:
Lenz’s law: the induced magnetic field acts to oppose the motion of the changing magnetic field.
E.g. 1: The induced field creates a S pole to repel an approaching S pole.
E.g. 2: The induced field creates a N pole to attract the retreating S pole .
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Faraday’s Law- Electromagnetic Induction
Faraday’s Law:
V
 
N d
 dt
 
N
  sin

N = # of coils of wire
ω = Speed of rotation
Ф = Magnetic flux
Q = Angle between magnetic flux & conductor
How do we maximize voltage (V) output?
• Increase the # of coils (N)
• Increase the speed of rotation (ω)
• Decrease friction
• Lighter magnets
• Better wind/hydro fan blades
• Increase the Magnetic Flux (Φ)
• Use stronger magnets
• Ensure that magnets are as close to the wire as possible
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• The rotating parts of a generator are called the rotor. Can be a nail, screw, or metal rod.
• Basic generators use strong permanent magnets mounted on the rotor. Magnets always have a pair of poles (N & S).
More than one pair of poles can be used.
• The stationary parts of a generator are called the stator. The stator consists of a tightly wound coil of wire. The stator windings may vary depending on the number of rotor poles used.

i.
Build the stator from wood, plastic, cardboard, etc. It must be large enough to wind the wire around and it must be able to support the rotor. Generator must be ≤ 30cm x 30 cm x 30cm.
ii.
Mount the rotor on the stator. It should be able to turn with little friction. One end of the rotor should extend out at least 2cm from rotor so there is space to apply drill/wind/water.
iii.
Mount the magnets on the rotor. The poles must face outwards. iv.
Wrap a coil of wire around the stator. One side of the coil should see a “N” pole and the other side should see a “S” pole.
v.
Scrape of the insulation from the ends of the wire with sandpaper.
vi.
Create rotor blades to capture water/wind. Test it (set voltmeter to a/c volts)!
These are the basic steps. Feel free to improvise.
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The Correct Construction – Single Magnet
Fleming’s Right
Hand Rule
Direction of
Current
Rotor
Applies to current flowing in straight conductor
Field, current, motion in different dimensions
Example of a rotating Magnet and a stationary coiled wire
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Poles do not point outwards
What Not to Do!
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Magnetic field does not change as shaft rotates
Wire sees a small magnetic field since N
& S poles cancel each other.
Violates Fleming’s rule (current in same dimension as motion)
Pay very close attention to the orientation of the magnets with respect to the coil.

•Magnetic poles always come in pairs.
•Increasing the # of poles increases the rate of change of magnetic flux, which increases voltage.
•Poles must alternate between
North & South.
•Use compasses to identify and label the poles.
Generated voltage is ~ 0
0
-40
-0.5
-1
1
0.5
60
2 Poles
160
Degrees
260
Magnetic poles must alternate between
North & South.
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360
Correct !
Correct !
Incorrect !

Direction of
Current
What Not to Do!
Remember Fleming's RHR.
- Ensure that current will not cancel itself out.
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Opposite sides of the coil see the same polarity. Current cancels itself out
The coil must run across a North & South Pole or else the current will cancel itself out.

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Direction of
Current
The Correct Multiple Pole Construction
When connecting coils make a connection between wires across opposite poles.
Stator
The coils may be wired up separately, tested, and then connected.
If connected incorrectly the currents will cancel out.
Poles & coils should be equal distance apart so that currents are in phase.
To best utilize a 4 pole generator there should be a coil across each pair of poles. The coils can be tested individually.

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Examples

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Examples
•
•
•
•
•
This design uses a tightly wound coil instead of straight conductors.
The field can be strengthened/concentrated by wrapping the coil around an iron core.
This design is very similar to
Faraday’s experiment.
Try different magnet configurations.
Try different coil shapes.
Note: The lines of magnetic flux are strongest at the ends of the magnets.

Construction
• If a 4 pole rotor is used, ensure that each end of the coil sees a different polarity
– Otherwise the induced field & current will cancel itself out.
N
N
N
S
Correct Incorrect
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Rotor Blades
• “Give me a lever long enough and I will move the world” –
Archimedes, 287 BC
– Torque = Force x distance from point of rotation
• Try lots of things. Have fun with it!!

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During Seminars (only)
Build small model generator
• Generates 0.1 - 0.5 Volts
Exercise
• Each group will be given a stator (cardboard), rotor (screw), magnets and wire (100’)
• Mount magnets on the rotor in the proper configuration
• Wrap wire around the stator
• Remove insulation from the ends of the wire
• Test the generator
Discussion
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