Mendocino Motor Solar Magnetic Levitation Motor Engine Model

What is a Mendocino Motor?

The Mendocino Motor is a magnetically levitated, solar powered electric motor. It was first made by inventor Larry Spring of Mendocino County in California, for which it is named. The motor consists of a spinning shaft that is held up by repelling magnets, stabilized by resting a point against a wall. It is powered by solar panels mounted on the spinning shaft, which generate currents through coils of insulated wire.

How does an Mendocino Motor work?

Like many electric motors, the Mendocino motor base consists of five sets of magnets. Four magnets in the base are levitation magnets which provides levitation force against the shaft magnets. The fifth magnet, is a field magnet which provides the magnetic field for the rotor. The back plate has a piece of glass as a bearing plate.

The rotor consists of a shaft with a point on one end, magnets and rotor block. On the rotor block, there are four solar cells; one cell on each of the four sides and two sets of windings.

How it works? The rotor is levitated by the repelling force between the shaft magnets and the levitation magnets on the base. The levitation magnet also provides a forward thrust to keep the shaft point against the bearing plate.
When the light strikes one of the solar cells, it generates an electric current thus energizing one of the rotor windings. The Mendocino Motor floats in its own magnetic field and converts light into electricity and magnetism, which are then converted into the motion of the motor. It provides the satisfaction of creating an amazing bit of technology, and the opportunity to explore magnetism, electromagnetism, electric motors, solar power generation, and personal manufacturing. This produce an electromagnetic field which interacts with the field magnets in the base, causing the rotor to turn. As the rotor rotates, the next solar cell comes in position, This cell now energizes the second winding. The process repeats again.

Why build it?

You’re right, these motors are not useful for getting much work done. You’re not going to power a car with it.
But it would definitely look cool on your desk and an interesting science project. We like it because it is a great demonstration of the principles involved in most electric motors. If you can understand how this one works, you’re on your way to understanding all sorts of electric motors. Mendocino motors are usually constructed from simple, easily understood, readily available materials.

The video show the whole working process of Mendocino Motor Model:

Link to reach this Mendocino Motor : https://www.enginediy.com/products/mendocino-motor-solar-magnetic-levitation-motor-engine-science-toy