# Magnets - how to store?



## LeeRoy98 (Jul 8, 2005)

I've been wanting to ask this question for some time... how should you store magnets? Should a pair of tjet magnets be left connected for storage... like this () ? If you have a large number, should the north poles be nested together and the south poles nested together... like this ((((((())))))? Should the magnets be kept seperated?
What happens if you nest and have enough for a couple layers in a drawer, are you affecting the magnetic field?
I know that years ago my father had a large horseshoe magnet with a metal "keeper" plate at the end. My father indicated that was to maintain the magnetic fields in the magnet? Should the magnets be kept seperated with a metal plate at the end... like this (| |)?
Any magnet experts on Hobby Talk?

Thanks,
Gary
www.marioncountyraceway.com


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

Keep them like you show them here: ((((((())))))

You want them to be stored such that they are attracted to each other and either touching or have an easily magnetizable path (soft iron) between the attracting poles. That's the purpose of the magnetic keeper, to provide a magnetic path, or magnetic circuit, between the poles that are attracted to one another. Storing magnets in isolation is the next best case, and the absolute worst case is to store magnets in a repelling orientation.

I store my extra TJet magnets exactly as shown above and found that those old PC expansion slot blanking plates are the perfect size to sit them on to further enhance the magnetic circuit. It's all about closing as many of the magnetic circuits as possible. 

Since we're doing lo-fi graphics ... here's the simplified model of the theory behind this. It's all related to "free poles" and I'm not talking the Lech Wałęsa type. You can conceptualize any magnetizable material as being made up of a series of tiny particles with north (N) and south (S) poles. When these poles are all oriented along magnetic lines you have a magnet. When they are not oriented or are random you do not have a magnet. When you have magnetizable material that can be permanently locked into a magnetic orientation you have a permanent magnet. How "permanent" this is depends on a number of things, and one of those things is "free poles."

Let's look at a pair of TJet magnets:

Magnet 1: (NS-NS-NS-NS-NS-NS(

Magnet 2: )NS-NS-NS-NS-NS-NS)

In your slot car motor the magnets are aligned like this with the parentheses being the magnet faces and backs:

(NS-NS-NS-NS-NS-NS( <armature> )NS-NS-NS-NS-NS-NS)

The NS pairs are the tiny magnetic particles inside the thickness of the magnet. Notice that inside the magnet every polarity pole has a mate of the opposite polarity right next to it, but on the face and back of the magnet there is either a N or a S pole by itself. These unmated poles are the free poles. The polarity of the free poles determines the polarity at the face of the magnet. 

So what does this mean to magnet storage? Basically, if you look inside the magnet the internal particles all have an opposite polarity pole on both sides of them. This keeps them pretty much locked into that orientation. They have little reason to want to change their orientation. The free poles on the other hand are only locked in on one side. They can be swayed to change their orientation. One way to keep them from changing is to produce a mate for them. By placing an easily magnetizable material or "keeper" between them, a material whose internal particles can be magnetically aligned by the adjacent permanent magnet, the free poles now have mates on both sides and are now "locked in" to their magnetic orientation.

______Magnet 1__________Keeper_________Magnet 2_______
(NS-NS-NS-NS-NS-NS( [NS-NS-NS-NS] )NS-NS-NS-NS-NS-NS) 

So that's the theory behind magnetic keepers. As shown above you'll still have free poles on the backs of the magnets, which is why placing them both on a magnetizable plate helps even more because it creates other paths and eliminates more free poles. If you have several sets of magnets then nesting them together helps as well as long as it does not create any mechanical stress due to the shape of the magnet that can break the magnet. If you try to nest a TJet magnet with a very strong neo magnet it may very well snap the TJet magnet in half. I learned the hard way.

I store my traction magnets stacked in a magnetically attracting orientation on big neo magnets. This seems to keep them at or near their peak but I have no illusions of this substituting for a good zapping. Be careful though, I have seen ceramics nearly demagnetized by monster neos. Never try to force magnets together in a repulsive orientation, never.

I hope this makes sense.


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

Great. Now I can add magnet theory to electricity in my list of headache producers. LOL!

Actually that was very informative and I was able to follow about 95% of what you said; and if I can follow 95% of it, that means it could not be clearer.

Thanks...Joe


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

WOW. ya kinda lost me there at the end, but i followed for a while... and it makes me feel good that i store my magnets like this too (((((((())))))))

thanks for the explanation. i might try the expansion slot plate trick, too...

--rick


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## LeeRoy98 (Jul 8, 2005)

Thanks for the excellent answer, it all makes sense. I have been storing them correctly, I just never knew why!!

Gary
AKA LeeRoy98
www.marioncountyraceway.com


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## Slott V (Feb 3, 2005)

Shock and heat are the 2 largest killers of magnet strength so avoid the habit of letting them snap together.

The AFX "EX" Super G+ pit displays had a small metal bar to store the car and AFX even suggested this would keep your magnet strength strong.

As for car/magnet storage, some guys in my club found that you could glue small strips of skid banding steel into your pit box trays perfectly to hold onto your cars and also keep the magnets attracting.


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## Rolls (Jan 1, 2010)

Great answer, yes; but Gary, I think a lot of people have wondered about this and as it turns out, we now know there is a very right and wrong way to store magnets (and cars with magnets). So I really appreciate your initiative in raising the question in the first place so the experts could shed light on it - it's a good topic and now it's good content!

Or in thesaurus-speak: Thanks for initiating the query that enabled the experts' elucidation for our enlightenment.:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

Rolls said:


> Or in thesaurus-speak: Thanks for initiating the query that enabled the experts' elucidation for our enlightenment.:thumbsup::thumbsup:


Yeah, what he said.

--rick


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## resinmonger (Mar 5, 2008)

Rolls said:


> Or in thesaurus-speak: Thanks for initiating the query that enabled the experts' elucidation for our enlightenment.:thumbsup::thumbsup:


Dood! Now my head, like, really hurts... :freak: :drunk:


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## buzzinhornet (Jan 20, 2000)

This is how I store my extra magnets. It's just a piece of 1/2 inch metal conduit. Is this OK experts?


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## Voxxer (Oct 25, 2003)

This is from Geoff C. in FRHO. He sent the first part to my BlackBerry and I deleted it. I will try to get the first part back.


some pics attached

my steel plates are known as 'mending plates' at the hardware store. 
These are about 1 3/4" x 5" and fit the parts box just about right as they are easy to get out 
when sitting on an angle.

The magnets on the steel hex-bar are placed how I interpret the tips from AFX-TOO and in this 
orientation, the magnets repel and I don't believe I will leave them that way. 

The toe-to-toe matched pairs and N and S separated stacks prefer to line up that way 
and stick to the plate just fine.

This is how I store them.


Geoff

Thanks

Voxxer


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