Buying a magnet is just part of the process. You may need to detect magnetic polarities, perform tests and identify magnetic fields.

If you are starting to experiment with generators that use permanent magnets, you will find our section on Generator Magnets invaluable. We offer a comprehensive document about generator design, covering the theory of Faraday’s Law and how to use it in generator design, how to correctly assemble coils for voltage production and what to do if you need to change your design to generate a different voltage. It is combined with an example generator design that can be used for experiments. If you have never made a generator before and do not understand how magnets work, the document will show you in clear detail everything you need to know to get started without having to make anything.

We offer compasses that can be used to detect the North and South faces on the magnets and can be used to detect the field lines from the magnets. We supply marked North and South Magnets for detecting the polarities of other magnets (using like poles repel, unlike poles attract). We also offer electronic polarity indicators for a fast and reliable magnet polarity test.

The Green Magnetic Viewing Film shows magnetic poles by changing colour depending on the direction of the magnetic field relative to the plane of the viewing film. When a magnetic field passes perpendicularly through the Green Magnetic Viewing Film it turns a darker green; when the magnetic field passes along the plane of the Green Magnetic Viewing Film it turns a lighter green.

You can use Ferrofluid to increase the magnitude of magnetic fields within magnetic designs and to create visual patterns (spikes and ripples) when stronger magnetic fields are present.

We also cover the theory and use of Reed Switch and Hall Effect devices and explain, with aid of an experiment, the phenomenon of Eddy Currents and its relationship with Lenz’s Law. The Reed Switch and Hall Effect devices section also has a list of the field strengths at fixed distances for a wide range of popular magnet sizes, making magnet selection for Reed Switches and Hall Effect devices an easier task.