It's running at 9.6 volts (8 NiCads). It will barely run on 7.2 volts. The solenoid resistance is less than an ohm (I had to remove a layer of turns to get the ali cover on. It really needs #25 or so wire. It doesn't get as hot as I thought it would but would overheat if let run too long. The coil is on for almost the whole power stroke. It really is not very efficient, making almost no real power output but using about 40 - 50 watts of power.
It took a bit of fiddling to get it to go. The spring in the points was too strong, causing too much friction. I had to modify it.
About the flywheel, yeah, I was going to build an elbow engine but changed my mind after reading about all the fuss to get them to run and all the mess they make when running, so I recycled the flywheel. I think it could run slower if the flywheel was a little heavier.
I wouldn't mind trying a double acting engine. I was thinking of loading the piston with button type rare earth magnets, and then reverse the polarity of the cylinder every half cycle. next engine.
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