The Mendocino Motor is a magnetically levitating solar powered motor that we will be making from scratch.

It demonstrates the ideas of solar power, DC motors, electrical inductance, magnetism and electromagnetism. We will be manufacturing the entire device from raw materials in the classroom. We will make our own Computer Aided Design drawings of the components before we build them.  For details on how to build the motor, take a look at MendoMotorProcess

SketchupBase MendoMeasurements

SketchupRotor MendoMeasurements

Making the wooden base

Routing the grooves in the base

Sealing the wood of the base

Winding the rotor

Attaching the solar cells

Wiring the solar cells to the motor windings

Assembling the motor with magnets