In the new caravan there is a sliding curtain which is supposed to attach
to a wall using pairs of magnets, one sewn into the curtain and the other
sunk into a vertical wood strip. This is a room divider so the magnets
should hold it open (effectively door shut). At least 3 pairs (top,
middle, bottom).

I've checked with a steel knife blade and both magnets in the pair are
magnetic however there is very little "grab".

I can get one of the magnets to stick if I take all the load off the
curtain (that is, from the return spring trying to pull it back into the
hollow wall where it normally lives) but it only just sticks and is
certainly not strong enough to hold the curtain closed.

I am assuming that the magnets have weakened in some way (although by
design they should surely last for decades with only occasional use) so it
looks as though this is a fault the dealer should remedy.

Just wondering if there is any simple way that you can boost the magnets.

I remember that the old horseshoe magnets were supposed to have a piece of
iron joining the two poles when not in use to keep them strong but this is
yeah these many decades ago.

Cheers


Dave R

--
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On 19/02/17 10:45, David wrote:
In the new caravan there is a sliding curtain which is supposed to attach
to a wall using pairs of magnets, one sewn into the curtain and the other
sunk into a vertical wood strip. This is a room divider so the magnets
should hold it open (effectively door shut). At least 3 pairs (top,
middle, bottom).

I've checked with a steel knife blade and both magnets in the pair are
magnetic however there is very little "grab".

I can get one of the magnets to stick if I take all the load off the
curtain (that is, from the return spring trying to pull it back into the
hollow wall where it normally lives) but it only just sticks and is
certainly not strong enough to hold the curtain closed.

I am assuming that the magnets have weakened in some way (although by
design they should surely last for decades with only occasional use) so it
looks as though this is a fault the dealer should remedy.

Just wondering if there is any simple way that you can boost the magnets.

I remember that the old horseshoe magnets were supposed to have a piece of
iron joining the two poles when not in use to keep them strong but this is
yeah these many decades ago.

Cheers


Dave R

you can put a solenoid round them and connect that to a car battery or
the mains via a fuse that is designed to blow after a few cycles of
current or a shirt current in the case of the DC version


--
"Anyone who believes that the laws of physics are mere social
conventions is invited to try transgressing those conventions from the
windows of my apartment. (I live on the twenty-first floor.) "

Alan Sokal

On 19 Feb 2017 10:45:22 GMT, David wrote:

In the new caravan there is a sliding curtain which is supposed to attach
to a wall using pairs of magnets, one sewn into the curtain and the other
sunk into a vertical wood strip. This is a room divider so the magnets
should hold it open (effectively door shut). At least 3 pairs (top,
middle, bottom).

I've checked with a steel knife blade and both magnets in the pair are
magnetic however there is very little "grab".

I can get one of the magnets to stick if I take all the load off the
curtain (that is, from the return spring trying to pull it back into the
hollow wall where it normally lives) but it only just sticks and is
certainly not strong enough to hold the curtain closed.

I am assuming that the magnets have weakened in some way (although by
design they should surely last for decades with only occasional use) so it
looks as though this is a fault the dealer should remedy.

Just wondering if there is any simple way that you can boost the magnets.

I remember that the old horseshoe magnets were supposed to have a piece of
iron joining the two poles when not in use to keep them strong but this is
yeah these many decades ago.

Cheers


Dave R

Magnets weaken by vibration. Also if the magnetic circuit is not
closed it not being in contact with its mate.

--

Graham.
%Profound_observation%

On Sun, 19 Feb 2017 10:52:20 +0000, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:

On 19/02/17 10:45, David wrote:
In the new caravan there is a sliding curtain which is supposed to attach
to a wall using pairs of magnets, one sewn into the curtain and the other
sunk into a vertical wood strip. This is a room divider so the magnets
should hold it open (effectively door shut). At least 3 pairs (top,
middle, bottom).

I've checked with a steel knife blade and both magnets in the pair are
magnetic however there is very little "grab".

I can get one of the magnets to stick if I take all the load off the
curtain (that is, from the return spring trying to pull it back into the
hollow wall where it normally lives) but it only just sticks and is
certainly not strong enough to hold the curtain closed.

I am assuming that the magnets have weakened in some way (although by
design they should surely last for decades with only occasional use) so it
looks as though this is a fault the dealer should remedy.

Just wondering if there is any simple way that you can boost the magnets.

I remember that the old horseshoe magnets were supposed to have a piece of
iron joining the two poles when not in use to keep them strong but this is
yeah these many decades ago.

Cheers


Dave R

you can put a solenoid round them and connect that to a car battery or
the mains via a fuse that is designed to blow after a few cycles of
current or a shirt current in the case of the DC version

Not very practical, and the AC version would need the fuse to blow at
the peak of a the half- cycle corresponding to the required polarity.

--

Graham.
%Profound_observation%

On 19/02/2017 10:45, David wrote:
In the new caravan there is a sliding curtain which is supposed to attach
to a wall using pairs of magnets, one sewn into the curtain and the other
sunk into a vertical wood strip. This is a room divider so the magnets
should hold it open (effectively door shut). At least 3 pairs (top,
middle, bottom).

I've checked with a steel knife blade and both magnets in the pair are
magnetic however there is very little "grab".

I can get one of the magnets to stick if I take all the load off the
curtain (that is, from the return spring trying to pull it back into the
hollow wall where it normally lives) but it only just sticks and is
certainly not strong enough to hold the curtain closed.

I am assuming that the magnets have weakened in some way (although by
design they should surely last for decades with only occasional use) so it
looks as though this is a fault the dealer should remedy.

Just wondering if there is any simple way that you can boost the magnets.

I remember that the old horseshoe magnets were supposed to have a piece of
iron joining the two poles when not in use to keep them strong but this is
yeah these many decades ago.

Cheers


Dave R



I have a gizmo from Lidl (but I'm sure you can find the on Ebay etc)
which is for magnetising screwdrivers.

You stick the blade in one hole, move it around, pull it out.

Another hole demagnetises it.

Under a fiver in my case.



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Benefit or Personal Independence Payment when they don't need it? They
are depriving those in real need!

https://www.gov.uk/report-benefit-fraud

David presented the following explanation :
In the new caravan there is a sliding curtain which is supposed to attach
to a wall using pairs of magnets, one sewn into the curtain and the other
sunk into a vertical wood strip. This is a room divider so the magnets
should hold it open (effectively door shut). At least 3 pairs (top,
middle, bottom).

If both wall and curtain have magnets, they will only properly stick
together if they present the correct faces.

You can use a coil of wire to magnetise, demagnetise. To magnetise you
pass a DC current through it, then gradually move it away. To
demagnetise you pass an AC current through the coil then gradually move
it away.

No there is no way to boost magnets. You will just need bigger magnets or a
completely different securing system altogether. I've never found magnetic
catches terribly reliable myself, as the critical issue is the distance
between the magnetic poles and the metal. If material is bunched up or
thicker then the force vanishes. In a caravan the vibration alone might
cause this to occur.
Brian

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Blind user, so no pictures please!
"David" wrote in message
...
In the new caravan there is a sliding curtain which is supposed to attach
to a wall using pairs of magnets, one sewn into the curtain and the other
sunk into a vertical wood strip. This is a room divider so the magnets
should hold it open (effectively door shut). At least 3 pairs (top,
middle, bottom).

I've checked with a steel knife blade and both magnets in the pair are
magnetic however there is very little "grab".

I can get one of the magnets to stick if I take all the load off the
curtain (that is, from the return spring trying to pull it back into the
hollow wall where it normally lives) but it only just sticks and is
certainly not strong enough to hold the curtain closed.

I am assuming that the magnets have weakened in some way (although by
design they should surely last for decades with only occasional use) so it
looks as though this is a fault the dealer should remedy.

Just wondering if there is any simple way that you can boost the magnets.

I remember that the old horseshoe magnets were supposed to have a piece of
iron joining the two poles when not in use to keep them strong but this is
yeah these many decades ago.

Cheers


Dave R

--
AMD FX-6300 in GA-990X-Gaming SLI-CF running Windows 7 Pro x64

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Sorry does not work. You really need a heck of a lot of current to even make
this work a little and also if you really want to do it then heat is part of
the equation.
You have to alien the magnetic poles of the molicules in the material you
are magnatising Any material that is easy to magnetise also looses it
easily as well.
Brian

--
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This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
news
On 19/02/17 10:45, David wrote:
In the new caravan there is a sliding curtain which is supposed to attach
to a wall using pairs of magnets, one sewn into the curtain and the other
sunk into a vertical wood strip. This is a room divider so the magnets
should hold it open (effectively door shut). At least 3 pairs (top,
middle, bottom).

I've checked with a steel knife blade and both magnets in the pair are
magnetic however there is very little "grab".

I can get one of the magnets to stick if I take all the load off the
curtain (that is, from the return spring trying to pull it back into the
hollow wall where it normally lives) but it only just sticks and is
certainly not strong enough to hold the curtain closed.

I am assuming that the magnets have weakened in some way (although by
design they should surely last for decades with only occasional use) so
it
looks as though this is a fault the dealer should remedy.

Just wondering if there is any simple way that you can boost the magnets.

I remember that the old horseshoe magnets were supposed to have a piece
of
iron joining the two poles when not in use to keep them strong but this
is
yeah these many decades ago.

Cheers


Dave R

you can put a solenoid round them and connect that to a car battery or the
mains via a fuse that is designed to blow after a few cycles of current or
a shirt current in the case of the DC version


--
"Anyone who believes that the laws of physics are mere social conventions
is invited to try transgressing those conventions from the windows of my
apartment. (I live on the twenty-first floor.) "

Alan Sokal

It happens that Huge formulated :
IME, eventually they all become magnetised.

Just simply striking a metal rod a few times, can magnetise it.

On Sun, 19 Feb 2017 10:45:22 +0000, David wrote:

In the new caravan there is a sliding curtain which is supposed to
attach to a wall using pairs of magnets, one sewn into the curtain and
the other sunk into a vertical wood strip. This is a room divider so the
magnets should hold it open (effectively door shut). At least 3 pairs
(top, middle, bottom).

I've checked with a steel knife blade and both magnets in the pair are
magnetic however there is very little "grab".

I can get one of the magnets to stick if I take all the load off the
curtain (that is, from the return spring trying to pull it back into the
hollow wall where it normally lives) but it only just sticks and is
certainly not strong enough to hold the curtain closed.

I am assuming that the magnets have weakened in some way (although by
design they should surely last for decades with only occasional use) so
it looks as though this is a fault the dealer should remedy.

Just wondering if there is any simple way that you can boost the
magnets.

I remember that the old horseshoe magnets were supposed to have a piece
of iron joining the two poles when not in use to keep them strong but
this is yeah these many decades ago.

The first page of Google hits all seem to be the same advice.

Stroke the weak magnet with the strong magnet to revive it.

Of course, they don't say how to find out which pole is which.

I do have some strong magnets, but I thought I would check with the team
before doing anything rash.

Since one magnet is set into the wood (almost flush) and the other is sewn
into the end of the curtain changing them is likely to be messy; getting
them out may be non-trivial.

Instead of replacing them I would be tempted to use Velcro; stick one side
to the wood and stick/sew the other to the curtain.

I think someone has been a little too clever with the fixings.

Cheers


Dave R





--
AMD FX-6300 in GA-990X-Gaming SLI-CF running Windows 7 Pro x64

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"David" wrote in message
...

The first page of Google hits all seem to be the same advice.

Stroke the weak magnet with the strong magnet to revive it.

Of course, they don't say how to find out which pole is which.

I do have some strong magnets, but I thought I would check with the team
before doing anything rash.

Since one magnet is set into the wood (almost flush) and the other is sewn
into the end of the curtain changing them is likely to be messy; getting
them out may be non-trivial.

Instead of replacing them I would be tempted to use Velcro; stick one side
to the wood and stick/sew the other to the curtain.

I think someone has been a little too clever with the fixings.

Cheers


Dave R

Are you saying there's a layer of curtain material between the magnets? If
so, maybe the material is new and fluffy, and could be ironed flatter to
reduce the gap? Alternatively you could cut away the material from the faces
of the magnets so there's no gap between them.

I'm very surprised if both bits are magnetised. I have a plastic concertina
door to my bathroom and it's fixed by one magnet in the frame attracting a
bit of iron in the door and mating with no air-gap. The magnet has N and S
poles both facing the iron.

I suggest you offer up a decent slab of iron to each of your alleged magnets
to see if one is particularly weak and might just be iron.
--
Dave W

On 2/19/2017 11:17 AM, Chris Hogg wrote:
On 19 Feb 2017 10:45:22 GMT, David wrote:

In the new caravan there is a sliding curtain which is supposed to attach
to a wall using pairs of magnets, one sewn into the curtain and the other
sunk into a vertical wood strip. This is a room divider so the magnets
should hold it open (effectively door shut). At least 3 pairs (top,
middle, bottom).

I've checked with a steel knife blade and both magnets in the pair are
magnetic however there is very little "grab".

I can get one of the magnets to stick if I take all the load off the
curtain (that is, from the return spring trying to pull it back into the
hollow wall where it normally lives) but it only just sticks and is
certainly not strong enough to hold the curtain closed.

I am assuming that the magnets have weakened in some way (although by
design they should surely last for decades with only occasional use) so it
looks as though this is a fault the dealer should remedy.

Just wondering if there is any simple way that you can boost the magnets.

I remember that the old horseshoe magnets were supposed to have a piece of
iron joining the two poles when not in use to keep them strong but this is
yeah these many decades ago.

Cheers


Dave R

Two suggestions: either get hold of a defunct hard drive and dismantle
it to extract the pair of magnets (they're very powerful), or buy some
neodymium magnets, also very powerful, from someone like this
http://e-magnetsuk.com/ . Then simply glue the magnets over the
existing ones in the wooden strip. It will help if you get the
polarity the right way round so they grab the magnets in the curtain,
but they're so powerful it probably won't make much difference if you
don't.


My suggestion too. Old fashioned "iron" magnets do lose their magic over
time. Lots of different geometries of rare earth AKA neodymium magnets
on eBay. One useful type is like a washer with a countersunk hole, so
that it can readily be screwed securely to most surfaces. You probably
only need magnets one side, with steel the other.

On Sun, 19 Feb 2017 10:45:22 +0000, David wrote:

In the new caravan there is a sliding curtain which is supposed to
attach to a wall using pairs of magnets, one sewn into the curtain and
the other sunk into a vertical wood strip. This is a room divider so the
magnets should hold it open (effectively door shut). At least 3 pairs
(top, middle, bottom).

I've checked with a steel knife blade and both magnets in the pair are
magnetic however there is very little "grab".

I can get one of the magnets to stick if I take all the load off the
curtain (that is, from the return spring trying to pull it back into the
hollow wall where it normally lives) but it only just sticks and is
certainly not strong enough to hold the curtain closed.

I am assuming that the magnets have weakened in some way (although by
design they should surely last for decades with only occasional use) so
it looks as though this is a fault the dealer should remedy.

Just wondering if there is any simple way that you can boost the
magnets.

I remember that the old horseshoe magnets were supposed to have a piece
of iron joining the two poles when not in use to keep them strong but
this is yeah these many decades ago.

Update:

My assumptions were over engineered.

The metal in the blind is magnetic.

The round things on the partition (which I thought were sunk in) are just
stick on magnetic stuff.

Two problems:

(1) There are 6 magnets in the curtain and only 3 stuck to the wall.

(2) The 3 on the wall are slightly high so don't quite match the magnets
in the curtain.

Solution:

Ship a new pack of 6 stick on magnets and fit them to match the magnets.
Recommended fitting method is to attach the magnetic side to the metal tag
in the curtain, peel off the paper from the sticky side, then offer the
curtain up to the wooden bit and (hey) press(to).

Dealer is being very helpful, which is good.

Cheers


Dave R



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