Maxwell’s Cradle – Safety – Hints and Tips
- Don’t run your Maxwell’s Cradle unattended.
- If the coil or any part of the electronics starts to get hot, disconnect immediately and investigate the cause of the problem.
- Don’t use your Maxwell’s cradle in direct sunlight, although the sensors are filtered, bright lights may affect their operation.
- Ensure the ball is kept clean, the sensors require a reflection from the ball to operate correctly, a dirty or tarnished ball may affect the ability to detect its position.
- Ensure the ball runners are clean and free from dirt, dust or any other contaminant. Do not polish the runners as this leaves a sticky film that will affect the smooth running of the ball. Clean with a plain detergent and carefully rinse off with a damp cloth. Ensure no detergent or water gets onto the circuit board.
- If the runners get dinted, or the ball isn’t running smoothly, use a very fine grit emery cloth or sand paper. Make sure any dust does not get into the to opto sensors
- Ensure that there is no dust in the opto sensors. Clean with a moist q-tip or similar.
- Ensure that your power supply can provide enough current. The Maxwell’s cradle requires 12V at at least 1A