Found @ http://www.wondermagnet.com/
Magnetic water and gas treatment are controversial topics. Some people and industries swear the effects are very noticable and immediate, while others claim they could not possibly work. Below our instructions for building your own cheap treatment unit, you'll find links to all sorts of varied opinions on the topic, both positive and negative.
We do not make any claims about the effects of magnetic water or fuel treatment. But if you'd like to experiment with it, we can show you how to build a unit that's 3 to 4 times more powerful than commercial products costing $200 or more, at a cost of only $16 to $32! That way anyone can afford to find out for themselves whether magnetic treatment really works on their water or vehicle gas line.
In a blind taste test that we conducted among employees and friends, almost everyone could perceive a taste difference in magnetically-treated water...it tasted better than untreated tap water, especially when we used water from town, full of chlorine and whatever else. We also tried an experiment recommended by the makers of a commercial treatment unit...dripping both treated and untreated water on a mirror, and letting the water evaporate. The mineral residue from the treated water is supposed to wipe off the mirror more easily. Our results from this experiment were inconclusive.
IMPORTANT UPDATE 06/25/03 -- The magnets we used for this experiment were surplus. They have all sold out and we cannot get any more. However, we stock many other magnets of similar size. Click here for some replacement suggestions currently listed on our shopping cart.
Magnetic Field Measurements (Gauss) In 1/2 Inch Copper Water Pipe
NOTE: In all of our photos of Gauss readings inside pipe,
you'll notice both positive and negative numbers on the
magnetometer. This is simply an indication of north/south
polarity...it depends on which way the sensor probe is turned
inside the pipe. The magnetic field strength remains the
same.
Magnetic
Water Treatment
The
basic premise of magnetic water treatment is that when water
passes through a strong magnetic field, the minerals in it
are affected. The stronger the magnetic field and the longer
the water stays in it, the better the effect. Minerals in the
water are said to tend to stay in solution better, instead of
forming scale on the inside walls of the pipe. This would
reduce maintenance costs in boiler and other hot water
heating systems. Indeed, magnetic treatment systems were
first used widely in industrial applications, and are
reported to work best when the water recirculates through the
magnetic field over and over. Claims that magnetic treatment
makes water act as if it had been softened with a standard
ion-replacement water softener are more dubious...tests have
shown that actual mineral ion levels are not changed by
magnetic treatment, though people who make this claim say
that the 'effective' or 'subjective' hardness has changed due
the minerals staying in solution better. Some people also
claim that magnetically-treated water is healthier for
humans, animals, and plants. The only claim that we can
confirm is that magnetically-treated water DID taste
different (and better!) when we sampled it in blind taste
tests. The difference was far easier to discern when using
chlorinated water from town instead of our mountain spring
water.
Magnetic
Fuel Treatment
Even
fewer studies exist for magnetic fuel treatment than for
water treatment. Claims include increased horsepower, better
mileage, fewer hydrocarbon emmisions, and longer engine life.
Magnetic treatment is claimed to keep varnish from forming on
the walls inside a hot engine. These claims seem dubious to
us, but at least you can experiment with it for cheap on your
own!
BUILDING
YOUR OWN
Internal
Layout of 2 Commercial Water and Gas Treatment Units
POLARITY--As you can see, in the small commercial unit one
side of the clamp-on unit has Strontium-Ferrite magnets with
the North pole facing the pipe, the other side with South
facing the pipe. The mounting plate is made of steel, which
serves to increase the magnetic field present inside the
pipe. In the large commercial unit, the North- and
South-facing Strontium-Ferrite magnets are at right angles to
each other. The backing behind the magnets is steel, but the
clamp plate for the otherside of the pipe is non-ferrous,
probably aluminum. It is odd to note that the large unit has
an arrow indicating the proper flow direction, while the
small one has no arrow, and it's instructions state that the
direction of flow does not matter.
The two types of magnet we used...Both were our Item #7, but
they are no longer available. Some suggestions for
replacement mangets that we stock are listed HERE . The
larger the magnet, the stronger the magnetic field and the
better it should work for this experiment.....but the more
expensive the magnets, too.
MAGNETS--The
reason our homemade unit provides such a strong magnetic
field in the center of the pipe is because we used
Neodymium-Iron-Boron magnets, the strongest known to
man. The expensive commercial units used
Strontium-Ferrite, which is not as strong magnetically.
Our best results were with stacking 2 of these magnets
on each side, though even with only 1 magnet per side,
the magnetic field inside the copper pipe was almost
twice as strong as the commercial units. If you stack 2
or more magnets on each side of the pipe as we did in
our best version of this experiment, be EXTREMELY
CAREFUL when bringing them together into a stack! Wear
gloves and safety glasses, as the magnets will attract
each other with a ferocious force! (See safety note
below). NOTE: No matter how you design your homebuilt
treatment unit, be sure the magnets DO NOT come in
contact with the water to prevent contamination! The
magnets must be OUTSIDE the pipe, which is why the units
will not work through ferrous (iron or steel) pipes!
Plastic, copper and aluminum allow the magnetic field to
pass through them.
NOTE! These Neodymium-Iron-Boron Magnets are extremely
powerful, and can be dangerous. They are brittle, and if
allowed to snap together from a distance, they will break and
send sharp shrapnel flying into your eyes. They are powerful
enough to cause painful damage to your fingers if you allow
them to pinch you, and could cause malfunctions in cardiac
pacemakers if brought too close. Wear gloves and safety
glasses when handling these magnets! Do not get them anywhere
near cassette tapes, televisions or computer monitors, floppy
disks, videotapes, etc. These magnets are NOT a toys, and
should be kept out of reach of children!
SPACERS--We used 2 short pieces of rubber fuel line
hose...this turned out to give just the right spacing for 1/2
inch copper water pipe. If you are using a different diameter
of pipe, you may need a different size spacer. The magnets
should fit tightly around the pipe; gaps will lessen the
magnetic field inside the pipe. Your spacers can be made of
any non-magnetic material (wood, rubber, etc.).
STEEL BACKING--Most commercial units use a steel backing
plate behind the magnets to intensify the magnetic field in
the pipe. This ferrous backplate also significantly reduces
the magnetic field BEHIND the magnets, eliminating any
dangers to passerby with pacemakers or carrying floppy disks.
In our tests, a 1/4 inch ferrous backplate increased the
magnetic field inside the copper pipe by 1000 Gauss! We
simply wrapped the magnets with baling wire to a depth of 1/4
inch. Plumber's strap is another good bet for a steel backing
material. Note that this has to be done AFTER the magnets are
mounted to your water pipe. Whatever you use, it should be
about 1/4 inch and made of ferrous metal (which is attracted
to the magnets). However, note from the picture below that
the magnetic field inside the pipe from a homemade unit
WITHOUT A STEEL BACKING is still almost 3 times more powerful
than our largest commercial unit! If you choose not to mess
with a steel backing, you'll still have a very powerful
homemade unit.
PLACEMENT--The commercial units advise placing the treatment
unit at least a foot from your water heater or other device
you are trying to protect from scale. For fuel treatment, the
commercial units advise using the same minimum distance, and
also warn against getting the unit too close to your
vehicle's engine sensors, which could malfunction from the
intense magnetic field. After placing the magnets securely on
the pipe with your spacers between them, wrap the assembly
with baling wire or plumber's strap (if you choose to do so).
USING FEWER MAGNETS--Our tests also show that homemade units
using only 2 of our magnets are still almost twice as
powerful as commercial units! The pictures below show the
Gauss readings inside a 3/8 inch copper pipe from a 2-magnet
homemade unit compared to a smaller-sized commercial unit
(which still cost over $150!).
MAGNETIC WATER TREATMENT LINKS
Building
your own cheap treatment unit and trying it is probably the
best way to decide for yourself whether magnetic water
treatment really works. We also hope these links are useful
for your research!
A 'Federal Technology Alert,' prepared for the US Government, that describes all aspects of magnetic water treatment. According to a reader who contacted the original author, this report was prepared by the Batelle Institute, and has been withdrawn by the Commerce Dept. There was originally some question as to whether it was genuine, this new information seems to clear that up! Worth reading in any case.
A Danish magnetic water treatment page, with testimonials from the managers of industrial and municipal treatment units
Another Danish magnetic water treatment page, with photos of scale buildup on equipment with and without magentic treatment units installed
Neutral Magnetic Water Treatment Links
Cranfield University's page about magnetic water treatment. Probably the most unbiased compilation of information around, includes the results of many, many studies on the subject, with both pro and con results. Both pro- and anti- magnetic treatment advocates selectively quote parts of this article to prove their points
The Plumbing Store's magnetic water treatment page...they are skeptical about the devices, but admit they MIGHT work, and offer the only inexpensive commercial unit we've ever seen
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