162. Current Detector. Fig. 83 consists, like all detectors, of a coil and a magnetic needle. The other parts are merely for convenience. Each turn of the coil helps to move the needle when the current passes.
Fig. 83.
163. The Coil is made by winding 10 feet of No. 30 insulated copper wire around the end of a broom-handle or other cylinder that is about 1 inch in diameter. This length of wire makes about 32 turns around such a cylinder. The exact length of wire for this makes no difference. After winding it, the coil should be slipped from the handle, being careful to hold it in such a way that it cannot uncoil and spring away from you. Tie the coil together with thread, in 3 or 4 places, to keep it in shape, and leave 5 or 6 in. of wire free at each end, so that connections can be made with other pieces of apparatus. After this is done press the coil into the shape shown, Fig. 83. This brings the wire near the needle and allows a longer needle to be used. The coil may be fastened to a pasteboard base. To do this, prick 4 holes in the base near the ends of the oval coil, and pass a strong thread through these with the aid of a sewing-needle. Tie the thread on the underside of the base at each end. If this is well done, the coil will be held firmly in an upright position. Paraffine may be used instead of the thread.
The ends of the wire should be made bare, and these may be sewed to the base to keep them in place.
164. The Needle may be supported upon a pin or needle-point. The piece of needle should be stuck through a cork which has a slot cut into its underside, so that it will straddle the lower part of the coil. The height of the needle-point should be fixed so that the horizontal ends of the magnetic needle will be near the axis of the coil, that is, along its central line.
165. To Use the Detector, turn its base around until the coil is in the N and S line—that is, until the magnetic needle is parallel to the length of the coil and wholly inside of it. Touch the ends of the coil with the two ends of the wire, which is supposed to carry a current. The needle will fly around until it is nearly perpendicular to its former position, if the current is strong enough.