School Science/Westminster motor kits

Westminster motor kits are prefabricated kits for making educational motors in school. They are available to buy from educational science suppliers and allow students to build their own motors from two magnets and about a meter of plastic coated wire.

The instructions that come with the kits are aimed at an adult readership so child friendly notes should be given to schoolchildren.

The most common causes for the motor not to work include:

• One of the magnets being turned the wrong way round.
• Insulation issues: the spindles are made of metal and have to be insulated with sticky tape.
• Poor Contact with the 'brushes'