Depends on what you're doing with them, their strength and the kind of components. An electro magnet that is rapidly cycled on and off will induce a signal in any conductor nearby, this includes unshielded wires, pcb traces and the case itself. An electromagnet will screw up a floppy disk if it's too close or too powerful but I doubt anything else would have problems with the kind of strength of electromagnet you could make easily. Moriquendi
Very very strong magnets. Will be constantly on then off so no fast switching. Who uses floppys anymore anyway? A whole computer will be in it's field and I plan to buy one to be that powerful.
A huge electric magnet will consume so much power it's going to make baby seals and jesus cry. Also if they are HUGE there might be some problems with hard drives.
It would have to be a VERY powerful magnet to affect the data on a hard disk, the flux density required to flip a bit is beyond the range of what's feasible except for very small scale (like a hard disk) or something like a superconducting magnet in an MRI machine. Unless you're trying to levitate the computer I don't think it would be a problem. Moriquendi
The amount of power required to levitate a pc is astronomical and the higher you try to levitate it the more power is required. Also it is an unstable situation, unless you're going to guide it on all sides you will require an active stabilisation system to control the electromagnets. Moriquendi
Like 5cm? I was going to guide it in the center and put a magnet on each corner. I didn't think it would work but found some 12v magnets that claim to be able to lift 40kg. I thought 4 of those could levitate a case. Thanks.
Build a very small computer, maybe Pico ITX sized. That should make the size of the electro magnet much more feasible
I was thinking of making a pico itx download box. Hot swap hdd in base shielded from magnets and everything else levitated above. Anyone know a good pico itx mobo that can run windows with utorrent etc running. At least i wouldn't have to hide it in a cupboard like most people do. Anyway to get it balanced with out connecting it to the base? It would need to be able to take bumps and have wires plugged in and out to though. Search on eBay you'll find it. I can't link I'm on my phone. Now I think about it it probably lifts 40 kg from above not levitating.
Lifting from above is not the same as levitating, the magnet is in contact with the thing it's lifting which means the magnetic field is as concentrated as it can be. Why build a low power torrent box and then add a huge, wasteful electromagnet to it? There is no way to keep it stable without either guiding it or having a network of electromagnets and a guidance system with a processor and sensors. Moriquendi
Thanks I just thought of that. I don't pay the bill so all good. Also I'll be putting at my old mans business so they won't even know the difference since they already have a huge bill.
There's a big difference between DC and AC electromagnets, the former doesn't generate the type of field which will induce a current in other circuits (electromagnetic coupling), whereas the latter will (as used in inductive charging, for example, but also to create EMPs). As long as you're using DC magnets it shouldn't cause any issues beyond possibly making the case collapse in on itself if it can't resist the pull of the magnets. Maybe go with aluminium
I'll draw up my plan to see if you reckon it will work. What's a strong not magnetic material that is reasonably light?
