Re: WHY AREN'T MY ELECTROMAGNETS WORKING?

     I don't have a clear picture of what you are doing.  Was the idea to 
magnetize some nails standing around a plant?  First of all you are using 
AC current so the field will also be AC.  It will be harder to detect than 
a DC field of the sort you would get with a battery.  If you really want 
to use a current to do this one good way is to use a cheap auto battery 
charger on the 2 Amp setting.  That should give plenty of field in the 
nails without a lot of heat.  
     However, even that will give only a very small field in the center of 
the pot.  I think that you should get a large permanent magnet and set the 
pot on it!  4" by 6" by 0.5" Ceramic 8 magnets are available from Dowling 
at 800 624 6381 for only $13.80!  If you like you can get three magnets 
and three pots.  Put 2 magnets under pot one, 1 magnet under pot two and 
no magnet under pot three.
     Please be careful how you handle these magnets!  If you get them too 
close together, they pinch hard and will break easily.
     Let me know if you have any problems.  

Fred Jeffers   Jeffers@iomega.com