Advice on magnet strength

[philsandy]

I'm trying out the Lincs Autocoupler.

Currently using Bachmann TLC with Brian Kirby system, which works well  but I want something less obtrusive. I have fitted one Lincs to a wagon and am very impressed with the appearance ( ie. you can hardly see it), and the operation.  The problem is the magnets under the track are not quite strong enough to activate the Lincs Autocoupler, as the armature arm is at a higher position than the "stapler" on the Brian Kirby coupler.

The magnets are 15mm disc, 0.5 mm thick and have a 0.28kg. pull. If I dip the wagon nearer to the magnet (ie. lift the back end up) by 3mm, the magnet activates the Lincs. Don't want a too strong a magnet, and none thicker than 2mm, as I don't want to start hacking in to the baseboard.

Sourced some 15mm disc, 1mm thick with 1.1 kg. pull, would this be enough? can anyone advise what pull would be, without being excessive. 

[jcm@gwr]

On my shunting puzzle I used the S&W magnets, I know mine is 7mm,

but logically if you use the 4mm magnets it should work okay.

I fitted mine between the sleepers, so at right angles to the rails, this

does mean you have to be more accurate in stopping in the right spot.

[t-b-g]

A friend and I used Lincs couplings on one of our layouts. When we obtained the couplings, from one of the several people who have marketed them over the years, they were selling packs of 4 magnets with them. These were small and rectangular and fitted sideways between the sleepers in 4mm scale.

 

They were just right for the couplings.

 

I don't know who sells the couplings now but it might be worth asking whoever it is if they can supply some.

 

I recall being told something about the sideways fitting was more effective as the coupling have a sideways movement as well as downwards.

[Il Grifone]

I would have though 1.1kg of pull would be enough to mount the magnet under the baseboard

[philsandy]

The Linc instructions does recommend S&W magnets, but these are 3.8mm thick, which would mean cutting into the baseboard.

 

Since my OP I have solved the problem. The Brian Kirby system requires 2 magnets to operate, one for each wagon coupling. The Lincs only requires 1, as the armature arms are much closer together. So I removed 2 of the disc magnets from under the track and put one on top of the other, increasing the Pull from 0.28kg. to 0.56kg. It now works perfectly.