What would be the best way to power an electromagnet rated 208-230V & 50/60Hz? Can I hook up 5 in a series?

Question

I know a lot of people have already seen this, but I'm trying to create an electromagnet that can pick up at least 2lbs. Is it possible?

Answer 1

The best way to power an electromagnet rated 208-230V is to use 208V or 230V.
Hooking 5 of these in series limits the current in each to 1/5 the rated current, leaving you with 5 magnets with slightly less pulling power than a single magnet. To get 5x the pulling power, hook them up in parallel, BUT MAKE SURE YOUR WIRING IS RATED FOR 5X THE CURRENT RATING OF THE MAGNET.