Magnetic field issues

[southpaw13]

Hello, my control panel has become magnetized!  Does anyone know of a cheap why to build a demagnetizer?

[rampy]

I suppose you could drop it from a decent heigh... IIRC that's how you "demagnetize"  a screwdriver that has gotten magnetized.

I think the principle has to do with trying to re-scatter the ions so that they aren't all facing the same way... but it's been ages since 4th grade science class so YMMV

Rampy

(note you may want to remove your joysticks/buttons etc first of course)

[grafixmonkey]

Hello, my control panel has become magnetized!  Does anyone know of a cheap why to build a demagnetizer?

metal control panel?  or wood panel with metal components that got magnetized?

And how'd it get magnetized? leave a speaker magnet sitting on it?  how hard it is to demagnetize might depend on that, and how long whatever magnet it was had been there.

I'd just leave it as it is, unless it's causing monitor distortion, or yanking your keys out of your pocket on the way across the room.     Hey wait, you could leave your keys stuck to it at night, and never lose them again!

I've seen demagnetizer circuits for sale...   first I'd try holding it up close to a computer monitor that has a degauss switch and pressing it a whole bunch, because those things are kinda pricey.

[southpaw13]

It's not that strong.  Nothing will stick.  I bought the game and the control panel always shocked me.  I'm assuming that is how it got magnetized.  I am going to degauss my monitor first, then I was told to take the control panel to my local retail store and run it over the register scanner because it has a demagnetizer in it for the security tag deactivation.  Any more suggestions?