Q: Does using magnets on colorbond steel affect the magnet's stated holding power? Also, is there a chance the magnet could rip a hole in the Colourbond rather than separate from it (i.e is there a maximum weight you would recommend suspending from one of your hooks attached to Colorbond)?
The thickness of the steel surface to which a magnet is attached has a big impact on the strength of the magnetic bond. Thicker steel surfaces will extract the maximum field density from the magnet. To fully achieve the pull forces stated in the Frenergy product description, the steel surface that the magnet bonds with should be at least 10mm thick and horizontally located.
Colorbond fencing is quite thin and mostly in a vertical plane, so a loss of around one-third of the magnet’s stated pull force on the website should be factored into holding expectations. It is very unlikely that even a large magnet could damage a Colorbond steel fence. For safety reasons, customers should choose a magnet with a pull-force capacity that is double the weight of the object they wish to suspend eg. PMYP-E20 should be loaded with a maximum of approximately 3kg on a Colorbond fence. Frenergy has a large range of Hook Magnets.
When suspending objects from magnetic hooks on a Colorbond fence you should also factor in the effect of wind gusts and accidental bumps. These may help to disrupt or reduce the magnetic bond. Likewise, a painted or uneven surface where the magnet attaches to the fence will create a gap which will also reduce bond strength. A trial and error test is advised for this type of application.
