Magnet storage and shelf life?

[thechrisl]

Hi all. I planned to do some magnet swaps a looong time ago and picked up an assortment from Addiction-FX. Then.... I got distracted and about 8 years went by. The magnets (separated by type) have been in a small box, loosely wrapped in bubble wrap so they are about an inch or less apart.

But the magnets of like type were right up against each other this whole time. For example, the A5 bubble wrap has 2 magnets in the same bag. Some are flat to flat and some are edge to edge.

Are these still viable or do I just have a big pile of Alnico ??? in a box now? If I do get around to trying this, it will be my first attempt. I don't want to compound the chance of screwing up a pickup with swapping a magnet that is no longer what I thought it was.

 

[Clint 55]

They only partially decharge if you force the like poles together. And then they only lose a portion of their charge. 8 years won't do anything to lessen the charge. My guess is they're either exactly the same or realistically about the same. In my several years of magnet swapping, I've never messed up a mag from my shoddy storage.

 

[Mincer]

Sticking them in a big pile won't be good for them. But I think yours as described would be ok.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

The secret to storing magnets is to stick them to each other. As long as they attract, you're okay. If they repel, you risk losing some charge.
It's important to be aware of the stronger types: ceramic and A8 are especially powerful and can degauss other mags if you're not careful.