"Zapper" circuit for electricity demo

Hi,

I'm considering buying/building a battery-powered "zapper" that will deliver a *mild* electric shock when the electrodes are touched. I'm

*not* looking for a stunt gun. The intended us of the zapper is for teaching children about electricity (about electric shock, the danger of electrocution, & how electricity can travel through conductors). Safety is the no. 1 requirement. The "shock" should be no more painful than from a static discharge but should be continuous (unlike a zap from static).

Does anyone have a schematic that uses easy to find parts (available from RS)?

(I can imagine that someone will tell me the demo is a bad idea, but I can't think of a better way to help children understand electricity from a safety perspective than to let them experience first-hand a mild electric shock in a safe and controlled demo. If anyone has a better idea, I'd be interested.)

Thanks.

Reply to
John Doe
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You might try a Van De Graaf Electrostatic Generator

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Reply to
Baphomet

ALERT! Please be advised that while this is a very interesting site, it introduces 3 - 5 spyware tracking cookies. Keep your anti-spyware signatures current and sweep after each visit.

Reply to
Baphomet

static).

If you're an educator, I hope you're getting parental consent first. Even though it's a mild charge, I'd hate to have some aggravated parent confront you afterwards.

Reply to
Chris

WARNING - THE FOLLOWING MIGHT BE DANGEROUS - USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

I've seen a circuit that uses a 9V battery, a 9 VDC motor and a mains transformer (eg 110V Input 9V Output) . You connect the motor and battery in series with the secondary winding and the primary winding becomes the high voltage output.

It works as follows: The commutator in the motor interrupts the DC current from the battery to make crude AC and the transformer (acting in reverse) steps it up to high (and possibly dangerous voltages).

Warning - NO part of this circuit is, or should ever be, connected to the household mains supply.

static).

Reply to
CWatters

You can use a buzzer that runs off 1 or 2 cells. It usually has a shocking voltage across the contacts when they open. You should put a resistor in series with the electrodes, to limit the current. I would guess a starting point would be a hundred k ohms in series with each electrode. But the shock depends on how moist the skin is, so it may be difficult to get a consistent level of 'tingle'.

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Reply to
Watson A.Name "Watt Sun - the

Do we use a broom to sweep, or what? ;-)

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Reply to
Watson A.Name "Watt Sun - the

When I was in school the usual demo invovled a war-surplus hand-cranked field telephone generator. Class held hands in a line, kids on the ends of the line touched the generator terminals.

You will likely have a hard time finding such today, so consider mounting a good sized permanent-magnet DC motor to a board and adding a handcrank (may need some voltage multiplying to get it to the "feelable" level). That way you can teach about motors and why they make poor generators as well.

And yeah, investigate the liability issue with administration.

Mark L. Fergerson

Reply to
Mark Fergerson

The first shock I ever had was holding wires from an old steam radio choke onto a 1.5v cell and it was *NOT* a mild tingle.

(it doesn't hurt a bit...till you let go)

Reply to
cpemma

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signatures

Watson -

I e-mailed the website contact but it bounced back. A 9mm. hollow point sweep might be in order.

Reply to
Baphomet

The army still had 'em 18 years ago. They were as effective for prisoner interrogation as they were for commo devices.

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Best Regards,
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Reply to
Active8

In article , snipped-for-privacy@no.spam.us mentioned...

Would a 357 magnum do? That's all I have...

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Reply to
Watson A.Name - "Watt Sun, Dar

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More than adequate :-)

Reply to
Baphomet

shock

Previous thread about "Mystery Shock Box":

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MYSTERY SHOCK BOX

sides 1 & 2 of box (tin can strips or foil)

+.................................... . | . __________|_ | . | )|| |s . | )|| |i . | )|| |d . | )|| |e . | ___)|| |s . | |______________________| . | / |3 . | | | . | \ very thin wire |& . | \ | . | \ |4 . | (|) plastic sleeve | . | | (fits snuggly) |of . ------- | |box . --- | nail | . | 1.5V | | . | D cell | | . | + painted portion | . | + of nail | . | + | . |__________( + ) metallic "eye" | . + | . ===== | . | . __________________________________+

As the box is lifted, the tiny wire allows the nail to drop out of the open bottom of the box. (The plastic collar is large enough to stop its travel.) The unpainted portion of the nail scrapes against the "eye", making and breaking the circuit. The magmetic field in the iron-core inductor is formed and collapses with each make/break cycle. As the field collapses, the resulting voltage is applied to the opposing metallic sides of the box causing a tingle to the person lifting it. When the box is returned to its upright resting position, the nail plunger is re-inserted, shutting off the current.

Reply to
JeffM

In article , jeffm snipped-for-privacy@email.com mentioned...

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You should've added: make the box out of a sturdy substance, because the holder is likely to drop it, or worse yet, throw it across the room. :-P

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Reply to
Watson A.Name - "Watt Sun, Dar

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I made some of those when I was a kid. The four sides were covered with aluminum foil, and the top was plainly marked, Do not touch! It was left on the desk in my bedroom, and sure enough, everyone who saw it picked it up, as they started to say, You can't EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! then dropped it.

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We now return you to our normally scheduled programming.

Take a look at this little cutie! ;-)
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Reply to
Michael A. Terrell

Yup. 1st one was from the Electrical Lab kit (2.5" x 2.5" x 3.5", cardboard & foil). Subsequent builds were 1.5" x 3" x 3.5", wood & tin can strips.

Placing it near the edge of the table == bad idea.

Reply to
JeffM

While connecting disconnects (temporary power to supply power distibution 3phase

208V, for rock concert amplifiers, dimmer racks, etc..), some technicians use a VoltCon (TM) to test if voltage is present before hooking up.

Other technicians 'lick' their fingers on one hand, and using the index finger and the "f" finger, proceed to test the voltage across the terminals!!! (between phases, giving a potential of 208V in a 3phase distribution system). Yes, sometimes they find that the mains weren't turned off!! Ahhhhhhhhhh yeah. ok!! I wouldn't suggest that.

Getting a shock in any circumstance sucks.

Teaching about electricity and STATIC electricity would be more interesting, and usually, static electricity charge that we make while rubbing across a carpet, or rubbing Amber or what not, hey, I don't think there is much danger in it.

Reply to
Switch

Not exactly what you are looking for, but those clicking cigarette lighters that use no flint contain a little gizmo that creates an electrical spark. They are mildly uncomfortable to get zapped by. I think they make a barbeque sparker very similar. Probably pretty safe, probably.

--Dan

static).

Reply to
dg

Try the old standby:

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You can get your money back out when you're done with it.

dg wrote:

Reply to
Bill Vajk

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