Tennis racquet bug zapper circuit

Possibly. It could also be a small flyback transformer and multivibrator (oscillator) to charge the output cap.

I've seen these years ago sold by venders out in Quartzsite/AZ. The vertical and horizontal wires never touch and are the 2 poles of the zapper. The circuit is one used in electric gas-grill ignighters.

Also, the only thing I ever saw them used for was zapping your friends!

Luhan "The Desert Rat"

My brother gave me one of those a few months ago and I used it clear out some carpenter bees that were attempting to setup housekeeping in my garage and front porch. It didn't have oomph to kil them outright, but it stunned them long enough to step on them. I must have killed a dozen of them with it.

Mike "As we survey all the evidence, the thought insistently arises that some supernatural agency - or, rather, Agency - must be involved. Is it possible that suddenly, without intending to, we have stumbled upon scientific proof of the existence of a Supreme Being? Was it God who stepped in and so providentially crafted the cosmos for our benefit?" George Greenstein - Astrophysicist

"Luhan" schreef in bericht news: snipped-for-privacy@i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...

I have one, but it's too heavy to be very useful. You can't swing it fast enough. And when you do hit a fly, quite often they reboot themselves after 30-60 seconds. Another flimsy all plastic fly swatter that I have works much better.

Back when I lived in an area with horses allowed I had a bug zapper with concentric cylindrical wire cages. In the middle was some kind of black light (?) bulb that attracted the flies and night insects.

In the dark it was fun to watch... it converted an insect into a ball of flame ;-)

...Jim Thompson

Quite likely a small transistor inverter driving a Cockroft/Walton voltage multiplying ladder, if it is it will contain a zig-zag of capacitors that charge up enough energy to zap a fly.

A:Yes and B:why not :)

I've opened up mine. It's a flyback converter followed by one or two voltage doublers, making about 1500V. The output capacitor is only 22nF though. I wired a 1uF (high voltage) cap on mine which makes it much better. It takes a few seconds to charge but then makes easy work of everything smaller than a bird.

Igor

Yes, and the best strategy is to give one to all your neighbors. That light will attract them all over to their yard. ;-)

So have I - because the two push-button switches failed. The zapper uses two tiny membrane switches that are only suitable for switching just a few milliamps. They are totally unsuitable for switching the current of 200-250mA that is drawn from the battery when the zapper is active.

Replacing the push-button switches by two more robust ones (or just one if the two-button 'safety' feature is not required) has made the zapper's operation much more reliable.

What a good idea! I wonder if that modification would make it useful for dealing with those pesky grey squirrels ;-)

- Dave

David C.Chapman - ( snipped-for-privacy@minda.co.uk)

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In message , dated Mon, 7 Aug

You could make a really BIG one and sell it to Hisbollah for swatting helicopters.

Get a remotely operated clay pigeon launcher mounted within sight of the living room window, lay a trail of nuts to the swingy end of the launcher and lay in wait for a squirrel to follow the trail - as soon as it's standing on the swingy bit press the button!

I have a video clip of this being done but this group isn't a binaries!

snip

Youtube maybe?

martin

I just signed up to youtube but every time I try to upload the video IE blocks it!

Your first mistake is using IE. Firefox is free, and I think probably Netscape, too.

Good Luck! Rich

"Kim Christiansen" schreef in bericht news:eb3fjb$ftk$ snipped-for-privacy@news.net.uni-c.dk...

Well... I have one and opened is to have a look inside. Main reason: The poor performance when swatting flies. The electronics inside consist of some oscillator with three transistors, a transformer and a voltage multiplier. Haven't analized it further yet. Found some pictures on the net of a similar device but definitively another PCB. It's a part of a descryption to modify the board for better performance. The mod only removes the discharge resistor of the HV cap. The voltage is said to raise by some hundreds of volts but the high voltage on the grid lasts much longer, which may be considered dangerous. Did not give it a try yet. Like Frank, I found the usual all plastic flyswatter much more effective.

petrus bitbyter

In message , dated Mon, 7 Aug

Although the grey squirrel is classed as vermin, and you are not supposed to keep one as a pet (nor can the RSPCA treat an injured one, I believe), you CAN still be done for cruelty to one.

So DON'T try that at home.

In message , dated Mon, 7 Aug 2006, petrus bitbyter writes

Make sure it's switched off before you analize it. (;-)

-- OOO - Own Opinions Only. Try

John Woodgate, J M Woodgate and Associates, Rayleigh, Essex UK

Installed firefox, uploaded video - how long does it take to appear?