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Tennis racquet bug zapper circuit

  • Thread starter Kim Christiansen
  • Start date
K

Kim Christiansen

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hi,

I have seen these "new" bug zappers formed like a tennis racquet on sale
lately and I am trying to figure out (without having opened one) how they
are working.

They are powered by 2 * 1,5 V batteries. This dc voltage is transformed into
an ac-signal (inverter) and used to charge a big capacitor (perhaps with
some kind of voltage multiplier in between).
When a bug short-circuits the wires on the racquet the energy in the
capacitor is discharged through it and it dies.

Am I on the right track or do I have to buy one and look inside? :)

Best regards,
Kim.
 
P

Paul Hovnanian P.E.

Jan 1, 1970
0
Kim said:
Hi,

I have seen these "new" bug zappers formed like a tennis racquet on sale
lately and I am trying to figure out (without having opened one) how they
are working.

They are powered by 2 * 1,5 V batteries. This dc voltage is transformed into
an ac-signal (inverter) and used to charge a big capacitor (perhaps with
some kind of voltage multiplier in between).
When a bug short-circuits the wires on the racquet the energy in the
capacitor is discharged through it and it dies.

Am I on the right track or do I have to buy one and look inside? :)

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

Luhan

Jan 1, 1970
0
Kim said:
Hi,

I have seen these "new" bug zappers formed like a tennis racquet on sale
lately and I am trying to figure out (without having opened one) how they
are working.

They are powered by 2 * 1,5 V batteries. This dc voltage is transformed into
an ac-signal (inverter) and used to charge a big capacitor (perhaps with
some kind of voltage multiplier in between).
When a bug short-circuits the wires on the racquet the energy in the
capacitor is discharged through it and it dies.

Am I on the right track or do I have to buy one and look inside? :)

Best regards,
Kim

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"
 
M

Mike

Jan 1, 1970
0
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
 
F

Frank Bemelman

Jan 1, 1970
0
Luhan said:
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!

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.
 
J

Jim Thompson

Jan 1, 1970
0
Possibly. It could also be a small flyback transformer and multivibrator
(oscillator) to charge the output cap.

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
 
I

ian field

Jan 1, 1970
0
Kim Christiansen said:
Hi,

I have seen these "new" bug zappers formed like a tennis racquet on sale
lately and I am trying to figure out (without having opened one) how they
are working.

They are powered by 2 * 1,5 V batteries. This dc voltage is transformed
into an ac-signal (inverter) and used to charge a big capacitor (perhaps
with some kind of voltage multiplier in between).
When a bug short-circuits the wires on the racquet the energy in the
capacitor is discharged through it and it dies.

Am I on the right track or do I have to buy one and look inside? :)

Best regards,
Kim.

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.
 
S

Sjouke Burry

Jan 1, 1970
0
Kim said:
Hi,

I have seen these "new" bug zappers formed like a tennis racquet on sale
lately and I am trying to figure out (without having opened one) how they
are working.

They are powered by 2 * 1,5 V batteries. This dc voltage is transformed into
an ac-signal (inverter) and used to charge a big capacitor (perhaps with
some kind of voltage multiplier in between).
When a bug short-circuits the wires on the racquet the energy in the
capacitor is discharged through it and it dies.

Am I on the right track or do I have to buy one and look inside? :)

Best regards,
Kim.
A:Yes and B:why not :)
 
Kim said:
Hi,

I have seen these "new" bug zappers formed like a tennis racquet on sale
lately and I am trying to figure out (without having opened one) how they
are working.

They are powered by 2 * 1,5 V batteries. This dc voltage is transformed into
an ac-signal (inverter) and used to charge a big capacitor (perhaps with
some kind of voltage multiplier in between).
When a bug short-circuits the wires on the racquet the energy in the
capacitor is discharged through it and it dies.

Am I on the right track or do I have to buy one and look inside? :)

Best regards,
Kim.

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
 
K

Keith

Jan 1, 1970
0
To-Email- said:
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 ;-)

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

David Chapman

Jan 1, 1970
0
I've opened up mine.

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.
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.

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

- Dave

David C.Chapman - ([email protected])
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
J

John Woodgate

Jan 1, 1970
0
dated Mon said:
What a good idea! I wonder if that modification would make it useful
for dealing with those pesky grey squirrels ;-)

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

ian field

Jan 1, 1970
0
David Chapman said:
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 - ([email protected])
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

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!
 
M

martin griffith

Jan 1, 1970
0
On Mon, 07 Aug 2006 20:17:22 GMT, in sci.electronics.design "ian

snip
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!
Youtube maybe?


martin
 
I

ian field

Jan 1, 1970
0
martin griffith said:
On Mon, 07 Aug 2006 20:17:22 GMT, in sci.electronics.design "ian

snip
Youtube maybe?


martin

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

Rich Grise

Jan 1, 1970
0
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
 
P

petrus bitbyter

Jan 1, 1970
0
Kim Christiansen said:
Hi,

I have seen these "new" bug zappers formed like a tennis racquet on sale
lately and I am trying to figure out (without having opened one) how they
are working.

They are powered by 2 * 1,5 V batteries. This dc voltage is transformed
into an ac-signal (inverter) and used to charge a big capacitor (perhaps
with some kind of voltage multiplier in between).
When a bug short-circuits the wires on the racquet the energy in the
capacitor is discharged through it and it dies.

Am I on the right track or do I have to buy one and look inside? :)

Best regards,
Kim.

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
 
J

John Woodgate

Jan 1, 1970
0
dated Mon said:
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!

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.
 
I

ian field

Jan 1, 1970
0
Rich Grise said:
Your first mistake is using IE. Firefox is free, and I think probably
Netscape, too.

Good Luck!
Rich

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