Harbor Freight Electronic Fly Swatter???

[hr(bob) hofmann@att.net]

I thought I had seen almost everything electronic, but a Harbor
Freight ad in this weeks junk advertising flyer had a super coupon for
a

"7.99 electronic fly swatter on sale with the coupon for only $2.49,
requires two D batteries (old separately)".

It looks like an oversize tennis or badminton racquet. Not a clue if
the batteries are hooked up to a grid to electrocute any fly that
crosses paths with the swatter, or if you get a shock if you miss the
fly, or whatever.

Does anyone know what this thing actually is supposed to do
"electronically"?

[ransley]

On Jun 7, 6:40 pm, "hr(bob) hofm...@att.net" <hrhofm...@att.net>
wrote:

Ia have a few of them and they work great, well the one with fully
expensed wires does, the other one has grids of plastic to make it Kid
safe and it's harder to get the mosquitos in, it even kills bees and
horse flies , one wire must be positive and one neutral , I used to
walk my dog where there were deer flies and had to stop in summer till
I got the racket, mine were 15$ , if the wires are fully exposed get a
few of them.

[Bill Hall]

I've had one of these for about four years. Gag gift from my Kids. IT does
work, if you get the flys to cooperate. Same principle as the Outside "Bug
Zapper"

Bill H.




"hr(bob) hof...@att.net" <hrho...@att.net> wrote in message
news:0532f6ae-98b4-42e9...@3g2000vbx.googlegroups.com...

[gregz]

Glad to hear it works. I bought one for camp.

Greg

[Jim Yanik]

gregz <ze...@comcast.net> wrote in news:1020025579360807873.886335zekor-
comca...@news.eternal-september.org:

I saw a video on America's Funniest Home Videos where a guy tried to use
the zapper-swatter on wasps,and got stung.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com

[DerbyDad03]

On Jun 7, 7:40 pm, "hr(bob) hofm...@att.net" <hrhofm...@att.net>
wrote:

I have one. Works great...like a bug zapper.

The only thing is, you can't swing it against things like you can with
a flexible fly swatter since it's hard plastic. You have to hit bugs
on the fly by startling them to leave wherever they're sitting and fly
into the grid. Once that happens, the sparks and crackling begin.

Just in case you're wondering, it hurts like heck if you touch the
grid when it's energized. DAMHIKT

[Jim Elbrecht]

Kill bugs! with a loud SNAP and a big spark! Where have you been,
man. They are more fun than the twitchin' tool.

That's a high price, though. I buy a couple every time I see them
for $4 at the 'dollar' stores or HF.

Warning-- If it doesn't seem like it is working, *DON'T* touch the
damn thing. That jolt is stronger than the buzz you get from a 110
line.

Jim

[Jim Elbrecht]

DerbyDad03 <teama...@eznet.net> wrote:

-snip-

>Just in case you're wondering, it hurts like heck if you touch the
>grid when it's energized. DAMHIKT

I laughed at my son when he told me that. Then I was testing it one
day. Glad I was outside-- Happy to report the swatter will survive
being thrown 20 feet in the air and landing on the lawn.

Jim

[dgk]

On Fri, 08 Jun 2012 08:19:04 -0400, Jim Elbrecht <elbr...@email.com>
wrote:

From two D cells? Well, I failed physics in the Rainbarrel thread, so
I'll try again. How can 2 D cells produce enough
voltage/amperage/whatever to shock a person?

[HeyBub]

Quite easily. The three volts is fed to an oscillator. The output of the
oscillator is fed to a 10,000:1 transformer. You end up with 30,000 volts
(give or take) across the transformer's secondary winding.

There's really no practical limit to the voltage output than can be had from
a 3 volt input.

[notbob]

On 2012-06-08, Jim Yanik <jya...@abuse.gov> wrote:

> I saw a video on America's Funniest Home Videos where a guy tried to use
> the zapper-swatter on wasps,and got stung.

Yeah. Ya gotta get way too close, IMO. I'll stick with my can of
Black Flag wasp killer. Sucker shoots a 10' stream that'll take 'em
out mid-flight.

nb

--
vi --the heart of evil!
Support labeling GMOs
<http://www.labelgmos.org/>

[Stormin Mormon]

Oscillator and transformer.

I remember from some where, that tasers (used to shock people) might run on
a 9 volt transistor battery.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

"dgk" <d...@somewhere.com> wrote in message

[tra...@optonline.net]

On Jun 8, 8:19 am, Jim Elbrecht <elbre...@email.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 7 Jun 2012 16:40:27 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) hofm...@att.net"

I bought a bunch of them at HF as gag gifts a
few years ago. $2

[hr(bob) hofmann@att.net]

On Jun 8, 7:55 am, "trad...@optonline.net" <trad...@optonline.net>
wrote:

> few years ago.  $2- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Well, with inflation they are now $2.49 on sale.

[Jim Elbrecht]

"HeyBub" <hey...@NOSPAMgmail.com> wrote:

>dgk wrote:

-snip-

>>
>> From two D cells? Well, I failed physics in the Rainbarrel thread, so
>> I'll try again. How can 2 D cells produce enough
>> voltage/amperage/whatever to shock a person?
>
>Quite easily. The three volts is fed to an oscillator. The output of the
>oscillator is fed to a 10,000:1 transformer. You end up with 30,000 volts
>(give or take) across the transformer's secondary winding.
>
>There's really no practical limit to the voltage output than can be had from
>a 3 volt input.
>

And while it is the "amperage that kills you"- all those volts sure
get your attention in a hurry.

Oh-- and the best ones we've gotten so far use 2 c cells. The D
cell ones we have either have flakey switches or a weird
oscillator/transformer-- you can hit the bug for a while and nothing
happens--- then it goes crazy when you shake it and nothing is on it.

Heybub-- is 10K:1 the actual transformer on one of these-- or is that
a guesstimate?

An

[DerbyDad03]

On Jun 8, 8:21 am, Jim Elbrecht <elbre...@email.com> wrote:

I didn't throw mine, but my arm was sore for a while. By that I mean
several minutes (IIRC). Certainly long enough that I won't test it
again.

Of course, it was nothing like the time during USCG Electronics School
that I got hooked onto a 400VDC power supply, hand to hand, across the
chest, until someone pulled the plug.

I came back to class the next day but 2 other guys who had witnessed
the event quit Electronics School and decide on a different career
path. Wimps.

[HeyBub]

I have not idea what the actual voltage in a fly swatter might be. I picked
10,000:1 as an example of stepping up a DC voltage.

I've seen the reverse, too. In making a home-made spot welder, you might use
a 1:250 ratio transformer to convert 120v down to 0.5 volts at 200 amps.

[Jim Elbrecht]

"HeyBub" <hey...@NOSPAMgmail.com> wrote:

>Jim Elbrecht wrote:

-snip-

>>
>> Heybub-- is 10K:1 the actual transformer on one of these-- or is that
>> a guesstimate?
>
>I have not idea what the actual voltage in a fly swatter might be. I picked
>10,000:1 as an example of stepping up a DC voltage.
>

Thanks-- I'll tear one apart one of these days. In the meantime, my
arm says 30,000V is about right.<g>

[I just wiki-pedia'd it. *They* say 1K-2.5K --- but I'm stickin'
with 30K.<g>]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flyswatter

Jim

[Arthur Shapiro]

In article <0532f6ae-98b4-42e9...@3g2000vbx.googlegroups.com>, "hr(bob) hof...@att.net" <hrho...@att.net> wrote:
>I thought I had seen almost everything electronic

As has been pointed out, one problem is that you can't smash anything - or at
least anything you value - with the heavy and hard contraption.

That aside, they're wonderful. If you luck out, the fly gets wedged in the
wiring grid and will actually catch fire. If that doesn't warm your heart,
you're a lot more stoic than I.

I had one stop working for no obvious reason, but given the low price it was a
no-brainer to replace it. I haven't gotten so much practical pleasure out of
an inexpensive purchase in a long time.

Art

[Bob F]

How can walking across a wool carpet on a cold (outside) winter day and touching
a grounded object produce enough voltage/amperage to shock a person? In my dorm
in Cambridge Mass, I could draw a 3/4" spark.

How much more/less power than a couple D cells does a magnet moving past a coil
in a lawnmower magneto produce. Try one of those.

At enough voltage, it doesn't take much current to hurt.

And it only takes a few milliamps to kill.

[hr(bob) hofmann@att.net]

> And it only takes a few milliamps to kill.- Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -

DC is worse than AC, with AC there is a momentary time when the
voltage/current goes thru zero and muscles can relax and let
go(sometimes), With DC there is no such chance.

[gregz]

I got 500 vdc once, no one around. High current. A fly swatter is likely to
be less than 30 ma dc max peak.

Greg

[k...@att.bizzzzzzzzzzzz]

No need for the transformer, even. A switch (oscillator) into an inductor
will create a "flyback" voltage of pretty much anything you want. It's
generally easier to combine the two, though; A "flyback" switch/inductor with
a secondary step-up transformer. It's also known as an "ignition coil". ;-)

[Stormin Mormon]

Something in the dim recess of my memory, AC is much more dangerous, which
is why Thomas Edison wanted to make only DC power plants. But, DC doesn't
travel down the wire very far. And, so AC won out for power transmission,
cause it goes farther. Parts of NYC used to have a power plant every couple
blocks, with DC power being supplied to the people.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

"hr(bob) hof...@att.net" <hrho...@att.net> wrote in message

news:dbc829d4-2618-4702-

[Bob F]

Stormin Mormon wrote:
> Something in the dim recess of my memory, AC is much more dangerous,
> which is why Thomas Edison wanted to make only DC power plants. But,
> DC doesn't travel down the wire very far. And, so AC won out for
> power transmission, cause it goes farther. Parts of NYC used to have
> a power plant every couple blocks, with DC power being supplied to
> the people.
>

DC is the method of choice these days for long distance transmission. Back then,
converting to high voltage DC wasn't so easy. Converting AC was.

Edison seemed to have a strong opinion, not well based in facts, perhaps.

[hr(bob) hofmann@att.net]

On Jun 9, 8:19 am, "Stormin Mormon"

<cayoung61***spambl...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Something in the dim recess of my memory,  AC is much more dangerous, which
> is why Thomas Edison wanted to make only DC power plants. But, DC doesn't
> travel down the wire very far. And, so AC won out for power transmission,
> cause it goes farther. Parts of NYC used to have a power plant every couple
> blocks, with DC power being supplied to the people.
>
> Christopher A. Young
> Learn more about Jesus
>  www.lds.org
> .
>

> "hr(bob) hofm...@att.net" <hrhofm...@att.net> wrote in message

>
> news:dbc829d4-2618-4702-
>
>
>
> > And it only takes a few milliamps to kill.- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> DC is worse than AC, with AC there is a momentary time when the
> voltage/current goes thru zero and muscles can relax and let
> go(sometimes), With DC there is no such chance.

The benefits of DC are that power losses for the same amount of power
received at the far end. are lower. Transformers can't work on DC,
and they are necessary to raise the voltage to high levels so current
levels can be lower and losses lower. So, until transformers became
understood, as Tesla did and Edison didn't, there was that
controversy. Only with the advent of transistors capable of switching
DC and making it into AC was high voltage long-distance transmission
of DC practical.

[geneth...@none.com]

Guess you've never seen a cattle prod in use. The older ones run on D
cells. I think they use 4 or 6 of them. The newer ones seem to be
rechargable.
http://www.flemingoutdoors.com/cattleprods.html

They'll shock a cow real fast, and there is a large arc and loud snap.
I've seen them in use. I'd sure hate to get zapped with one.
If I ever find one cheap at a garage sale or auction, I'll buy it just
to open it and play with the electronics inside. (I dont own cattle,
and would not use it on them if I did..... seems cruel).

On the other hand, I have gotten zapped with an electric fence many
times. Once I was sweating and got it against my forehead. Knocked me
right on my ass.

[notbob]

On 2012-06-10, geneth...@none.com <geneth...@none.com> wrote:

> On the other hand, I have gotten zapped with an electric fence many
> times.

Gee... only took once fer me. That's pretty much the general idea. ;)

[HeyBub]

geneth...@none.com wrote:
>>
>> From two D cells? Well, I failed physics in the Rainbarrel thread, so
>> I'll try again. How can 2 D cells produce enough
>> voltage/amperage/whatever to shock a person?
>
> Guess you've never seen a cattle prod in use. The older ones run on D
> cells. I think they use 4 or 6 of them. The newer ones seem to be
> rechargable.
> http://www.flemingoutdoors.com/cattleprods.html
>
> They'll shock a cow real fast, and there is a large arc and loud snap.
> I've seen them in use. I'd sure hate to get zapped with one.
> If I ever find one cheap at a garage sale or auction, I'll buy it just
> to open it and play with the electronics inside. (I dont own cattle,
> and would not use it on them if I did..... seems cruel).
>

Back in the day, when I was a cop, one or two officers had 6-cell Maglite
flashlights. Except that the flashlight contained only FIVE cells. The space
formerly taken up by the bottom D-cell contained an, um, "goblin getter,"
attached to two 1/4" pins in the base of the flashlight.

If the stink-eye wouldn't cooperate by following some simplest request
("Okay, asshole, what is the largest prime number less than 100,000? Eh?
Eh?"), he, or rarely she, could be encouraged to follow a righteous path.
Sometimes for as long as ten minutes!

In police equipment catalogs, I've seen punk-prods thinly disguised as
regulation batons.

[Oren]

On 10 Jun 2012 11:37:34 GMT, notbob <not...@nothome.com> wrote:

>> On the other hand, I have gotten zapped with an electric fence many
>> times.
>
>Gee... only took once fer me. That's pretty much the general idea. ;)

My friend tells me that. He tells the story of pissing a hot fence
wire....

I know better. Some things you don't have to learn the "hard way" :-\