How Do I Build "Electric Shocker"
Robert Garcia
Hey Folks,
I was wondering if any of you electronic geniuses can help me out.
I want to build an inexpensive low powered "electric shocker" for a
joke (something what won't harm anyone, yet give a good tingle).
Back in high school, I had a friend show me one. From what I remember
he had a 1.5 volt battery connected to a step-up transformer (?) and
other components. I don't know what those components where because of
my unfamiliarity at that time.
What I don't understand is how a DC current can work with a
transformer. I understood that you need an AC current to work with a
transformer, thus there is something I am missing something here.
Could someone please tell me how to build one?
BTW, what kind of electronic gizmos have you folks created for a joke?
It would be interesting to hear about the creativity out in netland.
Thanks
Rob
Space Cadet
A transformer will only work with a changing current. The circuit you
are refering to probably simply connected a battery to the primary of a step-up
transformer; the changing current at the moment the primary circuit is closed
and at the moment it is opened will produce high-voltage spikes at the
secondary. The last shocker I made used a simple 555 astable to direct-drive
the input of a small audio tranformer (use one that is listed as having a large
ratio of input to output impedance). DISCLAIMER: BE CAREFUL. A device that
barely tingles when pressed against dry skin can deliver quite a jolt when
touched to wet skin (as my friend found out the hard way... :)
As for other "joke" circuits... my favorite is still "the drip". I saw
the idea in a ca. 1970 electronics magazine and implemented a modern version.
It is a small (hidable) device that emits a periodic chirp. It can drive you
up the wall just as effectively as a dripping water faucet.
The last one I built used a PUJT timer set to produce a pulse every five
minutes. I put a piezo beeper (muRata PKB8-4A0) between the cathode and ground
so that when it triggered the current from the cap would be dumped through the
beeper; it was very efficient since the same current was used for timing and
beeping. In fact the average current was about 2.7 uA, so it would last at
least half a year on a 9v battery...
--
> Hello, lift. # We're going to space if we have to walk. -Jerry Pournelle <
< -Marvin the PA # The meek will inherit the earth. WE will go to the stars! >
> John H. DuBois III # spc...@ucscb.ucsc.EDU ...!ucbvax!ucscc!ucscb!spcecdt <
Norm Strong
>
>What I don't understand is how a DC current can work with a
>transformer. I understood that you need an AC current to work with a
>transformer, thus there is something I am missing something here.
The "something" that you are missing is a chopper, or some means of
interrupting the flow of current on a periodic basis. When I was young we
used to play around with Model T spark coils. They had a mechanical buzzer on
the coil to perform that function. Nowadays, we use transistors to chop the
current through the xfmr; when the current drops to zero, the collapsing field
around the xfmr generates a back emf that rises until something stops it--like
arcover.
--
Norm (str...@tc.fluke.com)
William Swan
> As for other "joke" circuits... my favorite is still "the drip". I saw
>the idea in a ca. 1970 electronics magazine and implemented a modern version.
>It is a small (hidable) device that emits a periodic chirp. It can drive you
>up the wall just as effectively as a dripping water faucet.
> The last one I built used a PUJT timer set to produce a pulse every five
>In fact the average current was about 2.7 uA, so it would last at
>least half a year on a 9v battery...
The original "drip" from, I think, the Feb '67 Popular Electronics, used
a germanium transistor that would periodically emit short bursts of AF. A
very clever circuit, powered by a 1.5V cell. I built several of these
around 1970, and thought I'd lost them all until late one especially quiet
night in '74 when I heard that old familiar crying-kitten squeal.
[I had modified the component values somewhat to use available parts,
which resulted in longer intervals between chirps, the chirps were
lower in frequency, and lasted longer.]
It was about two days before I finally found it; it turned out to be
one of the first I'd built, soldered to a Radio Shack "C" cell, using
a super-cheap speaker, and still functioning four years later.
It emitted, as I recall, a 5 second squeal every two minutes, with the
periods increasing as the battery discharged.
A frat which had a preponderance of EE types built several of these
when they lost their building to a rival frat, around '77. They were
left behind in various places in the building (ducts, etc.). I visited
the new frat shortly after they moved in - seems they weren't sleeping
all that well! :-)
I just went to look for the circuit, but I seem to have thrown it out
recently in a cleaning fit. If somebody still has the schematic (I
remember it was a modified Colpitts oscillator), I would enjoy seeing
it posted. (I can only remember an approximation of it...)
--
William Swan {ihnp4,decvax,allegra,...}!uw-beaver!tikal!sigma!bill
William Swan
>> As for other "joke" circuits... my favorite is still "the drip".
>
For those who are interested, here is a pseudo-SPICE listing for the
device as built from available components 19 years ago:
VCC 1 0 1.55V (old Radio Shack "Steel Clad" 15c C cell :-)
R1 1 2 3.3M
R2 2 3 1k
C1 3 0 5uf
L1 1 4 ?speaker (~50-100 ohm? el cheapo)
L2 4 5 448mH
Q1 5 2 6 NPN (germanium?, type unknown)
C2 5 6 .1u
C3 6 0 .22u
D1 6 0 DIODE (1N448 germanium)
With some manipulation of values (esp. reducing C1 and making L2 "real" by
adding series resistance - not shown here) and introduction of a small
"noise" source I've been able to induce SPICE to simulate the circuit
(with silicon devices and a higher supply voltage, as far as I've tested).
Bruce G. Barnett
I once purchased an electronics kit with a Free Mystery Gift -
"A Mystery Shock Box"
It was a cardboard box covered with two pieces of foil.
Inside was a battery, a coil, and a nail that had spiral groves.
The bottom was painted/insulated. The nail was inserted into a metal
connector so that when the box was down, the insulated part of the
nail touched the connector. When the box was picked up, The nail
dropped down and jiggled against the round contact, making and
breaking contact.
It might have been a transformer instead of a coil.
Anyhow, when you picked it up, you got quite a kick!
I made something similar with a relay, wiring it like a buzzer.
I was never able to make one of these that was:
Quiet
Could work over a distance (i.e. up the sleeve)
I will try a 555 and audio transformer.
Question: how far away can the wires be from the transformer?
--
Bruce G. Barnett <bar...@ge-crd.ARPA> <bar...@steinmetz.UUCP>
uunet!steinmetz!barnett