Electronic Rat Zapper not working properly - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Jules75
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 18, 2023, 06:21:48 pm
content: OK so as the heading states,the zapper turns on green light then switches toa solid red light and i hear a constant buzzing.i cleaned it completely still the same issue,. i turned out all the lights and i can see a couple of the screws that hold the metal contact plate and lightly sparking...anyone have any ideas on what i can do to fix this or is this product not good anymore.,., IT'S BRAND NEW but i cant return it because it was bought a couple years ago and never used till nowany help!?

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2023, 06:47:43 pm
content: The buzzing and sparking indicates the high voltage inverter is working properly. It sounds like a short circuit.Post some pictures.Obviously be careful it doesn't zap you. It's designed to kill and whilst it probably requires more energy to kill a human than a rat, there's still probably a risk of death, if you get shocked by it.

author: Karel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2023, 07:07:25 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on December 18, 2023, 06:47:43 pmAlso of the rat (before and after zapping)

author: floobydust
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2023, 07:17:32 pm
content: Welcome to the forumsRats in Canada? They don't really survive the cold winters. They prefer to be politicians.We need a make/model number/picture to help you. If only we were magicians here.Is this mains-powered or battery powered?

author: p.larner
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2023, 07:35:03 pm
content: where can i buy a new crystal ball,ive missplaced mine.

author: floobydust
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2023, 08:22:29 pm
content: You've gotta have a crystal ball to be here. Even then, it will get flattened lolPeople give too few details and lately I've seen many threads derail due to lack of details etc, and then fighting starts up. Know-it-alls being jerks seems to be the best part.About the rat zapper, I did see low cost chinese ones mains-powered and they unfortunately did turn off, so the rat was not pre-cooked for dinner.For the newest battery-powered ones, they use an MCU and good details (schematic too) in Pat.US 6,836,999 B2(2005) and many others with wireless notification and auto reload etc.They all use two-electrode strips and any resistance between them activates the HV power supply for a short while.The rat's fur is an insulator so you have to have the strips where their paws can touch to trigger it, and the HV enough to arc through the fur gap.There can be no conductivity between the strips, and I would say OP must have a problem there, especially if he can see arcing. Could be a dead spider, I've seen that.There used to be lots of youtube vid of homebrew traps electrocuting rats and mice but they got modify/takedown orders. Pest lives matter. There was always a suspicious HV power supply hiding (motor start cap) behind things but I think they ran wires to something with much more energy.

author: Jules75
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 18, 2023, 10:50:53 pm
content: ok details you guys want huh?im looking at the box right now and the first thing i noticed is it says its made in China..,darn itElectrocutesMultiple-Rodentsby Pest Gaurdi dont have any pics at the moment but you should be able to do a quick google search, its a red and black box. looks like your typical rat zapper unit.,NOW...when i plug it into the wall and turn the switch on it gives me a green light which is normal, followed by a red light for a moment then it turns off., then the red light turns on with a buzzing sound as if something is in the trap getting zapped.,i looked inside as it was buzzing and could see contacts igniting where the little screws are., especially the one that is connected to the steel that goes on the inside wall which makes contact with the top piece etc.so i completely removed every part in the bottom section and cleaned it all with soap and water and dried everything and put it all back and still the same issue...its like there is a continuous contact happening...the screws are arching...the cleaning didnt help, i think its something to do with the steel pieces inside but everything is where its supposed to be.not sure if pics will help as i pretty much explained everything its doing or not doing for that matter here...but surely someone has got an answer!? hopefully before i ultimately trash it and get another one

author: Fryguy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2023, 12:03:42 am
content: I cannot solve your problem , Jules75 - but i found somthing nice many years ago on a german tube website (www.jogis-roehrenbude.de) . . .If you decide to make a new one yourself :

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2023, 12:19:07 am
content: While this doesn't address your problem, there are alternatives. One is a Rarapult described my MIsterBill2 here:https://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/threads/rat-zapper.89806/page-3It is kind of a variation on a potato cannon.I have a hobby farm and pole barn. When rats get in, they are almost impossible to get rid of with ordinary methods. A simple solution I found was to leave a strip LED light (3X 8 ft) attached to the rafters on all the time. The added cost on my electric bill was trivial. I still keep traps and poison out for the mice.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2023, 09:11:14 am
content: Quote from: Fryguy on December 19, 2023, 12:03:42 amGoing from videos I've seen on YouTube, 120VAC 60Hz isn't fatal to rodents. It makes them jump, but that's it. I imagine it's because their feet aren't very conductive. I don't know about 230V 50Hz, which stands more of a chance, but is probably far from a certain kill. A step-up transformer is required to make a propper rodent zapper.

author: Fryguy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2023, 10:13:45 am
content: Hi Zero999 , take a closer look at the text and pictures . . . the rat will be grabbed from the left and right side by 2 metal plates with sharp spikes ("pointed projections") all over them and enough force to pierce the fur making the rat fully conductive - it won't take a lot of power to fry the rat , once the electrodes have penetrated the skin .Trust me - this is an electric chair with spikes and the rats will be cooked by it .Btw , i like the style of this unit - frying rats using tubes - and where it says "rat" in the circuit diagram . . . it looks like the rats get eaten (spikes)And it is easy to modify it to modern components - i still have a box of spare light bulbs just in case . . .