Bug Zapper Mod

Just a quick way to get more 'zap' from a bug zapper...

[@stuckntrfk]

Holy Crap! You could knock flying pigs out of the sky with that.

[@skstroll]

Thank you very much sir! I was glad that old microwave laying in the trash pile still has some value.

[@hypercircle4945]

Nicely done - good upgrade. Now i just need to find an old microwave

[@coondogtheman]

@banjax66 So low mF and high voltage? Gotcha. as long as it fits inside the case. are there small caps that pack a punch?

[@mathewbellman5833]

Didn't mean it in a bad way. Wondering if is was still going so I can ask a question. What capasitor should I buy to do this mod? Thanks

[@banjax66]

Get an old microwave oven mate. You'll find a 2kv 1uf capacitor in there. that's what I used.

[@duramarks]

are the D cell batteries still in use or did you upgrade that as well?

[@lacewoodstrat]

That 1microfarad cap is huge, doesn't that make the unit a bit awkward to swing around? On the flip side, you get a car battery with 600 cold cranking amps...

[@coondogtheman]

I'd like to mod my zappers like this so they zap like this but they look stock. Are there any caps I can buy that will fit in the case? I could even tape it to the outside if I have to.

[@davidmg1925]

if those wires are carry so much charge do they need to e a certain type? Current capacity?

[@nodriveasusephotos8019]

yes it works great. i feel im becoming an electronic genius now haha. wife says the microwave oven seems to be taking hours to heat the babies bottles though, i guess she will get used to it

[@banjax66]

Tell her to breast feed them babies instead! LOL....

[@nodriveasusephotos8019]

cant do that-im never off them!

[@Hyroile]

Sir! I like your thinking.

[@tomasprince2080]

alright mate ive taken the capacitor out the microwave has been off for a couple months tried discharging the capacitor didnt get a spark noise or anything this capacitor has i think 2 resistors on it should i take these off what are my next steps cheers mate

[@Listmann81]

Dood i'm sorry it took me years to answer 😛 I still havent made the mod but i REALLY want to. (Lazy) Why it doesnt have more wiews i don't know 😳 The zappers on market SUCK! I put a 9v battery in a swatter designed for 2*1.5 volts (aa). This makes it actually work but doesnt kill bigger bugs first zap. Now i want those buggers go freakin explode! Anyways, big fan! You're way cool 👍

[@Listmann81]

By "answer" obviously i meant "post a comment 😛"

[@mchammer256]

Do ya think you cud put a 15 kv capacitor on it?

[@banjax66]

On the housing estate where I live in Peterborough, people just dump them out in the street for the dustmen or scrap metal collectors to pick up... I keep looking for a dumped inverter style microwave oven, as I want to do some signal tracing, frequency measurements and hacking on one! That should be interesting. Ian.

[@banjax66]

You could but the capacitor will only charge up to the same voltage that's being pumped into it. So don't expect to get 15 kv out of it.

[@tomasprince2080]

hey banjax66 just want to know how to take the capacitor out of a old microwave without killing myself any suggestions ?

[@blurybury]

finally someone who knows what they are doing. originally looking for some quick confirmation of anyone hacking and utilizing additional alternative power that wouldn't destroy the circuits as I want to leave the bug zapper in place to block access to a live wasp nest outside wall of house. the AA batteries die within a couple hours as the wasps continue to fry on the mesh discharging the ouny AA batteries too quickly to be effective enough. I was considering connecting a old 5vdc cell phone charger or a 18650 (4.2vdc) battery charger to the bug zapper. I absolutely love that you connected an old microwave capacitor to your bug zapper. now I'm thinking that might be a great idea to make the bug zapper of mine more effective by rather than cooking them wasps to blow them away with that enormous zap which if works as I imagine it would it would help prevent the wasps from getting stuck onto the mesh and thus save some energy too wvwn if using only AA batteries. any ideas? thank you. again curious if 4.2 or 5vdc will fry the circuits

[@banjax66]

duramarks mate, I used the standard two AA size batteries in the zapper .

[@banjax66]

@coondogtheman1234 I couldn't find any decent caps small enough to fit inside the case so I taped the cap to the outside. Maybe you could use a couple of smaller caps wired in parallel that can be fitted internally. If your zapper has any discharge resisters fitted across the standard cap you can cut them out but remember that thing will then hold a good charge for some considerable time! lol.

[@mchammer256]

Yeah i no,i was tried to put a 15kv capacitor in it but did not work,iv sorted it now.I needed 15kv for a night vision device. still you have a good idea and it WORKS unlike the original zapper.

[@banjax66]

I used two standard AA cells that it was designed for.

[@billybonewhacker]

0-0 oh poppy!

[@banjax66]

Are you referring to our local police force in the helicopter by any chance? LOL...

[@coondogtheman]

@banjax66 That's fine then. I am going to leave the resistor on. I guess I can have them stick out the sides like one of my youtube buddies did. he put 2 motor starting caps on his and you could almost kill a mouse with it.

[@nodriveasusephotos8019]

yes that looks bigger. however i got a bug zapper from poundland and the spark is bigger than the one your getting with the microwave cap. dont know why but i will send you a pic of the circuit. ive had a few and this one is massively more powerful. the spark leaves burn marks on metal. etching it. strange i know! i added a cap from another zapper identical cap and no more power. i added the cap like you did and no more power. im guessing that there is a threshold and adding more caps just makes it so that the charge equalises so no more charge can go into the caps from the zapper-essentially pushing it back. cheers, let me know if your interested, ok time or a beer!

[@banjax66]

Hello Alan. That fly zapper I modded did indeed leave burn marks on the screwdriver tip. The camera I used was just a web cam and it didn't do the spark justice. I am interested in seeing you zapper mod too my friend... Ian.

[@nodriveasusephotos8019]

ok yes will video it.

[@banjax66]

@coondogtheman1234. Hi mate. I just used a capacitor from a microwave oven. Any cap with a high voltage rating and low capactitance value will be ok, about 1 microfarad is best because if you go too high in value the time taken to charge the cap will increase.

[@mathewbellman5833]

Is this tread still going

[@banjax66]

People still seem to be viewing it mate.

[@koch4022]

Holy shit wat a capacitor lol.

[@banjax66]

Nothing special mate. You get them out of any Microwave oven. Stay safe... Ian. (Banjax66)

[@high1voltage1rules]

Hey mate sorry to reply on ya video, yeah them copyer modules are inside are a circuit board and one transformer and a voltage doubler! I love them there awsome lol, check eBay mate, and thanx for he comment ;-)

[@harjeetabusaleem7583]

Lol at the skeleton

[@SilverreploidCLE]

You mean, bugzapperreview?

[@crunchykevlar]

ha thats pretty cool

[@initialb5009]

9v battery would be fun

[@davidmg1925]

Yes but you don't that going through you!!

[@WolvesAssault]

Awesome mod big capacitor make big spark, I have bug zapper swatter been mod big capacitor 1000v 2.2uf nice big spark & loud noise on my video, waiting for summer soon kill all annoying moths & fly lol. I can't find 2kv 1uf capacitor on Amazon UK, don't have any old microwave.

[@jb-ik8sj]

im on it

[@mavowar72]

Why not connect a car battery to it? Hahaha