How Does a Bug Zapper Work?

[@Caramel_Custard_Flan]

The dislike on this video were flys and mosquitoes.

[@12thsonofisrael]

LOL 🤣

[@aishamalik5765]

Please make more such videos, You explain so well!!!

[@MichaelSmith-mb1ig]

Agree! New sub here great job

[@dunuth]

Underrated is an understatement. You rock, sir. Not to disrespect anyone, but I had just watched some 40 min of video about Joule thieves and a bug zapper from other youtubers, and I was completely confused. Then I watched your 8 min video and everything makes perfect sense.

[@ProtoG42]

Thanks! I really appreciate that as I did spent quite a bit of time on this video. Please share with anyone that it might benefit as well!

[@ProtoG42]

If you like my videos, please consider supporting me at Patreon.com/ProtoG42 to help me produce more content. You can also support me by simply subscribing and liking my videos. Thanks for watching!

[@alejandrafarfan3523]

+Proto G Can you please tell me, which is the value of the capacitor. I'm trying to do my own bug zapper. But i just need the value of the capacitor. Thanks

[@samnoneofyourbisnus2543]

a photo flash cap would work good. 50 uf 200 volts

[@kenlane6655]

Guys like you amaze me. I worked in radio for many years and got friendly with a lot of techs and the best bit of advice I ever got when I was asking a lot of questions was, "You don't have to know how it works quite often, but you have to know it's NOT working." He was talking of IC's and the like. Classic answer I thought.

[@johndoe-bq1xt]

Thank you for explaining how the circuit works. I use your explanation as the main basic template as to how other charging circuits in other electric rackets work. Their circuits are almost the same as your circuit except that a few components get switched or shuffled around. For example, you might get a voltage doubler that's included to charge the center tapped primary coil of the transformer. Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you and to say that you would make one heck of a great engineer !

[@jeffiscool1805]

Wow. I just learned more from you in a few short minutes more than I have in a loooong time. Your willingness to explain what the symbols in your circuit diagram actually meant, triggered one of those "holy crap I get it" moments. Some people suck at teaching, some do not. You definitely don't suck. Great job.

[@Scott_C]

Wow, this was perfect. Thank you! Most times even the most "simple" explanations I've found on line are above my skill set. This fit perfectly in my wheelhouse of expected knowledge and easy to follow new information. One request. When you draw schematics like you did (thank you!), can you give us a little legend for what each symbol is?

[@ProtoG42]

+Scott Cress Thanks Scott, I'm glad you liked it! I tried to give each symbol attention in the video but maybe I could label them next time.

[@Scott_C]

+Proto G Yeah, I noticed that and I appreciated that. I became worried that you are going to burn yourself out repeating the same concepts so the beginners can follow. Imagine having to explain what a transistor does in each episode. If you don't repeat the information you'll loose the fantastic beginners guide feel you have in this video. I actually have an idea that would keep the repetition down, while keeping beginners informed, I'll PM you about it.

[@captbullsnort]

Great way of taking something so complicated, and explaining it in a simple way. You really helped me understand the bug zapper circuit.

[@codename48122]

Please correct me if this is wrong, but I think there's a small step just before the field collapsing - when the inductor current (current in the right hand side of the transformer) reaches it's maximum value, the field strength becomes constant, which means the induced voltage in the left hand side of the transformer drops to zero, which in turn causes the NPN to switch off. Now the collector will not pass current and the field in the right hand side of the transformer collapses.Good vid thanks

[@sanjayradia1271]

I always struggled to understand how it works - you explained it so well I get it now.

[@opewind]

Great explanation! A ghoulish proposal: It would be a fun project to add a counter that keeps track of the total number of insects zapped. A tiny Scub1000 LCD counter module and the appropriate conditioning circuit could watch for voltage drops across the bleed resistor (or perhaps current spikes through the output capacitor) and increment the counter's display. A problem might be false counts caused by sizzling corpses but the conditioning circuit could maybe distinguish between sizzle and pop. The Scub1000 is so small it could easily be fitted into the handle along with the additional components. Unfortunately, my circuit-designing abilities are insufficient to actually figure out the details but I do have the ability to follow a schematic and build it in. Does anyone have any circuit suggestions or thoughts on this?

[@jisozaki]

Very well done video. great picture and explanation. It might be helpful in the future if you discuss a little about the value of the components. like, if you raise the value of this resistor, then XXX will happen, or this capacitor requires a max voltage value of xxx in order to ...... I found your video to be clear, concise and informative. thanks

[@nicolasparadis1407]

EXCELLENT VIDEO; 1rst Time that finally and clearly understood this circuit. THANKS ALOT!!!!

[@mickgatz214]

thanks for the technical desription on the circuit of a fly zapper. :) I am going to build one for the purpose of destroying European Wasps which are quite an issue here! Cheers! Mick

[@GRBtutorials]

That’s more expensive than just buying it... and transformers, especially HV ones, are a PITA to wind.

[@minifarmbarns5303]

Can a single battery create more voltage? 3000? 4000? Just by adding more turns to the coils? You may have figured out that I am not an electrical engineer? I am working on a project (prototype) and am doing things I have no business doing based off of my intellect level. Also, if you left the zapper ON, would it drain the battery very quickly, or only gradually unless it is being activated by closing the circuit due to a bug touching 2 wires?

[@nodriveasusephotos8019]

+photo g Ok ive blown up mine just by swapping the 3v to 9v. would like to make my own 3v so can you let me know a typical transistor that would work? also i think the transistor is the limiting component in raising the voltage and current here-is there a transistor you know could handle a 9v battery proto g?

[@PBandJsandwich]

Kudos to Mr. Proto.

[@jamrockpirate]

nice video, thanks man, I was waiting for some one to make a video of how these zapper circuits work. now I have some modding to do hehehe

[@ProtoG42]

+Digital Hokage Thanks for watching, please like and share!

[@joanadarca1202]

Poi

[@MochaboyRC]

I totally understood that...now to go find my bug zapper!

[@gabrielconstantine7384]

Great explanation, thanks. Any idea what this transformer is called?

[@olacolega7067]

That's so cool! Just one question: why doesn't the battery gets instantly consumed when we use the bug zapper? Is it some special battery with a really large amount of charge in it?

[@bigheat86]

Really nice and great video. I think, this will give me some hints understanding the flash strobe of an school analog camera I disassembled.

[@attahirnasir1503]

How did the transformer worked with the DC battery?, explain further

[@GS250Premiun]

Excellent detailed description, thank you!

[@HassanETECH]

very well explained 👍

[@ProtoG42]

+Applied Electronics Thanks!

[@josuelservin2409]

You know you are in presence of a truly Mad Scientists when he wear gloves even to draw the schematics XD Could we send you things for you to explain, like cheap Chinese electronics from aliexpress to see how they work and if they are any good?

[@ProtoG42]

+Josuel Servin I am definitely open to suggestions. I am mostly looking for products with through-hole boards because they are easier to visually explain. Once I get around to setting up a P.O. box, I will start accepting mail. Thanks for watching!

[@ZeedijkMike]

Yes! This is a very good video. Good content and I love to see hand drawn circuit diagrams.

[@Bradthacker46]

Very well explained!

[@arkarkyaw5753]

Would it be ok for you to explain some Aircon indoor board and made in Asia washing machine pcb repair.

[@stspringer2003]

Nice video very professional. How many turns are on the primary and the secondary coils?

[@ProtoG42]

+Chris Uroda I can't reply to your comment. You may need to change your settings. The voltage in the left side of the transformer drops below the turn on voltage of the resistor as a result of the right field collapsing. Remember, the battery can slightly open the collector on its own so the collapsing right field needs to act against that base voltage to turn the transistor completely off. Once the right side of the transformer reaches its saturation point, the collector begins to close because it is back to only having the battery voltage. In this circuit, the collector rises to completely on and falls to completely off similar to a sine wave.

[@zimap]

it's okay , thanks for the answer

[@HannTheftAudio]

My question: Does this actually mean 1300V DC seeing as how the diode technically converts AC to DC by only allowing the current to flow one way? Or is this HALF AC seeing as how it's only allowing positive bumps which (come to think of it) would act as a switch to turn the flow on/off depending on where the peak of the bump would be? Like it'll still be DC just because there's a diode acting as a check valve, but it's not straight DC because it's not a straight line, but rather bumps, which would in turn make the Diode act as a switch. I maybe overthinking things a bit with this, but I'm trying to understand what I'm dealing with here.

[@BigManko]

Awesome video! This series is a great idea. I have one question (Its a bit off topic): What pen were you using? It looks really good.

[@ProtoG42]

+John Smith Thanks, it's a Uni Kuru Toga Roulette 0.5mm mechanical pencil.

[@BigManko]

Proto G Thank you very much :)

[@tusharmeshram8553]

Understand very well.thank u so much. Make this type of other ckt and an analysis that b'cause i understand and I like this type of video.for sharing knowledge to others. Best of luck for ur future

[@DougAlcoe]

Great explanation. Heading to Patreon to reallocate a few bucks...

[@ProtoG42]

+Doug Alcoe Thank you! It's very much appreciated!

[@kp1957-d6z]

Thank you for the great explanations.

[@coondogtheman]

Proto G thanks for the detailed video of these as I have one with a circuit that has no power meaning it doesn't zap but the red power LED is on. when I stick something metal across the grids it makes a tiny zap and on another zapper it makes a loud zap. Any ideas? Bad transistor? I have the circuit and am not sure if I can fix the zapper. I'd actually like to turn it into a curly CFL bulb driver b/c I saw a video on here where someone did just that.

[@tjcambre5236]

Amazing video bro

[@alep.1818]

Nice video!! How is it called the first type of transformer? For me it's a little weird that kind of configuration due that they are sharing the same node next to the switch, so they are electrically connected. Thank you so much for your explanation!

[@mdr-tf6bp]

But please can you say me what is the nombre of ohms for the resitor and the thing they have 3 pin in witch sens did you put it

[@sohamlakhote9822]

Excellent video 😁

[@davidmg1925]

haha I think I might just wack the fly with a news paper!! Seriously, a very good tut. Subbed.

[@Dinkum-Dn12]

I have one, but not working I opened & touched the circuit, it hurts lot . I didn't press the button. How much volt that transformer produce

[@lifelonglearningchannel5610]

Plz explain the role of transistor in the Bug zapper circuit

[@soorajos1]

hey i liked this video, ans its too helpful to me. So my question is, how i can measure the output voltage.

[@maxwarfield6699]

Awesome and simple video. But I'm a NOOB so, can you explain how the DC battery makes the transformer work [transformers only work with AC, right?], don't you need a chopper, to feed the transformer some variable electricity? If so, where is the chopper in this fly swatter? What does it look like? Thank you kindly

[@peterfitzwell9658]

I swapped out the AA batteries for an 18650, which gave it a little more power. I also added a TP4056 charging circuit. But that's just until I receive the 400,000 V high voltage generator that I ordered to replace the circuit that came in it. That should be interesting lol. I know they highly exaggerate those numbers, but I figure it'll probably be putting out 20-30kv 😁😜

[@KT-1]

So could you R&R the HV transformer with one having a higher output to achieve a swatter with better performance?

[@Avenrei]

Did you end up making the Magnetic Levitating Platform Video? I can't seem to find it.

[@inductor1.77]

Really great video man, thanks!

[@kiley1672]

Amazing video

[@evil17]

Great vid and tutorial,, thanks for sharing

[@heythere2904]

Something is not right. 🤔 How can someone explain so nicely. U earned a subscriber.

[@kruppratte218]

Very Interesting, I'm trying to build a Bug Zapper lid for a metal Coffee can to keep gnats & other bugs out of the can of Food Scraps with aluminum Screen for a screen door & a 12 volt power source, I need the wires to get a good connection with the screen & the bug zapper to work all the time, as long as it's hooked up, without setting off the surge protector in the Jump Starter I'm using for power, since the 12 volt Lantern Battery seems to be not doing anything, I've got a negative wire & positive wire fastened to opposite sides of the lid, with a negative wire as a ground wire connecting the screen to the coffee can, How do I get this to work without setting off the surge protector?, hook wires to a capacitor, then to the screen?, I'm trying to build a bug zapper, because another bug flying around the house is the size of a speck of dust & flies right though the screen of a bug zapper, untouched.

[@starbirthcalamity]

To clarify what I understand to be the working principle, you could hypothetically convert one of these into a functional Tesla coil with a few adjustments to the wiring, couldn’t you?

[@nedergubis2638]

what if the button is pressed and locked into On position.? would it burn out the coil and resistors?

[@twistedlot]

I

[@magnificentshine1]

Great vid man! 👍👍

[@hasanxnv]

very informative. thanks

[@K3vinK]

What is the ratio on that transformer? How much voltage comes out of it?

[@lovikaifzaidinakanal980]

Proto G Thanks man

[@maker898]

Wow very nicely explained, I was searching for a video exactly like this!!

[@vigilante_stark]

Hi man. Liked the video. Can you please give the link to the gloves? Amazon or something? And they don't leave powder do they ( I am guessing not bcz they're probably made out of nitrile)?

[@ProtoG42]

Thanks, I use these black nitrile examination gloves without powder: amzn.to/2kFwTSH

[@BesNewFails]

can I take the diode out so it can be more powerful and give more voltage

[@naveenchebolu6757]

What are the rating of transformer?

[@mohamadsheykhloo3259]

Can i make insecticide with + and _ phone adaptor?

[@firstlast-on8nf]

what about your other videos like the soldering iron???

[@ravijoshiboxer]

very well explained....gud wrk...

[@ThrashTeuton]

Awesome! Make more please!!

[@ProtoG42]

+ThrashTeuton Thanks, I will. My aim is to find products with through-hole boards because they are easier to visually explain.

[@rspagna]

Nice gloves

[@Chi_ka_Dibia]

please I've got a question, is it okey if i hold down my mosquito bat button with a tape and leave it overnight?

[@herroberliutenantlang5965]

what is the difference between a tazer and this bug zapper?

[@deankay4434]

Can I fabricate a perch from one side of the caps output and the other side to a bare wire inside a hole to zap woodpeckers? I am sure current is very low but the pest cease to be a part of wildlife when it / they put 37 holes in my house. Bug zapper = Bird zapper, they tell their friends and leave. Seriously, my daisy BB rifle is not a repeatable accurate tool. In the city, we are not allowed to discharge a firearm. So a C02 pellet pistol maybe next. The bird zapper would send a much clearer message to all that try. I have to be constantly aware of what is beyond the offending foul as I wish no harm to my neighbors window or vehicle. At 360FPS, a BB air powered rifle will drop quickly. But not true with heavier 177 pellet traveling twice as fast. I tried leaving a note, they won’t read it. I filled the hole with foil (Conductor) but the simply pecked until pulled out. I tried modified sticky traps for rats with wings, caught one, the rest got wise. I don’t my house covered in 3 X 4 black plastic trays with a semi-circular hole cut to fit at the hole, not near it. I have gone 18 years without peckers of wood attacking my bug free walls. I have to fix each. Bird Zapper, order yours before mid-night tonight and get free shipping!

[@DevPatel-jg4yr]

Made my day ..

[@E_Proxy]

I'd need a really dumber down version

[@guest2007]

thanks

[@pranav_chandar_jazz]

From where did Ac current come from

[@ProtoG42]

From the joule thief circuit.

[@Sudz28]

This explains why these rackets are almost useless; 80% of the time the bugs just bounce off the outer mesh before ever touching the inner mesh. I'm glad I watched this though, I thought that outer mesh was strictly a safety measure to keep people from touching the inner, electrified mesh. I was going to try and rip off the outer mesh in order to make it more effective and make sure the bugs hit the inner mesh, but it sounds like I'd break it if I did that.

[@cronosu2]

ZOMG thanks sir :) now can make a roache zapper ..but I will try it at least

[@therealityartist9057]

I always thought it was a inverter inside the handle to bump up the battery power

[@rva1945]

Isn't it basically a Joules Thief?

[@SteveJones172pilot]

Your terminology of the transistor "opening" to let current through may be confusing, based on an "open" is usually a gap (switch turned off). Is that common terminology for talking about transistors? I've never heard that.. If not, you might want to steer away from that, just because the audience is beginners.. Second.. Wouldn't the transistor turn off anyway and oscillate because once it's open, the right side of your coil is a less resistive path to ground, so current would stop flowing to the base? And.. couldn't this circuit have been improved by a full wave bridge on the output side, where the LED is? It seems we're only charging with half the potential available, unless I'm missing something? I know it was done for cost, but I'm just curious.. Thanks for the video - I've always wanted to take one of those apart.

[@ProtoG42]

+Steve Jones First, think of the collector as a gate. It opens to let current flow through, but it doesn't have to be all the way open. It can be partially opened like the valve for your water hose. While the collector does not move, it is still good to think of it as open and closing like a gate. Second, no. The path of least resistance is a common misconception. Connect two lightbulbs with different resistances to a battery. They will both light up albeit with different brightnesses. This topic gets a bit more complicated when talking about lightning and arcing. Most examples you'll find online assume that the short to ground has a resistance of zero which never is the case. Read up on Kirchhoff's circuit laws. Third, a full bridge rectifier on the output would charge the capacitor about twice as fast. That's just a regular diode on the output side.

[@SteveJones172pilot]

+Proto G Thanks for the quick reply.. I get the analogy of the gate, but my question was in the terminology of using "open" to indicate that current is flowing ("opening" the gate) whereas in most electronics, a CLOSED switch lets current flow, and an OPEN circuit means nothing flows.. Even in transistors, "open collector" output means no current flowing..???

[@ProtoG42]

+Steve Jones I suppose it could be confusing but it is very common to think of the collector opening and closing as I have done because of the water analogy when speaking to beginners. In reality, the collector doesn't open or close at all. The collector conductivity changes as a result of the base-emitter voltage changing but you don't want to get into the heavy technical details for fear of losing a beginner even more.

[@nodriveasusephotos8019]

+steve jones you have to realise that opening and closing of a manual switch and the opening and closing of a transistor gate being different and very well understood by anyone learning the basics of transistor circuits-if that is confusing you then perhaps you should try learn in very small steps-steve jones out of the sex pistols was a mean guitarist-perhaps take up that ;-)

[@alanludlow7995]

WHERE..are the values for the components?

[@Alexelectricalengineering]

Thumbs up :) Alex

[@ProtoG42]

Thanks Alex!

[@Alexelectricalengineering]

Proto G 👍👍👍👍

[@bbygrlpt2]

I tried to kill a fly this morning with that but it took like 3-4 zaps and even then it was still movin😕

[@klynn_nonya7]

#FLYLIVESDONTMATTER

[@thesonicexplorer75]

The bug zapper never shocks me

[@chicken9566]

Yo

[@lm2193]

didnt even explain the basic how the mosquito could be short-circuited

[@nixternal]

This almost made me feel like I was back in my ET phase of US Navy Gunner's Mate A School back in the day. I remember hooking up very similar circuits to the metal stools, aka Butt Zappers, we sat on in class :)

[@ProtoG42]

+Rich Johnson haha, nice!

[@kagi95]

Dude this is awesome! Something I can actually follow as a computer geek without feeling like an idiot in electronics.

[@ProtoG42]

+kagi95 Thank you!

[@vaibhavSaid]

Bt transformer want ac supply ? Then how he getting ac supply? On what principle this circuit is working?

[@ProtoG42]

Watch the video, I explain that.

[@Scott_C]

This series made me want to create a Patreon account and support you. Thank you!

[@ProtoG42]

+Scott Cress Thank you so much! I got your message and that's a really good idea. I've already started filming some other videos on my list so in the mean time I will try to keep all of the videos in this series aimed at beginners.

[@swapnildabhade9123]

Please mention components numbers on ckt diagram

[@LeGridStudios]

Sir well stated, thank you. I have a question, in order to remove the bleed off effect, would bypassing the bleed resistor to the job? and by doing so would this cause any negative effects, such as discharging the battery, or over loading any components?

[@nodriveasusephotos8019]

so the joule thief part of the circuit is not so that a 1.5 battery can be used in the case of an led it is to make a simple oscillator? why is this used instead of using a 2 transistor typical oscillator circuit?

[@nnamerz]

Your ability to teach is amazing! I came here to learn about the bug zapper and ended up learning way more ....almost to the point that I forgot all about the bug zapper, lol. I do have a question I was hoping you or someone could help answer: • 7:03 I understand the purpose of the bleed resistor, but doesn't that also mean it will constantly be trying to drain the capacitor, thus making it inefficient?

[@hassankrisht718]

you deserve a big like

[@sergetheijspartner2005]

Can I build one that is windowsized , because every year some garbage cans outside attract flies and when they get in to my house there is a certain window that allways seems to attract them, like 95% of bugs go to that window, and the other 5 I miss when hunting also fly over there, so if I have a permanent zapper, that is as big as the window there is no way they will miss it, it would save me a lot of bughunts