TAZapper (79)

This is what is inside

(The Fly swatter has had the head removed, the TAZapper is below.)

Note that the TAZapper has a much larger capacitor although its value is not marked, there are no markings on the other side. There are 5 more small capacitors in the TAZapper

The TAZapper switch is much more robust, and seems to have a discharge contact.

Using the same batteries and touching the contacts onto some metal (the gas fire), the TAZapper makes a big flash and quite a loud pop. Doing the same with the wires from the FlySwatter makes a tiny flash and almost no sound. I don't have a sub handy to test how it feels.

I wouldn't recommend touching the FlySwatter one. Although the capacitor in the TAZapper or Executioner is physically bigger in size, it's actually a much smaller value (the 1600J means 1.6nF, with a tolerance of 5%). Most fly zappers work with 100-300nF capacitors, and essentially burn the poor fly to death.

I certainly wouldn't use it above the waist, my home made version makes my muscles twitch, you wouldn't want your heart to do that.

Your homemade version is just that - a homemade version. It's not guaranteed to be safe as you're using it for a purpose other than its intended use. Your homemade version is *not* a Tazapper - just because they have metal prongs and involve electricity does not make them the same. It's like comparing a paracetamol pill with an antihistamine.

To answer the question: is the TAZapper safe. It's based on the Executioner Fly Swat, which does not have a grill to stop you touching it, and which passes the safety regulations in the US and UK (ROHS and CE). One of the tests it has to pass is a consideration of the energy of one shock, which in this case is 800e-12*(3000^2)=7mJ. That's just above the limit of being able to feel the shock. Shocks over 1000mJ are considered dangerous. Nothing is completely safe however - there's always some risk.

The capacitor in the TAZapper is 0.047uF (47nF) at 1600V - you just have to know how to read the markings.

The circuitry in the standard unit is a small inverter circuit, with a transformer driven by a single transistor, (they usually have an extra winding on the transformer to provide feedback). This provides higher voltage pulses on the secondary. This is followed by a 3 stage voltage multiplier, (a tripler in this case), to get the output voltage. In the basic one, the output capacitor is effectively composed of the small caps in series. In the TAZapper, there is an added capacitor. If it charges to 1500V, then my calculation gives about 50mJ.

I'm of the view that the TAZapper is made from the 'Executioner' type swatter too.

I think Tanos' design looks quite cool, and gets the look of a prod at nice low price.

If people are going to use government safety acronyms, they ought to take time out to find out what they mean. Where does ROHS come into this? - in the case of electronic devices this is largely to do with making sure Lead free solder was used in making it. You can CE mark anything - including a gun. Small firms and dubious importers can self certify, in the case of a lot of imported cheap electronics the CE mark means nothing but "we put this on the box then we could sell it in Europe".

The effect of this type of toy is very system dependent. Damage can vary from not noticeable, to a nasty burn depending a lot upon skin type, and how damp/oily the skin is. Having the points close together makes the sensation more intense, and also reduces the risk of contracting a large muscle. A gay man I know once had a real cattle prod used on him in an interrogation scene, the Dom touched the back of his knee, this, unluckily, caused the muscles in his leg to contract violently, and he managed to kick himself in the back, and tear a couple of ligaments in his leg. Not quite the effect wanted. A couple of American users have told me they make cattle prods safer by removing some of the batteries, putting a conducting spacer in instead, reducing the voltage.

Mike ('The Prof')

Very good clear and concise except the first box with the white writing was a bit difficult to see. Good humour as well. Well done

"A heart is not judged by how much it loves but by how much it is loved" Wizard of Oz to the Tinman You give little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

A Tazapper?

We did, excellent fun. Not necessarily massively painful i briefly tapped on the skin, but that paired with the massive fear factor suits us. It's subtle, or as subtle as a bright red, blue-arc zappy thing can be...

Inner thighs muster lovely yappy sounds.

The lazy sadist says, "Go fuck yourself."