stun gun failure
what are the biggest factors in a stun gun failing over time, and how to minimize it? how many sparks is the average lifetime? i was going to hardwire just the spark circuit inside my electronics box and glue it down, but if i probably won't get years of use i need to come up with an easier modular way of connecting and disconnecting for replacement. any ideas?
-
mark.f
- Sergeant Major 4
- Posts: 3638
- Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 11:18 am
- Location: The Big Steezy
- Has thanked: 58 times
- Been thanked: 58 times
- Contact:
Depends. Some circuits have an internal spark gap which switches the high voltage capacitor through the final transformer, and some are solid state. The solid-state ones would last a little longer.
As for replacement, solder some quick disconnect terminals onto the circuit.
As for replacement, solder some quick disconnect terminals onto the circuit.
-
jrrdw
- Moderator
- Posts: 6572
- Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2005 5:11 pm
- Location: Maryland
- Has thanked: 39 times
- Been thanked: 22 times
- Contact:
Does you electronics box have screw pylons in it? If so, just use a small screw through the hole in the circuit board and snug it down. That's what I did, works great.
Male female quick disconnects for the wiring.
Male female quick disconnects for the wiring.
-
jimmy101
- Sergeant Major
- Posts: 3199
- Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2007 9:48 am
- Location: Greenwood, Indiana
- Has thanked: 5 times
- Been thanked: 17 times
- Contact:
Couple things that'll lengthen the life of a typical stungun.
1. As fun as it is to watch it throw inch long sparks, refrain from doing it, it is very hard on the circuit.
2. The gun is not designed to be operated for more than a couple seconds at a time, with a minute or two between firings to let the components cool back off. As an ignition system in a spudgun this isn't a big deal since it'll take at least that long to reload a typical gun.
3. There must always be a suitable spark gap. Or, to put it another way, every time you pull the trigger the system must generate a spark where you want it to. If it doesn't spark where you want then it probably sparked somewhere you didn't want, i.e., across some component on the circuit board inside the housing. That'll cook the circuit pretty quick. So, to get the stun gun to last as long as possible I suggest leaving the default spark gap in place and indeed would suggest shortening the default gap down to perhaps 1/2 inch. That 1/2" is bigger than your ignition gap so if everything else is OK it has no affect. But, if there is a wiring problem, or you ignition gap is too big, then the small spacing of the default gap protects the electronics. (Of course, you want to protect yourself from the default spark gap.
)
1. As fun as it is to watch it throw inch long sparks, refrain from doing it, it is very hard on the circuit.
2. The gun is not designed to be operated for more than a couple seconds at a time, with a minute or two between firings to let the components cool back off. As an ignition system in a spudgun this isn't a big deal since it'll take at least that long to reload a typical gun.
3. There must always be a suitable spark gap. Or, to put it another way, every time you pull the trigger the system must generate a spark where you want it to. If it doesn't spark where you want then it probably sparked somewhere you didn't want, i.e., across some component on the circuit board inside the housing. That'll cook the circuit pretty quick. So, to get the stun gun to last as long as possible I suggest leaving the default spark gap in place and indeed would suggest shortening the default gap down to perhaps 1/2 inch. That 1/2" is bigger than your ignition gap so if everything else is OK it has no affect. But, if there is a wiring problem, or you ignition gap is too big, then the small spacing of the default gap protects the electronics. (Of course, you want to protect yourself from the default spark gap.
)
-
mark.f
- Sergeant Major 4
- Posts: 3638
- Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 11:18 am
- Location: The Big Steezy
- Has thanked: 58 times
- Been thanked: 58 times
- Contact:
Those look like the solid state ones I'm familiar with (from what I can find online they use SIDACS for switching the capacitor instead of a spark gap).bighead33 wrote:my stun gun broke to, i think either burnt out a diode or broke the SPDT switch when i was taking it apart
After you took the circuit out (which I assume was completely potted in a plastic case with only four wires coming out ((two for 9V in and two for HV out)) of it) did you try running it on its lonesome? If so, the default gap is critical, otherwise it won't fire and you'll only get a hissing noise from the circuit. Try soldering on some new leads to the HV end (which usually has two VERY short leads ((be careful)) of thin wire) and keeping a very small spark gap (3/16" at most) and then running off of a verifiable input voltage (needs to be between 9 and 12 volts).
The two switches (safety and firing) aren't critical to the circuit's operation. 9-12V on the input wires will operate the circuit the same or better.
nope i did nothing to the circuit i was just studying it. but you do intrigue memark.f wrote:After you took the circuit out (which I assume was completely potted in a plastic case with only four wires coming out ((two for 9V in and two for HV out)) of it) did you try running it on its lonesome? If so, the default gap is critical, otherwise it won't fire and you'll only get a hissing noise from the circuit.bighead33 wrote:my stun gun broke to, i think either burnt out a diode or broke the SPDT switch when i was taking it apart
, why wouldn't the circuit work if i did run it on it's lonesome
-
mark.f
- Sergeant Major 4
- Posts: 3638
- Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 11:18 am
- Location: The Big Steezy
- Has thanked: 58 times
- Been thanked: 58 times
- Contact:
IF the air-gap between the two HV electrodes is too great then it will not work at all. Taking it out of the case removes the default gap.
Just make sure that the HV wires are less than 3/16" from each other and it should work fine.
Just make sure that the HV wires are less than 3/16" from each other and it should work fine.