Project Logs

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• Getting back at it

  BDM • 09/02/2014 at 12:26 • 0 comments

  Been working on adding a DRO to the mill and since that is complete I am ready to get back at this project and get this POC2 completed.  Will be adding the light and some sort of module to detect the presence of a pest. microphones(autozap), capactive touch, etc...

• What did I build? Investigation time

  BDM • 08/24/2014 at 14:34 • 0 comments

  Yesterday and today I broke out my favorite electronic books to try and understand the diode capacitor relationship I built.  Was my logic in use correct?  Does it have a name?   My guess is that this is a transient circuit since we have .."a sudden change in voltage introduced by an external agent...", aka Mr. Fly being electrocuted.  Book has some formulas to model this behavior which I will look into once I have POC2 up and running.

  I will map the complete circuit but this is what I understand.

  1.) The diode does act in the way I intended, one way current/voltage flow.  Learned it has a -0.6V drop when in series like I placed it.  Since I might be tapping off the transformer it could act as a 1/2 wave rectifier as well.

  2.) The electrolytic capacitor that is inline with the diode does charge like I expected.  The closest thing I could find is it is a capacitor under forced response.  

  3.) The ceramic just helps even things out a little, bypass circuit to get rid of some undesired ripple.  Also drains the electrolytic cap. since the ceramic is connect to ground.

  NEW IDEA--> Maybe putting a resistor in parallel with the ceramic will help the electrolytic drain faster and give a snappier recharge picture.  Also may add a resistor before the diode to get the voltage  < 1.1 so I can switch the Arduino ADC over to 1.1 reference instead of 5V reference.  Since I have been testing with a piece of wire I have a feeling a fly will not pull as much a load as my test wire.  I could be wrong since a short is a short and as long as the short does not break then we should have the same results.

• Found the zap moment

  BDM • 08/05/2014 at 01:27 • 0 comments

  Spent a good hour looking around the charging board for a easy way to detect a strike and give feedback for a "stuck bug".  Turns out a cap just after the transformer works great!  Noisy circuit is all I will say, everything had noise (not little noise either).

  I also contemplated making a network of this zappers for my yard (found my XBee's) but I need this prototype working first.

• -308411.4673072045 - Is this a Tesla device?

  BDM • 08/04/2014 at 02:53 • 0 comments

    Today I was able to finish the top electrode wiring.  Ended up just swirling it on which worked great until the end when the front part of the hat had extra base electrode showing.  A few inches of wire bent and soldered in place resolved this.   I will say it ended up looking like a secondary coil for a Tesla device but unfortunately no bolts of death are shooting from this beast.

    Once this was complete I soldered on some alarm wire and took the Lazy Killer 9000 outside for a demo.  Worked as planned when on my head OR on my leg.  

• -308414.58184297313 - Looks messy, must be on the right track

  BDM • 08/02/2014 at 21:22 • 0 comments

  Today I added the spacer between electrodes and oh what fun  that is.  I was originally going to use the yellow plastic that came with original swatter but I was lazy and figured weed-eater string or 3d printer PLA would work.  Well I don't own a weed-eater so PLA it was.  I originally made a suture line from tiny wire, tape and thread to ties down the PLA to the base electrode.  That was a slow method and would work but I wanted instant gratification so I broke out the hot glue gun and went to work.  Took about 15minutes, 2 burned fingers (D batteries make great backing for hot glue), and 6 feet of PLA to get it close enough to done.  I found that I could loop the spacer and glue more precisely than attempting to cut individual lines.  If I finish this prototype maybe I'll go back and 3d print a fitting version so I will not have to mess with hot glue and make it look more "finished".

• -308416.98715753434 - Electrode forming

  BDM • 08/02/2014 at 14:09 • 0 comments

    Last night was able to form the base electrode and attempted to work on the coil that would surround the base electrode.  Bending the wire that came with the zapper proved to be a futile effort BUT I now know where to get spring wire.  During my bending process they would slip from my grip and fly across the shop. 

   Tomorrow I will scrounge around the shop looking for some solid core wire about the same gauge as what the original swatter had.  It will bend easily and form a spiral on top.  I did watch Fifth Element last night and every hat I noticed all I could do was think of how I could electrify it.

• -308428.7755580924 - An idea has formed

  BDM • 08/01/2014 at 02:29 • 0 comments

  Patience meter is now at 90%.  Sparks are flying I think to myself why not fly paper my head.... I took the plate and balanced on my head. All I could imagine was Mr. Miyagi catching flies with chopsticks. IT WORKS!!!! 3 confirmed kills in a few minutes!

  I now want to take this to the next level and make a hat with electrocuting properties. Follow, skull/like this project and help save the world from these pathogen carrying beasts. Oh yeah, I got kids in college/driving range so the money would help. Scratch that, I need gadgets and swag instead, kids are smart and will earn a scholarship (knock on wood).

• -308431.51528411976 - BBQ and Flys

  BDM • 08/01/2014 at 02:27 • 0 comments

  After 5hrs of rib cooking I setup a flay paper trap above the table expecting them to attract to it like a magnet. Those sons of bitches never landed on it, instead they buzzed around everything else in sight. I then decided to remove the hanging trap and place on a plate near a source I saw them hanging around. NOTHING AGAIN! <rage quit>

• -308434.2550101471 - All fun and games till someone gets zapped in the head

  BDM • 08/01/2014 at 02:22 • 0 comments

    While helping family level a pergola I watched as <unnamed individual> decided to shoo away a wasp/fly/mosquito/horse fly/<annoying insect> with no luck for at least 20 minutes.  Another hour and a few beers had passed when it was decided we needed an electric swatters to rid ourselves of these annoying pests.  Took about 10 seconds and the flying beast returned with pass after pass of the swatter missing and <unnamed individual> erupting into profanity and a promise to get that flying ninja.  Well the electric swatter ended up working but not before the following occurred.

  1.) <unnamed individual> may or may not have accidentally zapped themselves on the temple area of the head (HA! )

  2.) Bug was wounded and landed on <unnamed individuals collar bone area.  I then proceeded to shock the insect with 2nd swatter before being swatted away myself because of arcing through the insect (more fun memories!)

    Based on the story above I took a solemn oath to find a better way to kill 'em.  I BBQ a few weekends a month and every time I do, I am invaded by swarms of flies with at least 20 of them in my house from the doors opening and closing as we move around. 

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