rockpopandchips Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 OK so I have ordered a new resin kit and Im planning a dio with quite a lot of short grass 2/3rd A4 sort of size so I have ordered the parts to make my own static applicator using THIS and THIS, but have anyone on here built one that might have any recommendations for the build or use? Cheers/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Svedberg Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 I built one of these some time ago, from more or less exactly the same stuff. It think it was a rather straightforward build, so I don't have much advice to add. One thing I did was that I permanently soldered a metal pin to the loose end of the "ground" wire. That I think was a small but significant improvement compared to the usual alligator-clip-and-nail solution (which I have on another applicator). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockpopandchips Posted January 2, 2019 Author Share Posted January 2, 2019 (edited) @SvedbergThanks for that, did you remove one of the resistores or leave them alone, I ask as I have seen pictures of some people removing a resistor to get a bit more power out of fly zapper? where you happy with yours? Getting a plastic rimmed sieve was a good idea, a lot less shocking.....🤪 Thanks Brian Edited January 2, 2019 by rockpopandchips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Svedberg Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 1 hour ago, rockpopandchips said: @SvedbergThanks for that, did you remove one of the resistores or leave them alone, I ask as I have seen pictures of some people removing a resistor to get a bit more power out of fly zapper? No I did not remove any resistor. I did not know that was an option. 1 hour ago, rockpopandchips said: where you happy with yours? Yes I am. I think it works OK, but removing that resistor is not a bad idea. More power will not hurt (unless you touch the sieve 😀), assuming "power" in this case simply means a higher output voltage. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Svedberg Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 (edited) Apparently I could not let this resistor business be. So I did some internet searches on what resistors to remove. A few pictures turned up, but they are only useful when your circuit board happens to have the exact same layout as the one shown, so not much help there. But eventually I found a textual describtion (in this post http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=37186). It reads: "This is all you have to modify for the high powered version - Bridge the resistor in series with the capacitor (resistor A) with a bit of wire, and remove the resistor in parallel with the capacitor (resistor B ) entirely.". With this info it was easy to identify the resistors on my circuit board. Just to illustrate, here is a picture, which of course is as useless as all others unless you happen to have bought a swatter with exactly the same board as in the one I bought. 😁 I guess I need to make the modification to see if it makes any difference, but that will be for another day. Now me and the wife are going to watch the next installment of French spy TV-series "The Bureau". 😀 EDIT: Component 'A' above is not a resistor, as pointed out by @Circloy. You are probably safer not doing the modification as cited above. Do also see subsequent posting below. Edited January 2, 2019 by Svedberg 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Circloy Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 Cant see the detail but resistor A looks to be a Diode - totally different functions ensure you're happy with what you propose to do - even small voltages can kill ! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockpopandchips Posted January 2, 2019 Author Share Posted January 2, 2019 @Svedberg looks like you found the same stuff as me, once my zapper turns up we will see what the insides are like. @CircloySafety hats and boots at all times but I will be careful, cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Svedberg Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 1 hour ago, Circloy said: Cant see the detail but resistor A looks to be a Diode - totally different functions ensure you're happy with what you propose to do - even small voltages can kill ! Yes, of course you are right! That is not a resistor but a diode. I was actually a little suspicious myself and had intended to have a closer look, and get a better understanding on how these things work, before doing anything. But thanks for the warning! It convinced me I hade to investigate further. This is what I have understood: Both the diode (A) and the resistor (B) are sitting on the high voltage side of a step-up transformer. The diode is there to rectify the voltage (created by some kind of oscillator circuitry on the low voltage side). Without the diode the capacitor would not charge I guess, and to remove it sounds contra-productive. The resistor is a bleeder resistor, making the capacitor eventually discharge when you are done with the device. So it is hard to see how removing the resistor or bridgeing the diode would up the output voltage. Such a modification is more likey to destroy something, or make the device potentially dangerous. Conclusion, I will not attempt to modify the electronics. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dads203 Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 I would order a negative ion generator and use that instead, I think eBay or amazon sell them for a few pounds, I built mine a few years ago and it works a treat for my Chieftain build, very simple to pop together and it works. https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234962150-tamiya-chieftain-converted-into-a-mk11/ Page 15 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Xuniu-Purifier-Ionizer-Negative-Generator/dp/B07J52H4FB/ref=sr_1_74?ie=UTF8&qid=1546463680&sr=8-74&keywords=negative+ion+generator Regards Dan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plasto Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 Luke Towan has a good tutorial on how to build a static grass applicator over on you tube... His other videos are all with watching if you want to create better scenic effects.. If you’re going to use a fly swat I’d just leave the circuit alone. The only way to get more ‘power’ out of it is either to increase the winding on the step up transformer or run a bigger cap. I think you’ll get more bang for buck in ensuring that the connections to the sieve and the grounding stake are well bonded electrically so what charge you do have flows adequately. I want to have a go with some static grass this year so may have a go at building something. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockpopandchips Posted January 3, 2019 Author Share Posted January 3, 2019 On 1/2/2019 at 9:00 PM, Dads203 said: I would order a negative ion generator I was going to do that but for £6 I thought I might as well give the fly zapper a go first. 23 hours ago, Plasto said: His other videos are all with watching if you want to create better scenic effects.. I have watched many of them, he is very good. The sieve has arrived I'm hoping to the zapper turns up tomorrow so I can build this at the weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Vale Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 I have built a static grass generator from a fly swat and tea strainer, no modifications to the circuitry. It works well enough but I found I prefer a different technique for static grass: Which comes with its own danger and thrills as the Super 77 is pretty nasty stuff. Gives good results though: Buffer stop Cheers, Will 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badder Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 (edited) I used exactly the same things as you to make my applicator. I did nothing other than disconnect and re-attach one wire to the sieve, and disconnect the other w!ire, extend it and attach a crccodile clip to the end. The thing gives a big enough punch as it is, so no need to remove resistors! One tip though.....for large areas of ground I embed a wire gauze into the plaster during the laying process, leaving a few tabs sticking up. I can then attach the crocodile clip to one of the tabs and charge up the entire area , and in fact, beyond. Here's a link to the large area of grass I did using the fly swat applicator and a wire gauze/mesh embedded within the plaster ground: There's also info on the construction of the applicator, and the placement and use of the gauze in the WIP. HTH Badder Edited January 5, 2019 by Badder 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockpopandchips Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 (edited) On 1/3/2019 at 11:28 PM, Will Vale said: It works well enough but I found I prefer a different technique for static grass: Cheers Will, that the way I would normally do it as well, just thought I would try something different for short grass that hard to grip. @Badder Thanks good to know, the gauze is a great idea. No sign of my fly zapper this weekend so made a start on a figure base that I will try it out on first, when they are both ready to. Hopefully the narly old oak tree stump will look better painted... Edited January 7, 2019 by rockpopandchips 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockpopandchips Posted January 8, 2019 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 Fly zapper turned up today and I cracked it open to have a look inside. Looks much like all the others on the Web apart from the two green wires going to the bat. More tomorrow I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plasto Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 Do the two green wires terminate at the same point on the PCB?? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockpopandchips Posted January 9, 2019 Author Share Posted January 9, 2019 @Plasto Yes they do, so was thinking of just removing one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plasto Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 Ok then it’s just splitting one of the phases to get 2 neutrals either side of the swat bat so it fries bugs either side. if you combine both wires into one or chop one off then you end up with 2 phases which is what you want for static grass.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockpopandchips Posted January 9, 2019 Author Share Posted January 9, 2019 (edited) @PlastoGood to have that confirmed, I just removed one of the green wires, added the long wire and they are now ready to soldier to the pin and sieve. Edited January 9, 2019 by rockpopandchips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockpopandchips Posted January 9, 2019 Author Share Posted January 9, 2019 (edited) Well that seems to work OK, first quick test using some 4mm grass and hobby craft spray glue both cheep stuff and it looks OK. Edited January 9, 2019 by rockpopandchips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plasto Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 Nice one.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Svedberg Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 Looks good. Congrats! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockpopandchips Posted January 14, 2019 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 On 1/9/2019 at 10:53 PM, Plasto said: Nice one.... Thanks. On 1/11/2019 at 2:38 PM, Svedberg said: Looks good. Congrats! Thanks This is what I did with it on it first proper use and i'm quite happy with the outcome. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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